To start a coffee brand in Louisiana right, form your LLC on geauxBIZ (name, registered agent, filing), get an EIN, and open a business bank account, then decide your production model: contract-roast with a Louisiana roaster or license a commercial kitchen for your own roaster (power, ventilation, afterburner, and fire code clearance). Contact the Louisiana Department of Health (Sanitarian Services) for a Food/Manufacturing permit suited to packaged coffee; if you plan interstate wholesale, register your facility with FDA and follow 21 CFR 117 GMPs. Build compliant labels: statement of identity (“Roasted Coffee”), net weight (avoirdupois and metric), business name and address, lot code/roast date, and allergen statement if flavorings are used; add barcodes (GS1) for retail and include brewing ratio guidance to reduce returns. Source green coffee through Port of New Orleans importers; negotiate landed price, moisture specs (10–12%), and sustainability claims with documentation. Louisiana humidity demands climate-controlled storage, oxygen-barrier valve bags, and first-in-first-out inventory. Set pricing using yield (15–18% roast loss), packaging, freight, and 40–60% wholesale margin targets. Register for state and parish sales tax (LATAP + local) and obtain an occupational license. Launch via farmers markets, independent grocers, and Shopify; offer subscriptions and a café wholesale sampler program.
