Production Roaster Gas or Electric?

[gautry]

We are looking at production roasters. I have been training on an NG roaster but wanted opinions on both types. Pros/cons for both? We are just starting our roasting business so we are looking for the right roaster to start. We project we will be roasting about 1000 K a month by the end of the year.

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[CoffeeJunky]

If you are going to roast 1000 pounds... You need gas roaster. Electric is not going to cut it and your heating element might over work. I would use NG since it is better to mount the roaster permanently.
I would start the roasting business with 10-20k machine...

[eldub]

1,000 kg/month? That thar sure is some big projections for a new bidness, imo.

[gautry]

Artisan coffee is only beginning in the area and we have a marketing plan that has reaped benefits so far. I also have an excellent mentor that is working with us to assist in our success including helping with the business plan and training on his roaster. We are concentrating on wholesale to start then to retail.

[CoffeeJunky]

1000 pounds are not going to be easy sell but if you can manage it, you will need to purchase some good roaster.... I would purchase proven American made roasters. You won't have time to fool around with something that you need to get tweaking help form 1/2 around the world....

[eldub]

coffee junky: 1000 lbs is HALF of the projected amount to be sold.

[Cblake]

1000 kilos = 2200 pounds Good luck!

[CoffeeJunky]

oops.... My mistake... yeah that is tons of coffee to be roasted.... You need some big roasters to just be able to keep up with your demand and also if you are going to grow.... 30-50kg machine???

[eldub]

Artisan coffee is only beginning in the area and we have a marketing plan that has reaped benefits so far. I also have an excellent mentor that is working with us to assist in our success including helping with the business plan and training on his roaster. We are concentrating on wholesale to start then to retail.

Would you care to be more specific about the benefits already reaped by your marketing plan? Because the only real benefits realized by a marketing plan, imo, would be money in the bank. (Unless you are counting a loan procured.)

[NHcoffee]

I would love to learn from your marketing plan....

if you will even get close to 25% that much in the first year buy gas (NG or Prop) and at least a 12 kilo. 2200 # per month on electric, is there even an electric big enough to do that?

If you buy something of that size, it is very easy to justify purchasing the larger machine when your volume rises. You will gain labor savings in your production when you buy the bigger roaster as your business grows. You can always add the second roaster as a second option, which is what we did. Plus when you upgrade, you will be able to resell your roaster(s) as we plan to do...or at least 1 of them. Buy a good brand, Diedrich, and you will hold a good amount of the value when you resell it.

We have 2 Primo PRI 35 (15 kilo) and roast about 125,000 per year. In the next 3 - 4 months we will pull the trigger and sign the order on a CR70 Diedrich. This machine will more than double what my 2 current roasters do combined in an hour and give me the capacity to drastically grow my current annual poundage without adding any labor. labor savings = half my projected monthly payment. it is like getting an employee to do 2 times the work for the same pay.

Good luck!!!