To start your coffee brand in Beijing, focus on three deliverables: licenses tied to a physical site, a tight product-price fit for local tastes, and a digital-first distribution stack. Secure a Business License with the Beijing AMR and a Food Business License (catering) after fit-out; staff need health certificates; in-store roasting triggers environmental filings, so most founders contract-roast nearby and launch retail first (licenses typically 3–4 weeks post-site). Pick format by footfall and rent: 15–30 m² kiosk at subway exits in CBD/Sanlitun for volume, or 40–60 m² seating in Wudaokou/Gulou for dwell time; keep capex under ¥6,000–10,000/m². Build a menu around an oat latte, "dirty," and a seasonal single-origin (Yunnan washed for milk, imported naturals for filter); price ¥25–42 with beverage COGS ≤28% and labor 20–24%. Calibrate water to 80–120 ppm TDS and 40–50 ppm alkalinity; dial in espresso 1:2 in 25–30 s at 92–93°C; for filter, target 1.3–1.5% TDS in the cup. Install a 2-group 220V machine on a 32A circuit, a 3-stage filter, and a flat-burr grinder. Go cashless: WeChat Pay/Alipay, a WeChat Mini Program for pickup, and Meituan/Ele.me for delivery. Seed on Xiaohongshu, run Douyin lives, and build a WeChat group for reorders and limited drops weekly.
