To start your coffee brand in Belgium, secure compliance and distribution on day one: choose a legal form (SRL/BV for liability protection), register with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (BCE/KBO) to obtain your company number, and activate VAT with SPF Finances. Before roasting or packing, register your food activity with the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (AFSCA/FAVV), implement an HACCP plan, and ensure food-contact packaging meets EU 1935/2004. For imports, obtain an EORI number; EU duty on green coffee is 0% (roasted carries duty), so consider importing green and roasting locally. Label per EU 1169/2011: product name, net weight, best-before, lot code, business name/address, origin if highlighted; provide language matching the sales region (NL in Flanders, FR in Wallonia, both in Brussels). Join Fost Plus/Valipac for packaging EPR. Decide roast operations: in-house (invest in a gas roaster, afterburner, ventilation permits) or toll-roast with a Belgian partner to validate profiles fast. Price smart: 250 g specialty retail €10–€15, wholesale targets 40–50% margin, DTC 60–70% gross. Launch with Bancontact/SEPA checkout, a two-language site, café pilots in Antwerp/Brussels, and recurring subscriptions; pursue organic/Fairtrade certification only if it strengthens your sourcing story. Track water activity and freshness to reduce returns.
