To start a coffee shop in Hong Kong, secure a premises that can obtain an FEHD General Restaurant Licence (hot food) or Light Refreshment Restaurant Licence (no cooking), then design fit-out to code before you sign. Target ground-floor units with existing grease trap, compliant ventilation path, FSD fire certificate potential, and landlord consent; avoid change-of-use sites unless you can tolerate 3-6 months. Keep rent under 12-15% of projected revenue; at HKD55 average ticket, you need 250-350 cups/day to break even in core districts. Incorporate (Ltd. is standard), register with IRD, open a business account, and apply for FEHD Provisional Licence to trade sooner while works finish. Use licensed contractors for drainage, electrical, and fire services; espresso machines typically need 20-32A and robust filtration. Hire baristas at HKD18-25k/month, enroll MPF, and carry EC plus HKD10M public liability insurance. If roasting, plan for air/noise control and possible Notification under EPD. Set up Octopus, FPS, AlipayHK, and e-receipts; declare imports via Tradelink within 14 days. Build a concise menu that minimizes back-of-house, implement HACCP-style SOPs, and track COGS under 30%. Launch with Google Maps, OpenRice, and partner pop-ups; expect 8-12 weeks for full licensing if documentation is clean and inspections proceed without delay.
