Market day coffee (espresso and beans)

[haiironezumi]

I am considering (read: pipe dream) doing a stand at a farmers market offering espresso coffee and fresh roasted beans. The area I live in has a foodie atmosphere and has several once-a-month markets.

If I were to roast the beans at home what size machine would be a minimum?

As far as a "portable" espresso, I have previously (in Sydney, at the Orange Grove farmers market if anyone knows it) seen someone doing espresso on two Giottos. Is there a better (more cost-effective) method of doing this?

Im trying to guage overheads, if I were to buy the beans from beanbay (assume $10/kg greens), bags from Coffeeparts (52c/250g bag) then the base cost is ~$3.50 per 250g bag (before gas/electricity etc, assuming 1.2Kg green for a 1Kg roasted yield)

Is this viable? Like Andy, Id mostly want to do this for fun, and as a side income/excuse to claim new shiny coffee stuff as a business expense.

[Thundergod]

Re: Market day coffee (espresso and beans)

Retail price of $10 a bag?
Thats what I charge my friends.

Sellings coffees will make a lot more profit per kg and help sell the beans.

Is that enough profit to cover any other overheads?
Depends on what the overheads come to.

Stall hire?
Permits?

How much are you prepared to spend over how long to see if it will work?

[Pavoniboy]

Re: Market day coffee (espresso and beans)

Have you also considered the legal ramifications of becoming a business that roasts?
You will need to comply with certain council requirements, get certain permits etc. Which can lead to do you need emission controls in place etc?
Will this business bring you under the Food Safety Act? (I dont know) and thus need to register to have inspectors do the random drop in etc?

Sorry to give you more questions and no answers.

Many have suggested to me to go into a small on the side business when they taste my beans, but I always roll my eyes thinking there is a lot more to it than simply starting to sell my home roast beans. I dont have the commitment to go through all the regulations, I just like it as a hobby.

Hopefully you are committed enough to, I dont want to be a wet blanket but just want to point out there is the legal side.

[maheel]

Re: Market day coffee (espresso and beans)

AS for the Tax breaks, you might be better off calling it a "hobby" and not paying any tax till you see if it turns any profits

You could buy this http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1260751275/2#2 and churn out coffee all day if you can get the water tank. Use your grinder and its a small cash outlay then if you get sick of it you can sell the machine again and get back your cash.... You might even be close to paying for it over a few markets.....

i reckon 2 people would be the go, one does money and milk other pulls the shots.

Bake some banana muffins and flog them as well 4 $$$

I kind of have the same pipe dream and discussed with a few stall holders about teaming up. Have a look at other stalls and maybe you might find someone who does chocolate (???) and you could add the coffee. You then bring customers to them and they might do the cash handling while you do the coffee....

Think outside the square and you might make your fortune

If you could find a 2 grp 10amp machine it would be ideal. compact wega or something??

As for using a Giotto someone here in SYD does a coffee stall on one and it looks like it is knocking it around...... it also does not have the "good coffee" look about it.

If anyone in SYD is thinking about doing this PM me, i have a spare machine we could use.... lol seriously.....

Leeham

[Andy]

Re: Market day coffee (espresso and beans)

If I were to roast the beans at home what size machine would be a minimum?

80grams in a popper. ...but you would have to do a lot of roasts!

The size of the roaster isnt really the issue. The amount of time that you can afford is.

If you want to sell 100kg of coffee and only have a hour spare each week then you will need a 120kg roaster.

If you think that 10kg of coffee is plenty and you can find 2 hours a night then a 250-500g roaster would be fine.

First tip, give up telly. All those soapies and junk eat your brain and your time. Find some more hours in the day and then the math gets easier.

someone doing espresso on two Giottos

Cute. I guess that would be more about easy power requirements... any 10amp socket would do the job. All multi group machines require 15, 20 or even 30amp sockets that would be pretty hard to find in some venues. I would also assume that they started off with 1 giotto and needed another group... you could think about doing the same.

Think outside the square and you might make your fortune

For sure. and worse comes to worse you blew some dollars and ended-up with some cool coffee gear.

Keep it affordable (ie: save to do it, dont borrow) and all you can really risk is your pride.