To start a coffee business in Moldova, validate your concept fast, then lock the essentials: legal form, location power/water specs, food-safety compliance, and a supply chain that won’t stall. Register an SRL with the Public Services Agency, open MDL and FX accounts, obtain a fiscal code with the State Tax Service, and connect a certified online fiscal cash register to issue e-receipts. For coffee-only, get ANSA food-safety authorization and implement a HACCP plan; add a kitchen and you’ll need extra sanitary clearances, hot water capacity, and a grease trap. Choose sites in Chișinău with commuter footfall (offices, universities, transport nodes), and verify lease clauses on terrace rights and signage approved by City Hall. Espresso rigs often need 3‑phase power and stable pressure; install water filtration (hardness in Chișinău is high), and secure same‑day service support. Source beans via a customs broker if importing, or contract regional roasters; sign supply SLAs to hedge border delays. Set a cost model: COGS per cup 20–30%, rent under 12% of sales, labor 25–30%, and aim for break-even at 200–300 cups/day. Offer card and mobile wallets through local banks (MAIB, Victoriabank), support Romanian/Russian, list on Glovo/Wolt, and push Instagram/Telegram for launches. Trademark with AGEPI early.
