Starting a business in the coffee industry can hardly go wrong, as coffee is one of the most sought-after beverages worldwide. However, as the saying goes, “If you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail”, you need careful preparation to succeed in this competitive industry.
And that starts with a great idea. That’s why we’ve wrapped up 27+ of the best coffee business ideas to get you started ASAP.
Contents
- 1. Comparative Overview of Coffee Business Ideas
- 2. Most profitable coffee business ideas to make money
- 2.1. Become a coffee farmer
- 2.2. Sell coffee products
- 2.3. Sell coffee equipment
- 2.4. Start a coffee-roasting business
- 2.5. Start a coffee capsule business
- 2.6. Start a coffee delivery business
- 2.7. Start a drive-thru coffee stand business
- 2.8. Start a coffee kiosk business
- 2.9. Run a mobile coffee truck
- 2.10. Sell coffee at farmers’ market
- 2.11. Start a coffee subscription box
- 3. Top online coffee business ideas
- 4. Top innovative ideas for coffee shop
- 4.1. Coffee and tattoos
- 4.2. Coffee and pet shop
- 4.3. Coffee and art gallery
- 4.4. Coffee and bookstore
- 4.5. Coffee and photography studio
- 4.6. Coffee and shared workplace
- 4.7. Coffee and laundromat
- 4.8. Coffee and hair salon
- 4.9. Coffee and boutique store
- 4.10. Coffee and plant shop
- 4.11. Coffee and board games
- 4.12. Coffee and theater
- 5. Conclusion
- 6. FAQs
1. Comparative Overview of Coffee Business Ideas
Before we dig deep into the coffee business ideas, here’s an overview of the estimated starting cost and potential profits of some most popular ideas in the coffee industry:
| Coffee Business Ideas | Estimated Startup Costs | Potential Profitability |
| Become a coffee farmer | High | Medium |
| Sell coffee products | Medium | Medium |
| Sell coffee equipment | Medium | Medium |
| Start a coffee-roasting business | Medium | Medium |
| Start a coffee capsule business | High | Medium |
| Start a coffee delivery business | Medium | Medium |
| Start a drive-thru coffee stand business | Medium | Medium |
| Start a coffee kiosk business | Low | Medium |
| Run a mobile coffee truck | Medium | Medium |
| Sell coffee at farmers’ market | Low | Medium |
| Start a coffee subscription box | Medium | Medium |
| Start a coffee dropshipping business | Low | Medium |
| Start an online coffee shop | Medium | Medium |
| Offer coffee-related consulting | Low | Medium |
2. Most profitable coffee business ideas to make money
Have no clue how to start a coffee business and are looking for profitable niches? Below is a list of 11 unique cafe business ideas that you might want to settle down with.
2.1. Become a coffee farmer
If you are passionate about agriculture and comfortable with working outdoors, becoming a coffee farmer is a brilliant coffee business idea. Though you may need to put in a large initial investment for agricultural land, water, and coffee trees, once your trees mature, they can earn you consistent profits for decades.
2.2. Sell coffee products
Don’t feel like you’d enjoy working outdoors growing your coffee trees? Then, just opt for the selling journey instead. With various products made from coffee, from roasted beans and ground coffee to flavored syrups, you can sell anything you want.
You can partner with local roasters for high-quality beans and unique blends or purchase wholesale beans for larger quantities at lower prices.
2.3. Sell coffee equipment
Besides coffee products, selling coffee equipment is another great coffee business idea with a high return on investment. This is especially true with people’s growing demand for high-quality coffee experiences at home or in the workplace.
Just like coffee products, with coffee equipment, you have tons of product ideas to get started, too– from automatic coffee machines and electric kettles to burr grinders.
2.4. Start a coffee-roasting business
The initial investment in starting a coffee-roasting business can be significant. To name a few, you will have to invest in roasting equipment, storage space, and sourcing high-quality green coffee beans. However, the potential profits of roasted coffee are quite attractive, making it one of the best coffee business ideas of all time.
2.5. Start a coffee capsule business
Coffee capsules are a type of coffee that has been roasted and ground to a standardized fineness, then compacted into small plastic pods. Per analytics by Future Market Insights, the coffee capsule market will grow at a staggering CAGR of 5.0% from 2023 to 2033. So, if you’re looking for a potential coffee business idea, we hope you’ve found the one.
2.6. Start a coffee delivery business
It’s a super busy world we’re living in, so not everyone has time to travel mile after mile just to buy a cup of coffee. And for that, starting a coffee delivery business is a smart move that will earn you a good income in the coffee industry. By delivering your coffee straight to your customers’ doorstep, you’re selling them not only the coffee but also the conveniences.
2.7. Start a drive-thru coffee stand business
If you don’t have a big physical shop and are looking for coffee shop ideas for small spaces, your search should end with a drive-thru coffee stand model. With this coffee business model, your customers pull up, order their favorite coffee, and drive off– all happening within minutes instead of hours like at a traditional coffee store. So you don’t have to worry about missing customers just because you run out of tables.
2.8. Start a coffee kiosk business
Together with the drive-thru coffee business, launching a kiosk selling coffee is among the best coffee business ideas if you want to have a physical coffee store without spending big on renting. Nevertheless, if you want to open a coffee kiosk, you should set up your coffee kiosk at areas with good visibility, like a busy street corner, shopping mall, office building, etc.
2.9. Run a mobile coffee truck
Want to bring your yummy coffee to customers wherever you go? That’s the sign you should hit the road and run a mobile coffee truck. One of the biggest benefits of running a mobile coffee truck is that you will have fantastic mobility. You can drive your truck to busy events, offices, or crowded street corners to reach as many customers as possible.
2.10. Sell coffee at farmers’ market
Are you struggling to choose from too many coffee shop ideas for business? Here’s a good one: setting up a stall at your local farmer’s markets and selling your freshly brewed coffee. This concept thrives on the vibrant community atmosphere of farmers’ markets, attracting customers seeking quality beverages amid their shopping experience.
2.11. Start a coffee subscription box
If you want to boost your customer retention and repeat purchases, starting a coffee subscription box is a highly recommended option. The subscription model operates on a simple concept: subscribers receive curated packages of freshly roasted beans or ground coffee regularly, often monthly, tailored to their preferences.
The idea stands out as one of the best in the coffee business due to its convenience and personalized touch. This offers your customers the joy of discovering new flavors and blends from different regions or roasters, boosting your customers lifetime value and loyalty.
💡 Did you know that wine is also a top-selling beverage worldwide besides coffee? So, perhaps you’d want to check out these top wine business ideas too.
3. Top online coffee business ideas
Don’t let the excruciating cost of operating a physical store hold you back from launching the coffee business of your dreams. Indeed, there are several online coffee business ideas you can try, and they are not any less profitable or potential.
3.1. Start a coffee dropshipping business
If you’re wondering how to start a coffee business with no money, we have the answer– launching a coffee dropshipping store. With the dropshipping model, you don’t have to worry about inventory management, shipping, or order fulfillment. Instead, when a customer places an order, your supplier will deliver the coffee products to them under your brand name.
All you have to do is marketing and branding to acquire customers. This makes dropshipping coffee among the best coffee business ideas for students.
💡 Check out our well-compiled list of 30+ easy small business ideas if you want to start small first.
3.2. Start an online coffee shop
Dropshipping has several advantages since it allows you to start with very little cost. However, you can’t control much the quality and pricing of your coffee products. That’s why many choose to start a traditional eCommerce coffee shop instead.
You can produce your own coffee and sell it or source quality coffee from reliable suppliers for reselling.
Recommended reading: Depending on your demand and budget, you can list your products on marketplaces or create your web store. If you’re leaning towards establishing your own online store, carefully consider which eCommerce platform to choose. Explore our eCommerce platform comparisons for more detailed insights.
3.3. Create a coffee blog
Are you a coffee enthusiast with in-depth knowledge of coffee-related topics? If so, you should definitely consider creating a coffee blog site to share insightful articles using your expertise. After your blog earns enough quality traffic, you can monetize your blog posts by doing affiliate marketing with coffee shops, producers, etc., to earn commissions.
If you love the idea of writing and making money from home, we can assure you this is one of the best coffee business ideas just for you.
3.4. Start coffee podcasts
This list would be incomplete without coffee podcasts– one of the best online business ideas for a coffee shop. You can share your passion for coffee, discuss brewing techniques, and even interview industry experts or cafe owners to reach a broader audience for your podcasts. And just like a blog site, you can monetize your podcasts with coffee brands for sponsored content.
If you have awesome expertise in the coffee industry, you may want to become a consultant– who offers your clients advice on starting their coffee business.
The services you can offer are quite diverse, including advising on menu development, equipment selection, staff training, quality control, or even marketing strategies & tactics so your clients can grow their coffee store. Therefore, being a consultant can be a very promising and rewarding career in the coffee industry.
4. Top innovative ideas for coffee shop
Have you been searching for coffee shop concept ideas to go viral in the fiercely competitive coffee niche? Let’s take a look at the top creative coffee shop business ideas we’ve compiled just for you.
4.1. Coffee and tattoos
Hang on a second! How can coffee and tattoos be put in the same sentence? Well, actually, the idea of launching a coffee and tattoo business is more popular than you think. This dual-service approach attracts both groups– tattoo enthusiasts seeking a new piece of art and coffee lovers seeking a unique hangout spot.
4.2. Coffee and pet shop
An animal lover who wants to earn a place in the coffee industry? There’s no better idea than launching a coffee pet shop. With this innovative idea, you tap into the emotional connection people have with their pets while providing a trendy coffee experience.
If you want to open a coffee pet shop, we suggest selling pet products like pet food, jewelry, toys, etc., in your store to improve your profit margin.
4.3. Coffee and art gallery
Have you ever imagined a space where the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the aesthetic of art pieces? It sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? And you can make it come true simply by starting a coffee and art gallery shop.
For this combination, keep in mind that your art collections must resonate with your audience and align well with your café’s atmosphere.
4.4. Coffee and bookstore
Launching a coffee and bookstore shop is the best coffee business idea you can think of. With this combination, you allow your customers to buy or borrow your books and then enjoy reading them while sipping your delicious coffee. Also, coffee and bookstore shops are favorite spots for students coming to study or working adults to bring in a laptop to do their tasks.
4.5. Coffee and photography studio
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc., have gone all the rage recently. And a large number of people nowadays love nothing more than taking good pictures and posting them on their social media accounts. Therefore, if you want to run a coffee shop that attracts Gen-Z or millennials, consider starting a coffee shop with a photography studio inside of it.
Shared workplaces have gained increasing popularity in recent years due to the rise of freelancers, remote workers, and low-budget startups looking for collaborative spaces. Hence, launching a coffee shop that offers a shared workplace can be an extremely profitable idea.
Though you might need to invest a lot in renting a spacious cafe, after people become aware of your business, you can earn a steady income from this model.
4.7. Coffee and laundromat
If you want to launch a coffee business near residential areas, apartments, or touristic destinations, don’t start a normal coffee shop. Instead, integrate a laundromat into your cafe– allowing your customers to wash their clothes and have some good coffee while waiting for their clothes to be washed. This will enable you to make money on both services.
4.8. Coffee and hair salon
If you have a hair salon, you might already see how your clients desperately want to kill time while waiting for their hair to be done. Hence, you might want to open a cafe bar inside your hair salon, allowing your customers to enjoy delicious beverages comfortably without feeling bored.
4.9. Coffee and boutique store
After a good shopping experience, most people will get tired and just want to have a little chat with their shopping buddy at a nearby cafe. So, it would be wise to launch a cafe under the roof of your boutique shop, allowing your customers to sit down and relax after hours of browsing items in your apparel store.
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4.10. Coffee and plant shop
Are you a nature lover who just can’t get enough of the flowers’ and plants’ refreshing beauty? Well, starting a coffee and plant shop will be one of the best coffee business ideas we suggest specifically to you.
This harmonious combination creates a welcoming atmosphere where your customers can relax, unwind, and connect with nature while enjoying a cup of yummy coffee.
4.11. Coffee and board games
If you want your coffee shop to be not only a cafe but also a fun-filled entertainment spot where your customers can bring their friends and families, we have an idea. Let’s create a coffee and board game store– where your customers come to drink delicious beverages and play engaging board games with their loved ones.
4.12. Coffee and theater
And last but not least, you can pair your coffee business with theater– enabling your customers to come to enjoy live shows, acoustic, or theater productions in your cafe. If you manage to keep a good network with favorite bands and artists, there are high chances that a coffee and theater business will change your life for the greater good.
5. Conclusion
Since coffee first emerged in the early 15th century, people have savored this beverage for several hundreds of years. In today’s hectic lifestyle, the love for coffee hasn’t shown any sign of stopping yet. Therefore, starting a coffee business can earn you good money. And eComStart team hopes you can find the right niche after reading our well-curated list of 27 top coffee business ideas.
Don’t forget to check out eComStart.io for all things eCommerce and dive into our well-crafted articles on the topic of business ideas of all niches and industries– from fashion and cosmetics to jewelry and many more!
6. FAQs
