How much does it cost to start a coffee roastery?
The roaster is the biggest line, but installation, extraction, stock and three months of running costs usually add as much again. A line-by-line budget, with a worked example you can copy.
8 min read Updated 9 October 2026
Ask ten roasters what it cost to start and you will get ten answers, because the roaster itself can be a few thousand pounds second-hand or well into six figures new with an afterburner. What surprises most founders is everything around it: gas and electrical work, ducting, a fan, a destoner, scales, a sealer, packaging minimums, green stock and the months before sales cover the rent.
This guide lists every line and gives a worked example. The figures are an illustration built on assumptions, not quotes or market averages. Get three quotes for every major line.
The budget, line by line
| Line | What drives the cost |
|---|---|
| Roaster | Batch size, new or used, fuel type, controls, the maker's dealer support in the UK. |
| Delivery and installation | Crane or forklift access, a gas engineer, a 3-phase electrical supply, commissioning by the maker. |
| Extraction and ducting | Run length to the outside, flue height, roof or wall penetration, fire-rated materials. |
| Afterburner or catalytic unit | Needed where smoke and odour would cause a nuisance; size follows the roaster's exhaust. |
| Destoner and green handling | A destoner for anything above a small roaster; bins, a sack truck, pallet storage. |
| Scales | A bench scale for packing and a platform scale for green; trade-approved where you sell by weight on site. |
| Grinder | A commercial grinder for ground retail bags and wholesale filter. |
| Packing | A heat sealer at the start; a semi-automatic filler later. Bags with one-way valves have minimum order quantities. |
| Labels and design | Brand design, label printing, a label printer for dates and lot codes. |
| Green coffee | Two to four months of roasting, across three to five coffees. |
| Premises | Deposit, fit-out, flooring that can be cleaned, handwash basin, lighting, racking. |
| Legal and admin | Company formation, insurance, food hygiene training, accountancy, trademark search. |
| Software and sales | Website and shop, roasting and inventory software, a card terminal for events. |
| Working capital | Three to six months of fixed costs while sales build. |
Worked example: a small unit with a used 5 kg roaster
Worked example
Example startup budget, lower and upper estimate per line
- Used 5 kg roaster£12,000 to £22,000
- Installation, gas and electrics£2,500 to £6,000
- Extraction and ducting£2,000 to £6,000
- Afterburner (only if required)£0 to £15,000
- Scales, sealer, grinder, bins£2,500 to £6,000
- Packaging, labels, design£2,000 to £5,000
- Green coffee, opening stock£2,500 to £6,000
- Premises deposit and fit-out£3,000 to £10,000
- Legal, insurance, training, admin£1,000 to £3,000
- Working capital, three months£9,000 to £15,000
Illustration only, built on assumed figures. The bar shows a lower estimate, the lighter extension the upper estimate. Every line depends on your site and suppliers.
In this example the total runs from roughly £36,500 to £94,000. The two lines that move it most are the roaster and whether the site needs an afterburner. Working capital is the line founders cut first and regret most.
Where you can save, and where you should not
- Save: a used roaster from a reputable dealer or a known owner, inspected properly. See buying a used roaster.
- Save: a manual heat sealer and hand filling until you pack more than a few hundred bags a week.
- Save: stock bags with a printed label rather than custom-printed bags with high minimums.
- Do not save: gas installation by an unqualified person. Gas work must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Do not save: extraction and flue design. Roaster fires start in chaff and ducting, and complaints about smoke can close a site.
- Do not save: working capital. A roastery that runs out of cash in month four cannot buy the green coffee to fill its first big order.
Spreading the cost
Equipment finance, hire purchase and leasing turn a large upfront cost into monthly payments. They raise the total cost but protect cash. The leasing vs buying guide compares them. Government-backed start-up loans are available to eligible founders in the UK through the British Business Bank.
Running costs to plan for
Monthly and annual lines
- Rent, service charge and business rates (check small business rate relief)
- Gas or electricity per batch, plus standing charges
- Insurance renewal
- Roaster and afterburner servicing, chimney and duct cleaning
- Packaging reorders and courier costs
- Software subscriptions and card fees
- Accountancy and payroll
Where Roastnet helps
Questions roasters ask
- How much does a commercial coffee roaster cost?
- It depends on batch size, age and fuel. Small used machines can be a few thousand pounds; new production roasters with controls and an afterburner can cost many times more. Get quotes that include delivery, installation and commissioning.
- Can I start a roastery for under £20,000?
- Some roasters start on a small or used machine at home or in a shared unit, keeping costs low. It depends on finding a sound used roaster, avoiding an afterburner requirement and keeping working capital in reserve.
- What is the biggest hidden cost?
- Installation: gas, electrics, ducting and, where needed, an afterburner. Ask every supplier exactly what their quote includes and what it excludes.
Official sources
- Gas Safe Register: Find a registered engineer
- GOV.UK: Business rates relief
- British Business Bank: Start Up Loans
Rules change. These sources were checked on 9 October 2026; always confirm the current position with the body that publishes them before you act.
Read next
Writing a coffee roastery business plan that a lender will read
A roastery plan lives or dies on four numbers: kilos sold per week, price per kilo, cost per kilo and fixed costs. Here is how to set each one out, and what a bank or investor will test.
New or used coffee roaster: weighing the risk
A used roaster can halve the biggest line in your budget. It can also arrive with a warped drum, an obsolete control board and no one to fix it. How to decide.
Leasing, hire purchase or buying roastery equipment
Paying cash for a roaster is cheapest on paper and riskiest for cash flow. How leasing, hire purchase and loans compare, and how to work out the real cost of each.
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