Service 05 · Roastery Setup
ROASTERY
Setupfrom green bean to finished product
Setting up a roastery is a fundamentally different challenge to opening a cafe. The equipment is bigger, the capital commitment is higher, the learning curve is steeper, and the margin for error is smaller. Equipment decisions made in the first few months will define your production capacity and cost structure for years.
We have been through the roastery setup process and guide you through every stage — from the first equipment conversations to your first production roast. We help you make informed decisions, avoid the expensive mistakes, and build a roastery that can scale.
What's Included
Equipment Selection
Drum roaster specification, capacity planning, and supplier comparison. We help you match equipment to your production ambitions and budget — not to what a salesperson recommends.
Space Planning
Production workflow, gas and ventilation requirements, green bean storage, cooling and packaging areas. The layout decisions that determine whether your roastery is efficient or frustrating.
Roast Profiling
Developing roast profiles for your first range of coffees — from initial roast to repeatable production profile. Including documentation and quality tracking systems.
Cupping Protocols
Quality control through cupping — how to set up and run regular cuppings, what to look for, and how to use the data to improve consistency.
Green Buying Framework
How to evaluate green samples, structure supplier relationships, and build a sourcing strategy that works for your production volume and customer commitments.
Team Training
Production roasting, quality control, packaging, and logistics — training your team to run the roastery without you needing to be present for every roast.
In Practice
Client
Forge Roasters
Specialty roastery · Sheffield
Before
0
After
12
Before
—
After
£8,400
Before
Likely
After
None
The Situation
James had spent six months researching roasters online before we met. He had three suppliers shortlisted but no clear basis for choosing between them, a space that was not compliant for commercial roasting, and a business model that assumed wholesale volumes he had no customers for yet.
The Outcome
We worked through the equipment decision together, identified the compliance issues before he signed the lease, and helped him build a realistic pre-order pipeline before his first roast. He launched eight months later with twelve wholesale accounts already in place.
How It Works
Discovery
Free · 30 minutes
We understand your ambitions, timeline, and current position. Roastery setups vary enormously — from a five-kilo drum in a shared production space to a full standalone facility.
Equipment & Space
2–4 weeks
Equipment specification, supplier meetings, space planning, and compliance review. The decisions that lock in your production model.
Roast Development
4–8 weeks
Profile development for your first range. Multiple roasting sessions, cupping, refinement, and documentation.
Investment
Phased engagement
From £3,500
Roastery setup engagements are priced in phases — equipment and space (from £1,500), roast development (from £2,000), and team training (from £800). Full launch engagements covering all phases are typically £5,500–£9,000 depending on scope.
Site visits and equipment trials are included where required. Travel outside the UK is subject to separate agreement.
Common Questions
Do I need prior roasting experience?
No. We work with people at all experience levels — from those who have never roasted commercially to experienced baristas making the transition to production roasting. The programme is adapted to your starting point.
Can you help with planning permission?
We can advise on what to look for and what questions to ask, but planning permission and building regulation compliance are ultimately matters for your architect, local authority, and gas engineer. We flag the issues early so you can get the right professionals involved.
What size roaster do I need?
It depends on your production ambitions and capital. As a rough guide: a five-kilo drum for starting a wholesale programme, a twelve or fifteen-kilo drum once you have a customer base, and larger for established volume. We help you model the production and financial implications of each option.
How long from decision to first production roast?
Typically six to twelve months from decision to production-ready. The main variables are space search and fit-out timeline, equipment lead times (which have been long since 2021), and the time needed to develop profiles and build the customer pipeline.
Related Services
From concept to opening day
Café Strategy
We help you build the foundations before you commit to a lease. Business planning, financial modelling, site selection criteria, and a launch roadmap that accounts for the things first-time owners always miss.
Standards your team will actually hold
Barista Training
We build layered training programmes — from machine fundamentals and milk science to calibration sessions and documentation your whole team can reference. Consistent quality regardless of who's on bar.
The right coffee for your café
Coffee Sourcing
Supplier selection, origin shortlisting, quality calibration, and contract structure. Whether you want a consistent house espresso, a rotating guest program, or a full single-origin filter menu — we help you find the right partners.
we have been there
BUILDING A
roastery?
Book a free 30-minute discovery call. We'll talk through what you're building, what stage you're at, and whether there's a fit. No pitch, no obligation.