To start a coffee business in Bosnia and Herzegovina, lock down your legal form and location first: choose a d.o.o. for liability protection or an obrt/sole trade for simplicity, then target high-footfall streets in Sarajevo, Banja Luka, or Mostar near offices, universities, hotels. Register the entity at the competent registry (municipal court in FBiH; APIF one-stop shop in RS), open a BAM/EUR business account, and enroll for VAT if you expect turnover above BAM 50,000 (standard rate 17%). Secure a catering/ugostiteljstvo license from the municipality, fire-safety and sanitary approvals, staff health books, and implement HACCP; buy a fiscal cash register and connect it to the tax administration. Fit-out decisions that move the needle: a plumbed, filtered three-group espresso machine, two grinders (house and decaf/specialty), water activity-controlled pastry case, and a bar flow designed for sub-60-second ticket times. Source beans from established local roasters to avoid import complexity; negotiate consignment or volume rebates. Price to local expectations (espresso BAM 2–3) and protect margins with batch-brew and seasonal signatures. Hire baristas on written contracts, register them for contributions, and schedule peak staffing 8–11 a.m. Push Google Maps, Instagram Reels, and Glovo/Korpa; add a terrace permit, music licenses, and no-smoking zones where required.
