Start your coffee brand in Illinois by nailing compliance fast: choose an entity (LLC is common), file with the Illinois Secretary of State, secure any DBA (county clerk for sole props; SOS for LLC/corp), get an EIN, then register for an Illinois Business Tax (IBT) number in MyTax Illinois to collect Retailers’ Occupation Tax and set up withholding/unemployment if hiring. If you’ll roast, confirm zoning for light manufacturing, ventilation, and fire code; small roasters may still need an Illinois EPA air permit (and in Chicago, a CDPH Air Pollution Control permit) plus a food processing or retail food license through your local health department. Going wholesale? Register your facility with FDA, implement GMPs, lot coding, and a recall plan; small processors can file the FSMA “qualified facility” attestation. Selling direct online or at markets: consider the Home-to-Market Act (cottage food registration with your county health department) for roasted beans; prepared beverages require a retail food license. Label bags with identity, net weight (US + metric), company name/address, ingredients, and lot/date; nutrition facts are usually exempt. For tax efficiency, issue Illinois CRT‑61 resale certificates to suppliers. Use nitrogen-flushed valve bags, QC cupping, and a private-label/toll-roast agreement if outsourcing.
