To start a coffee business in Florida, lock down compliance and location first: verify zoning for restaurant/drive‑thru or mobile vending, then form an LLC/corp on Sunbiz.org, file any Fictitious Name, get an EIN, and register for Florida sales tax and reemployment tax via Form DR‑1 (brewed drinks are taxable; packaged beans typically grocery‑exempt). For a cafe, obtain a DBPR Division of Hotels & Restaurants license with plan review—expect requirements like a three‑compartment sink, handwash and mop sinks, approved plumbing, grease management, ANSI Food Manager certification on site, Food Handler training for staff, and a city/county business tax receipt. For a roastery or packaged coffee, secure an FDACS Food Establishment Permit and meet labeling (name/address, net weight, ingredients, lot‑code), plus wholesale warehousing rules. For a truck or cart, apply for the DBPR Mobile Food Dispensing Vehicle license and commissary agreement. Build-out: pull building/electrical permits, ADA restroom/clearances, fire suppression, 220V for espresso, water filtration. Open accounts with Florida vendors, insure (GL, product, workers’ comp if 4+ employees), and if 25+ staff, implement E‑Verify. Financially, target 25–35% COGS and 70–80% drink margins; plan $25k–$120k (mobile) or $80k–$300k (shop). Launch with soft‑opening, calibrated recipes, and daily cash‑flow targets. Track labor at 25–30% of sales.
