To start a coffee business in Sweden, choose a legal form (enskild firma with personal liability or Aktiebolag with SEK 25,000 share capital), register company with Bolagsverket, secure F-skatt, VAT (moms), and employer registration with Skatteverket. Register your food operation with the municipality under Livsmedelsverket and implement a HACCP-based egenkontroll covering temperature logs, cleaning, allergens, and traceability; alcohol service needs a municipal serveringstillstånd. Use a certified kassaregister with a kontrollenhet, show VAT-included prices, and prioritize card and Swish Företag payments. Restaurant and coffee VAT is 12% (25% on alcohol and equipment); corporate tax is 20.6%; budget employer social fees around 31%. If importing beans from outside the EU, obtain an EORI and check TARIC for HS 0901 duty and 12% Swedish VAT; if roasting, notify the municipality, plan ventilation/odor control, and conduct a workplace risk assessment. Choose a high-footfall site with extraction, water, and grease trap; outdoor seating requires a municipal permit. Invest in water filtration, a reliable espresso machine (SEK 80,000–200,000), commercial grinder (SEK 10,000–30,000), and POS. Set menu engineering targets (70%+ beverage gross margin), price cappuccinos around SEK 40–55, and align fika pastries with local Swedish tastes. Launch with Google Business Profile, local roaster partnerships, and Swish-enabled preorders.
