Local coffee supplier to cafés and offices

Independent cafés, restaurants, bakeries, convenience stores, co-working spaces, hotels and offices.

You earn the margin between your bulk buying price and your wholesale price per pound or case. Repeat weekly or biweekly orders and add-on products raise the value of each stop.

• Selling to business owners
• Route planning and reliable delivery
• Basic bookkeeping and stock tracking
• Tasting and talking about coffee

• Check your state's rules for food wholesalers or distributors, including any license, registration or inspection of your storage space
• Storing food at home often isn't allowed for wholesale, so check your zoning, lease or HOA and your state's rules before you do it
• Check whether you need to register with the FDA or get a resale certificate for your state
• General liability and product liability insurance, plus commercial auto cover if you use a vehicle for deliveries
• Late payers and cash flow, since you pay the roaster before your customers pay you

Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how much coffee you buy in bulk, your storage setup, vehicle needs and insurance. These are estimates, and you pay your roaster before customers pay you, so plan for cash flow.

Monthly revenue is typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how many cafés, restaurants and offices you supply and how often you deliver. These are estimates, not guarantees, and they assume about 15 hours a week or more.

Check your state's rules for food wholesalers or distributors, including any license, registration or storage inspection. Check zoning, lease or HOA rules before storing stock at home, whether you need FDA registration or a resale certificate, and your insurance needs.