To launch your own coffee brand in Michigan fast, choose your path in week one: Cottage Food (roasted/ground coffee made at home for direct-to-consumer sales only) or a licensed roastery (wholesale, online shipping, and interstate sales). Cottage Food: use a home kitchen, sell face-to-face and at markets only (no shipping), and label each bag with product name, business name and full street address, ingredients (e.g., “Coffee”), allergen disclosures for flavored coffees, net weight in ounces and grams, and the statement: “Made in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development.” Licensed roastery: form an LLC with LARA, get an FEIN, register for a Michigan sales tax license, complete MDARD plan review, and obtain a Food Establishment License in a commercial kitchen; register your facility with FDA if shipping interstate. For roasting equipment, confirm local zoning and fire approvals and check EGLE Air Quality permitting thresholds; install proper venting, dust collection, and chaff management. Practical specs: a 5–15 kg roaster, 12 oz valve bags with nitrogen flush, “roasted on” dating, and target 90-day shelf life. Economics: plan 13–17% roast loss; keep COGS under 35% (green $3–6/lb, packaging $0.45–0.75/bag). Sourcing: cup with importers, lock lots, maintain Agtron/aw and moisture logs. Pricing: keystone wholesale, MAP-ready DTC. Secure your trademark (USPTO) and verify name availability with LARA.
