r/coffee_roasters

Has anyone ordered beans from burman coffee and are they a legit place to order from?

Started Berk’s Beans in 2021 out of my garage. My kids dared me to do it, which is a dumb reason to start a business and also the only reason I did.

We had one small roaster. Plan was pretty simple, carry a lot of different coffees, always high quality and roast fresh, oh and amazing service that the customer remembers.  No ad budget, just word of mouth and social media posts.

It was the middle of the pandemic so I was roasting in the garage and driving orders to people’s doors myself. Started doing live roasting on social media because what else was there to do everyone was on their phones.  First year we shipped to every state in the US, plus Canada and Mexico. Still have customers buying from us who bought that first year.

Five years later, 30 plus wholesale accounts, good online business, and a retail spot in an industrial park that people actually drive out of their way to find.

Stuff I learned:

Having better coffee doesn’t mean anyone switches. This one hurt. I really thought if it was good enough people would come. They don’t. People stick with what they’ve got.  Consumers don’t like change…

On wholesale you’ve got two primary windows. They’re either just opening and you are there, or they’re pissed at their current supplier and you’re ready to take over, that’s it. Outside those two everything else is chance.  So the whole game is being findable, visible and ready when one of those happens.

Give away a lot of free coffee. More than feels comfortable. Cheapest marketing there is and I’ve never once regretted a bag.

Don’t compete on price. Somebody’s always cheaper. Quality and service are the only two things you actually control.  Build your business around that.

It’s only coffee. Customer’s always right. I want people walking out feeling like they got more than they paid for, and honestly almost nobody clears that bar so it’s not hard to stand out and we do that well.

You’re selling an experience, not a product. That’s what I tell my team. Nobody remembers the bag.  But they do remember the experience (good or bad).

Be humble, be thankful, and be ready.  The customer knows we will move mountains for the people who we supply coffee to.

Happy to answer anything.

I just bought a like-new SR800 with the extension tube, Razzo extension, bean cooler, and tray for a total of $240. I also just ordered the MS6514 for $60. Then I saw the news that the new SR900 was released

Looking back, if I had known the SR900 was coming out before I bought the SR800, I probably would have gone with the SR900. Now I’m wondering if I should resell what I just bought and switch to the SR900.

It’s basically $300 for my used SR800 setup versus $399 for a brand-new SR900. I’ve never roasted coffee before, so I’m just starting this new journey.

I have a small business, selling roasted beans at Farmer's markets. I can make a pretty good living if I sell hot coffee and cold brew - it helps sell bags. If I just sell bags it's pretty weak. Problem is the health department doesn't like it if you brew on site.

Anyone else deal with this? Advice?

Last week our proaster suddenly started needing more heat applied to match profiles. We checked for airflow leaks, checked the airflow control, checked the probes, did a deep clean, checked out batch weights. Weather doesn't account for it.

Anything else we should check?

Thanks in advance!

What is the best funky or dessert profile coffee in India with indian origin coffee at the moment?

What are you all wearing for sturdy but comfortable shoes these days? I work primarily in the warehouse in production and roasting. I’ve just been wearing some comfy sneakers but I find myself slipping around as I’m dragging and lifting green coffee bags around. Any recommendations appreciated! :)

Has anyone heard of a coffee brand that received a CFO for repackaging coffee beans at home? Is it necessary just for transferring beans into custom bags and then shipping out?

Any info would help, thanks!

What are the best value 3kg roasters on the market? I have a hard budget of $10k for something brand new, but would go cheaper for something used. Looking for something that can accurately execute existing roast profiles automatically with the click of a button, but bean loading and cooling steps can be manual. So far have considered the Santoker R3 as a good option.

I’ve been getting more into pour-over lately, and medium roasts have really been catching my attention. There are so many beans to try, I’m starting to wonder which ones are actually worth keeping in the rotation. ☕

Hi all. Looking to source wholesale unbranded coffee beans to rebrand and repackage in EU.

I've come across various wholesalers but was curious if anyone happens to have any specific recommendations.

It's a side project for now that I hope to be able to develop into something bigger but for now looking at lowest MOQ - say up to 10kg. Would really appreciate any pointers if anyone has any experiences!

Thanks a ton

Home roaster here looking for reasonably priced, quality 8oz bags for storing freshly roasted beans for myself, friends and family. I’ve tried a few I purchased on Amazon but they were mediocre.

Hoping someone on Reddit might be able to recommend something they’re happy with. Welcome any suggestions. How are others packaging roasts for gifting. (I like sending bags to my grown children and sharing an occasional bag with friends. I can only roast about 1/2 lb at a time which is why I want 8 oz bags.

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I have been told that US Roaster Corp has shut down and laid off all of their employees. I know there are hundreds of roasting machines manufactured by them during their decades of manufacturing in Oklahoma City, and now many of us need to find ways to support our machines when something goes wrong. It would be helpful if we shared resources for coffee industry independent engineers/fabricators and consultants. I will post the first I know of, a former automation, electrical, gas control engineer from US Roaster Corp has set up his own business. Link in the comments.

Hey folks, my family's got a coffee estate in Coorg (Karnataka, India) a little over 5 acres, been in the family for a while. Right now we just sell the whole harvest to local traders like everyone else around here does, but I've been wondering if there's a realistic way to sell direct to roasters/buyers abroad instead and actually get a better price for the beans.

Honestly don't know where to even start. Would love to hear from anyone who's done this or works in the trade.

Thanks!

The title is the main question but I’ll provide context.

I am new to sourcing coffee, and we are about to put in our order for the year. For reference we sell about 2200 pounds of roasted coffee a year. It’s a small amount, and makes it tricky when adding new wholesale clients, which I am actively pushing to do. At how many pounds is it suggested I have customers sign a contract?

Hello all I (25M, not that it matters in this case, but people do it all the time on reddit so I'm following suit) am looking to start making syrups and sauces for coffees or other drinks that I can make shelf stable and ship for sale. I own one cafe already but my partners arent ideal therefore I'm looking to do something on my own like selling and packaging all my artisinal syrups to disrtribute.

Of course this comes with needing to modify my already developed recipes since they all rely on being refrigerated to last. I bought the book, "On Food and Cooking" by Harold McGee just so I can get a rough idea of food science, and understand what conceptually has to change for my product to stay shelf stable.

I'm just looking for any pointers, I get worried I'm in over my head and dont know where to start. I was thinking of starting with Vanilla since its simple and will help me get the process down

Hi everyone! I'm in the process of opening a mobile coffee cart and had a few questions for those of you who already own one.

My area doesn't require a commissary kitchen, but I'm wondering if it's still worth having one. If you don't use a commissary, where do you store all of your equipment and supplies? Do you keep your espresso machine, grinder, cart, syrups, cups, and other inventory at home, in a storage unit, or somewhere else?

I'd love to hear what has worked best for you and any advice you have for someone just getting started. Thank you!!