How to Start a Coffee Roasting Business Step by Step

Start a Coffee Roasting Business from Idea to Opening

Before you think about roasters and green coffee, ask a harder question—are you sure owning a business is right for you? You’re trading a steady paycheck for risk, long days, and full responsibility. That trade isn’t for everyone.

Take time to work through the bigger picture of becoming an owner. A helpful place to start is this guide on points to consider before starting a business. It walks you through the personal, financial, and lifestyle issues that show up long before you roast your first batch.

Next, look at your motivation. Are you moving toward a craft you love, or just running away from a job you can’t stand?

Passion matters, especially when batches go wrong, equipment breaks, and inspectors call. Use this resource about how passion affects a business to test whether you truly want this path or just want out of something else.

Get a Real-World Inside Look Before You Commit

You can learn a lot online, but nothing replaces talking with people who already roast coffee for a living. The trick is to speak with owners you won’t be competing against—roasters in other cities or states who are willing to be open with you.

Ask them about their first year, what surprised them, what they would do differently, and what they wish they had known before they signed a lease. You’re trying to see what daily life looks like, not just the “fun” parts.

For ideas on what to ask and how to approach those owners, see this guide on getting an inside look at a business before you start. Use their experience to avoid hard lessons that you could have seen coming.

Choose Your Coffee Roasting Business Model

A coffee roasting business can be a lean owner-operated shop or a larger production facility with staff and investors. Your model will shape your costs, licenses, and how you spend your time each day.

Many people start as a small roastery focused on wholesale accounts and online sales. You can often begin on your own or with one part-time helper, then grow into a team as demand increases. Larger plants that supply supermarkets or big chains usually need more capital, more staff, and a more formal structure from day one.

So ask yourself: Do you want to roast every batch yourself, or do you see yourself running a team and managing production from a desk? Your honest answer will point you toward the right scale and structure.

Wholesale roastery supplying cafés, restaurants, and offices.
Roastery with a small retail counter or tasting room.
Roastery combined with a café open to the public.
Online direct-to-consumer roasting and subscription service.
Private-label or contract roasting for other brands.

Check Demand, Competition, and Profit Potential

Before you sign anything, you need to know if there’s room for another roaster in your area. It’s not enough to love coffee—you need enough customers at prices that cover your costs and pay you a decent income.

Look at how many cafés, restaurants, offices, and specialty stores are within a practical delivery radius. Then look at how many roasters are already selling to them. Use this guide on supply and demand to help you think through whether there’s space for you to earn a profit.

Estimate how many accounts you’d need to cover rent, utilities, insurance, loan payments, and your own pay. If the math only works in a best-case fantasy, step back and recheck your plan before you move forward.

Estimate Your Startup Costs

Coffee roasting can be more expensive to start than it looks from the outside. The roaster itself is only one part of the bill—venting, emission control, build-out, and electrical or gas work can be larger costs.

Start with a list of what you truly need to open: roaster, ventilation, safety equipment, storage, packaging tools, first green coffee order, licenses, and professional fees. Then get real quotes from suppliers, trades, and landlords instead of guessing.

For help organizing and estimating expenses, see this guide on estimating startup costs. Once you see the full number—including working capital for a few months—you can decide whether you can self-fund, need a loan, or need investors.

Essential Equipment and Software for a Coffee Roasting Business

Your equipment list will depend on your volume and business model, but there are core items that most roasting businesses need. Think about safety, production, quality, and basic office work. Don’t just plan for opening day—plan for the first year of growth.

If you’re not sure which equipment to choose, talk with multiple suppliers, other roasters, and qualified trades. Many owners work with a professional to design venting and layout so the system is safe and compliant from day one.

Remember, you don’t have to become an expert in every technical detail. You can learn over time and bring in skilled people when the job is beyond your comfort level.

Roasting and production
- Commercial coffee roaster sized to your planned production.
- Integrated cooling tray and chaff collection system.
- Destoner to remove stones and foreign objects from roasted coffee.
- Scales for green coffee, roasted coffee, and packaging.
- Work tables and carts for staging and moving batches.
Ventilation and emission control
- Ductwork from roaster to the outside, designed for heat and smoke.
- Exhaust fan sized to the roaster and venting design.
- Emission control system, such as an afterburner or catalytic unit, if required by your air quality rules.
- Fresh air make-up so the system can operate safely without starving the room of air.
Grinding and packaging
- Commercial grinders if you plan to sell ground coffee.
- Food-grade storage containers for roasted coffee.
- Bag sealer or band sealer for consumer and wholesale bags.
- Roasted coffee bags with valves, labels, and date coding tools.
Quality control and cupping
- Small burr grinder dedicated to cupping.
- Cupping bowls, spoons, kettles, and timers.
- Thermometer and basic tools for tracking roast consistency.
Safety, cleaning, and sanitation
- Fire extinguishers and first aid kit suited to your local code.
- Personal protective equipment such as gloves, hearing protection, and eye protection.
- Vacuum, brushes, and tools for roaster cleaning and dust control.
- Cleaning and sanitation supplies approved for food facilities.
Storage and handling
- Pallet jack or hand truck for green coffee and supplies.
- Shelving or racking for green and roasted coffee.
- Food-grade bins or containers for open product.
Office and software
- Computer and printer for invoices, labels, and records.
- Accounting software to track income, costs, and taxes.
- Inventory and order management system suited to a small production operation.
- Customer relationship tracking tool to manage wholesale and subscription accounts.

Develop Your Skills and Fill the Gaps

Roasting coffee well takes practice, but you don’t need to be a world-class expert before you start. What you do need is a clear plan for learning and a realistic view of where you’ll need help.

You’ll want basic roasting knowledge, sensory skills for cupping, an understanding of food safety, and enough comfort with numbers to manage costs. You can learn many of these through training courses, working for a roaster, or self-study combined with practice.

For the tasks you don’t enjoy or aren’t good at—like bookkeeping, complex venting design, or writing contracts—consider hiring a professional. This article on building a team of professional advisors shows how accountants, lawyers, and consultants can support you. When you reach the point of hiring staff, you may also want to review how and when to hire so you bring people on at the right time.

Choose a Business Name and Brand Basics

Your name, logo, and basic look will appear on every bag you sell. You want something that’s easy to say, spell, and remember, and that isn’t already in use by another roaster.

Start with a list of possible names, then check which ones are available. Use this guide on selecting a business name to think through how the name will work in the long term, not just how clever it sounds today.

Once you’ve narrowed your choices, check domain availability and social handles. You can build out your logo and branded items later using this overview of a corporate identity package, along with business card basics and business sign considerations if you’ll have a public location.

Pick a Location and Plan Your Roastery Layout

Coffee roasting is usually done in light industrial or commercial spaces because of heat, noise, and venting. Some owners add a small retail counter or tasting bar; others stay production-only and focus on wholesale and online sales.

You’ll need enough room for the roaster, venting, storage, packaging, and safe movement around the equipment. The building must also be suitable for installing vent stacks, gas or electrical service, and any emission control system you need.

Use this guide on choosing a business location to weigh visibility, rent, access, and zoning. Before you sign a lease, talk with your local planning and building departments to confirm that a roasting facility is allowed in that space and what you need for a Certificate of Occupancy (CO).

Handle Registrations, Licenses, and Compliance

Getting legal isn’t exciting, but it’s what allows you to stay open. Requirements vary by state and city, so you’ll need to confirm details for your own location. A good first step is learning the basics of how to register a business.

Many small roasters begin as sole proprietorships, especially if they’re starting very small and working alone. As risks and revenue grow, many owners form a limited liability company to separate personal and business assets and to look more credible with banks and partners.

In simple terms, you’ll usually need to choose a structure, register your business name if required, get tax numbers, and apply for the licenses that cover food processing, local business activity, and zoning. Your Secretary of State, state department of revenue, and city or county business office are key contacts. You may also need to register as a food facility and meet labeling and food safety rules, so plan time to speak with your state agriculture or health department if they oversee food processors.

Protect Your Business with Insurance

One accident, fire, or product issue can undo years of work if you’re not insured. You don’t want to find out during a claim that you left a gap in coverage.

Many roasting businesses look at general liability, product liability, property coverage for equipment and inventory, and auto coverage for delivery vehicles. If you have staff, you may also need workers’ compensation, based on your state rules.

For an overview of what to ask and how to think about risk, see this guide on business insurance. Then speak with a licensed insurance professional who understands food and manufacturing businesses so your policies actually match your risks.

Write Your Business Plan and Set Your Prices

A business plan doesn’t have to be fancy. It does need to help you stay focused while you make hundreds of decisions. Even if you never show it to a bank, it keeps your ideas, numbers, and assumptions in one place.

Start with a simple plan that covers your model, market, operations, equipment, staffing, and basic financial projections. This guide on how to write a business plan can help you organize your thoughts in a way that you can update later.

Once you understand your costs, you can set pricing that covers them and leaves room for profit. Underpricing is a common problem for new owners. Use this resource on pricing products and services to check whether your planned prices line up with your costs, market expectations, and value.

Secure Funding and Set Up Your Banking

After you know your startup costs, you can decide how to pay for them. Some owners use savings and keep their first setup modest. Others combine savings, loans, and investor money to open a larger plant.

Ask yourself how much risk you’re willing to take on personally. Are you comfortable backing a loan, or do you prefer smaller steps with fewer obligations? Your answer will shape your funding choices.

If you decide a loan is part of your plan, this guide on how to get a business loan can help you prepare. No matter how you fund the startup, open a separate business bank account and, if needed, a merchant account so your personal and business money never mix.

Choose Suppliers and Build Key Relationships

Your roasting business depends on reliable suppliers and partners. That includes green coffee importers, packaging companies, equipment vendors, trades, and professional advisors.

Look for suppliers who are stable, transparent about quality, and clear about terms and lead times. When you visit or speak with other roasters in different regions, ask who they trust and why.

Also think beyond product suppliers. You may want long-term relationships with an accountant, attorney, and insurance agent. The article on building a team of professional advisors explains how that group can help you avoid problems and deal with issues that come up later.

Plan Your Physical Setup and Workflow

A good layout makes your days smoother and safer. You want a clear flow from green coffee receiving, to roasting, to cooling and destoning, to packaging, to storage and shipping.

Keep safety in mind as you place equipment. Think about heat, noise, exhaust, dust, and how people will move around the roaster during busy periods. Make it easy to clean under and around equipment, not just on opening day but every week.

If this feels like a lot, remember you can bring in help. A designer, engineer, or experienced roaster can help you plan a layout that satisfies building officials and makes daily work easier.

Create Your Corporate Identity and Online Presence

Even if you focus on wholesale, your brand still lives online. People will search your name, check your story, and look for contact details before they decide to buy.

Start with a basic but clear website that explains who you are, what you roast, and how to contact you. This guide on how to build a business website can help you sort out domains, hosting, and structure.

At the same time, build a simple but consistent identity package: logo, color palette, business cards, and letterhead. Use the resources on corporate identity and business cards to make sure everything looks like it comes from the same company.

Plan Your Marketing, Launch, and First Customers

Your first accounts won’t appear by accident. You’ll need a clear plan for who you want to reach and how you’ll reach them. This is where your business model matters—wholesale, retail, and online all require different approaches.

For wholesale, start with a short list of cafés, restaurants, and offices that fit your style. Plan how you’ll introduce yourself, offer samples, and follow up. For online sales, focus on a website that clearly explains your coffees and an ordering process that’s easy to use.

If you’ll have a public-facing roastery or café, think through how you’ll attract walk-in customers. You can use this guide on getting customers through the door, and when you’re ready to open, this article on grand opening ideas can help you plan an event that fits your budget and neighborhood.

Picture a Day in Your Roastery Before You Start

It’s easy to imagine roasting as nothing but tasting great coffee and talking with happy customers. Reality looks different. You’ll spend a lot of time lifting bags, watching gauges, cleaning equipment, and handling paperwork.

A typical day may start early with preheating the roaster, reviewing orders, and roasting time-sensitive batches. Midday might be for quality checks, packaging, and preparing deliveries. Late afternoon often belongs to cleaning, inventory updates, emails, and planning the next day.

So ask yourself: Are you comfortable with heat, noise, and repetitive tasks? Do you enjoy detailed work and recordkeeping, or will that drain you? Being honest here will help you decide whether this is the right role for you or whether you’d rather invest in the industry in another way.

Red Flags to Watch For Before You Spend Your Money

Some warning signs show up early if you’re willing to see them. Ignoring them now can lead to expensive problems later. Use this stage to protect your time and savings.

When you see serious issues, don’t just push forward and hope they go away. Step back, ask more questions, and be willing to pause the project if the risks are too high.

If you want a broader view of what to watch out for when starting any business, review this guide on common mistakes when starting a small business. Then add the coffee-specific red flags below to your list.

Location zoning is unclear, or officials hesitate when you mention roasting and venting from that space.
The building can’t easily support safe vent runs, proper stack height, or required emission equipment.
You can’t get a clear answer on whether you need a food processing license, local inspections, or air quality permits.
Your budget doesn’t include realistic costs for venting, emission control, and electrical or gas work.
You’re relying on one or two major accounts before they’ve signed anything or even tried your coffee.
You have little roasting or sensory experience and no plan to learn or bring in help before opening.
You have no written procedures for sanitation, batch records, or traceability, even though you will be inspected.

Pre-Launch Checklist for Your Coffee Roasting Business

As you get close to opening, it’s easy to miss critical details. A simple checklist helps you see what’s done and what still needs attention. You don’t need perfection, but you do need to be legal, safe, and ready to serve customers.

Use the items below as a starting point and adapt them to your own situation. If you’re unsure about any legal, tax, or safety topic, bring in a qualified professional rather than guessing. It’s better to ask for help than to fix a serious problem later.

Walk through this list with a tough eye. If something feels weak or unfinished, that’s a sign to slow down, not a sign to push ahead faster.

You’ve confirmed that owning a business—and this specific business—fits your goals, finances, and family situation.
You’ve talked with at least a couple of roastery owners in other areas and understand what the work really looks like.
Your business model, scale, and role are clear, and you know whether you’ll start alone or with staff or partners.
You’ve checked local demand, competition, and profit potential and adjusted your plan if the numbers didn’t work.
You’ve created a detailed startup cost list and obtained real quotes for equipment, venting, build-out, and licenses.
Your core equipment and software list is complete, and you have a realistic purchase and installation plan.
You’ve chosen a business name, checked availability, and started your basic identity and website.
You’ve selected a location, confirmed zoning, and know what you need for a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) and inspections.
You’ve chosen a business structure, registered where required, obtained tax IDs, and applied for needed licenses.
You’ve spoken with an insurance professional and arranged coverage that fits your risks.
You’ve written a practical business plan and used it to set pricing that matches your costs and market.
You’ve arranged funding, opened business bank accounts, and separated personal from business finances.
You’ve lined up suppliers, trades, and advisors and are comfortable with their reliability and terms.
Your physical setup is installed, safe, and clean, with a clear flow from green coffee to finished product.
You’ve tested your roasting profiles, packaging, labels, and basic ordering and invoicing process.
You’ve created a simple marketing plan for wholesale, retail, or online customers and a realistic launch plan.

101 Tips to Run a Successful Coffee Roasting Business

These tips bring together practical ideas for planning, roasting, and running your coffee business day to day.
Pick the suggestions that make sense for your situation and skip anything that does not fit.
You may want to bookmark this page so you can return whenever you are ready to work on the next idea.

What to Do Before Starting

Be honest about whether you want to run a business, not just roast coffee; ownership comes with stress, long hours, and full responsibility for every decision.
Clarify your motivation and ask yourself if you are moving toward a craft you love or simply trying to escape a job or problem that frustrates you.
Visit coffee roasteries outside your local area and talk with owners who are not competitors so you can see how the work really looks day to day.
Decide whether you want to focus on wholesale, online sales, a roastery with a small retail counter, or a full roastery café before you invest in equipment.
List your existing skills in areas like roasting, tasting, finance, and sales, then decide which gaps you will learn and which you will cover with professional help.
Do a simple count of potential local accounts versus existing roasters to see whether there is room for another supplier in your region.
Build a rough first-year budget that includes both business costs and your personal living expenses so you do not underestimate what you must earn.
Decide early whether you will start as a lean, owner-operated shop or aim for a larger facility with partners or investors, because that choice affects every other step.
Talk with your household about time, risk, and financial changes so you are not dragging an unwilling family into a demanding venture.
Before you agree to a lease, check with local officials and the landlord to confirm that roasting and venting will be allowed at that address.
Create a simple timeline with major milestones such as research, financing, permits, build-out, and launch so you can track whether your plan is realistic.

What Successful Coffee Roasting Business Owners Do

Successful roasters taste their own coffee regularly and use cupping results to refine blends and roasting profiles instead of relying on guesswork.
They keep detailed roast logs for every batch and refer back to those records whenever a coffee turns out especially good or especially poor.
They schedule regular cleaning and maintenance for roasters, grinders, and venting rather than waiting for breakdowns to force repairs.
They invest in training so every team member understands basic coffee knowledge, from origin and processing to roast level and flavor.
They build long-term relationships with a small number of trusted green coffee suppliers instead of constantly hopping between sources.
They review their costs and margins on a regular schedule and adjust pricing or product mix when expenses rise instead of silently absorbing increases.
They watch cash flow weekly, not just monthly, and keep a modest reserve for slow periods or unexpected equipment issues.
They gradually hand off routine tasks to trained staff so the owner can focus on quality control, strategy, and key customer relationships.
They learn enough about food safety, workplace safety, and environmental rules to recognize problems early and bring in experts when needed.

Running the Business (Operations, Staffing, SOPs)

Build a roast schedule that lines up with order deadlines and the resting time you want between roasting and shipping or brewing.
Create written procedures for roasting, cooling, packaging, and cleaning so that quality stays consistent even when different people run the roaster.
Use batch numbers and dates on every bag so you can trace any customer complaint back to specific roast logs and green coffee lots.
Set a routine for calibrating scales, thermometers, and grinders so measurements stay accurate and changes in taste are easier to understand.
Keep green coffee storage separate from roasted coffee storage so moisture, odors, and dust do not damage finished product.
Lay out your space so heavy bags move the shortest reasonable distance and staff are not constantly carrying weight across the room.
Train at least one additional person to run the roaster safely so production does not stop when the primary roaster is out.
Use simple checklists for opening and closing each day so safety checks, cleaning tasks, and paperwork are not left to memory.
Create an ordering system that sets a clear cut-off time for wholesale orders to be roasted and delivered on specific days.
Track green coffee inventory by lot number and expected depletion date so you can reorder before you run out of a key component.
Plan staffing around your busiest roasting and packing days, even if that means uneven hours during the week, rather than spreading work thinly every day.
Hold short daily or weekly meetings to review priorities, upcoming deliveries, and any quality or safety issues that need attention.
Write down what should happen if you lose power, have a ventilation failure, or spot a fire risk so staff know how to respond under stress.
Review and update procedures at least once a year, asking staff where confusion or bottlenecks appear in the daily routine.

What to Know About the Industry (Rules, Seasons, Supply, Risks)

All green coffee in the United States is imported, so global weather, trade policies, and shipping conditions can change your costs quickly.
Learn basic harvest seasons for major producing countries so you understand when new crop coffees will arrive and when older lots may be aging out.
Recognize that higher-grade coffees are often limited in volume, so you may need to commit early or use contracts to secure key lots.
Understand how roast level affects flavor, acidity, and body, and pay attention to what your target customers expect from each style.
Study the main safety issues in roasting, including burn hazards, smoke and fumes, noise, and dust, so you can design protective measures into your layout.
Packaged coffee must follow basic labeling rules such as identity, net weight, and business name and address, and that a nutrition panel is generally not required for plain, roasted coffee beans.
Identify which agencies in your state oversee food processing, workplace safety, and air quality so you know where to look for rules and guidance.
Follow freight and port news closely, because disruptions at ports or on shipping routes can slow or reroute green coffee shipments.
Accept that coffee roasting is often a competitive, low-margin field and design your plan around efficiency and differentiation, not wishful thinking.

Marketing (Local, Digital, Offers, Community)

Write a short brand story that explains who you are, what you stand for, and why your roasting approach matters to the people you want to serve.
Pick a small set of core coffees and describe them using simple, sensory language so customers can actually imagine how they taste.
Build a straightforward website that explains your offerings, tells people how to order, and makes it easy to contact you.
Host cuppings or tasting sessions so local customers can experience different origins and roast levels in a guided setting.
Create a concise wholesale information sheet that covers prices, minimums, and delivery days so prospects can decide quickly whether you are a fit.
Start an email list early and share short, useful messages such as brewing tips, new coffees, and behind-the-scenes updates.
Use social media to show daily life in the roastery and highlight partner cafés and offices instead of posting endless product shots.
Collaborate with local bakeries, cafés, or community groups to feature your coffee at events where your ideal customers already gather.
Prepare sample kits that include a couple of coffees and a simple guide so potential wholesale accounts can test your product with their own equipment.
Ask satisfied customers for honest reviews and display those comments where new prospects are deciding whether to work with you.
Offer seasonal coffees or limited runs that reflect certain harvests or holidays, but keep the overall menu focused so regulars are not overwhelmed.
Track where each new wholesale or online customer first heard about you so you can double down on the channels that actually drive orders.
Select events carefully, choosing farmers markets, festivals, or industry gatherings where the people attending are likely to become real customers.

Dealing with Customers (Trust, Education, Retention)

Explain coffee in plain terms, using simple descriptions for sweetness, acidity, and body so customers feel smart instead of intimidated.
Ask new wholesale accounts about their equipment, drink menu, and customer base before suggesting which coffees they should start with.
Provide short brew guides with every retail sale and during wholesale onboarding so people know how to get the best from your coffee.
Be open about origin, processing method, and roast approach so customers understand what they are paying for and how your product differs from others.
Check in with new wholesale clients after a few weeks to ask how the coffee is performing and whether their staff or customers have questions.
Keep simple notes on each client’s preferences so you can recommend coffees that actually match their taste and business needs.
Offer training sessions for café or restaurant staff so they can dial in recipes and tell your story correctly to their guests.
Make reordering easy by providing clear order forms, standing orders, or online order portals that work smoothly on both phones and computers.
Build a retention plan that includes periodic thank-you notes, occasional small gifts, and early access to special coffees for loyal clients.

Customer Service (Policies, Guarantees, Feedback)

Write clear, simple policies for returns, quality complaints, and shipping damage so customers know what will happen if something goes wrong.
Respond to every complaint promptly, acknowledging the issue and giving a realistic timeline for how and when you will address it.
Replace obviously defective coffee or packaging without quibbling over small sums, treating those cases as a quality investment rather than a loss.
Set predictable lead times for orders and state them clearly on order forms, invoices, and confirmation messages.
Collect feedback in a systematic way, such as through simple surveys or follow-up calls, and look for recurring themes to address.
Train everyone who interacts with customers in tone, listening skills, and when to escalate an issue so service feels consistent.
Review serious service failures as a team and update procedures so the same situation is less likely to happen again.

Sustainability (Waste, Sourcing, Long-Term)

Measure your energy use and look for roasting schedules, batch sizes, or equipment settings that reduce waste without cutting quality.
Work with importers who can explain how they source coffee and how they support farmers, cooperatives, and communities at origin.
Reuse or recycle burlap or other green coffee packaging where local rules and safety concerns allow instead of sending everything straight to landfill.
Choose bag materials and formats that balance shelf life with environmental impact, and tell customers why you selected those options.
Plan delivery routes to reduce unnecessary miles and combine stops when possible to cut fuel use and time on the road.
Monitor water use for cleaning and look for small improvements, such as better nozzles or rinsing routines, that add up over a year.
Set long-term sourcing goals so you can build multi-year relationships in a few key growing regions instead of jumping from origin to origin every season.

Staying Informed (Trends, Sources, Cadence)

Join at least one professional coffee organization or roasting group to gain access to education, research, and networking opportunities.
Schedule regular time to read coffee trade publications so you stay current on new techniques, equipment, and business practices.
Follow updates from food safety, workplace safety, and environmental agencies that apply to your facility so rule changes do not catch you off guard.
Attend public cuppings, shows, or local meetups where you can taste other roasters’ coffees and see what resonates with customers.
Invest in at least one recognized reference book on roasting and revisit sections as your own skills and questions evolve.
Build friendly relationships with roasters in other regions so you can compare notes on challenges, prices, and solutions without sharing local customers.

Adapting to Change (Seasonality, Shocks, Competition, Tech)

Design blends so you can swap green coffee components as crops change while keeping the flavor profile familiar to your customers.
Develop backup plans for key coffees, such as alternate importers or substitute origins, so a single disruption does not stop your production.
When green prices surge, review your contracts, costs, and pricing instead of quietly absorbing increases that will damage your margins.
Watch how preferences shift among your customers for roast level, processing style, and brew method, and adjust your lineup gradually and deliberately.
Test new roasting software, equipment, or packaging on a small scale before you rebuild your entire system around it.
Create a communication plan for disruptions so customers know what to expect if you face shipping delays, shortages, or quality problems.
Set a recurring appointment to review your product range and retire coffees that no longer sell well or represent your current direction.
Stay open to new service channels, such as subscription programs or office coffee services, but only add them when your core operation is stable.

What Not to Do

Do not sign a lease for any space until you understand the zoning, ventilation, and building requirements for installing a roaster there.
Do not purchase a roaster that is far larger than your realistic sales projections just because the bigger machine looks impressive.
Do not downplay air quality, dust, and noise issues; failing to manage them can harm staff health and attract enforcement from safety agencies.
Do not set prices so low that you barely cover costs, assuming you can raise them later without losing the accounts you worked hard to win.
Do not stock more green coffee than you can reasonably roast while it is still at its best, especially if you are just learning demand patterns.
Do not rely solely on memory for critical processes; skipping written procedures invites inconsistent quality and preventable errors.
Do not let one large wholesale customer account for most of your revenue, because losing that single account can threaten the entire business.
Do not take complaints as personal attacks; treat them as early warnings that your systems, training, or communication need to improve.

Sources: U.S. Small Business Administration, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Specialty Coffee Association, National Coffee Association, Internal Revenue Service, EPA