To launch your own coffee brand in Boston, start by securing compliant production and go-to-market infrastructure. Form an LLC with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, get an EIN, file a Boston DBA if needed, and register on MassTaxConnect for sales/meals tax (beans typically exempt; prepared beverages taxable). Choose a facility: join a co-roasting space (CommonWealth Kitchen or similar) for $500–$1,500/month, or build out with a 5–15 kg roaster (Loring/Probat), venting per IMC/NFPA, gas permit, afterburner/air permit as required by MassDEP, and Boston Fire approvals. Obtain a Boston Board of Health food establishment permit; if wholesaling, add a MA DPH Wholesale Food Processor License and, if shipping interstate, FDA food facility registration. Calibrate scales with Boston Weights & Measures. Label per 21 CFR 101: brand, net weight (12 oz/340 g), ingredients, roaster address, roast date, lot code; add flavor notes for retail. Develop a Food Safety Plan (cGMPs, recall, allergen control). Launch with two blends plus one rotating single-origin; price at $14–$18 wholesale, $18–$22 retail; target 55–60% gross margin. Cup using Boston’s soft water; remineralize to 60–90 ppm hardness for consistent QC. Sell through Shopify subscriptions, Boston farmers’ markets (food permit), and 50-cafe sprints with sell-in targets.
