Roaster size for small growing roastery

[Razzo]

I like this set up! We have a similar situation where we have a total of 500 sqft. The key is to set up your roasting process so this it flows in a logical manor. I have ours set up in a U-shaped work sell flowing from left to right. The coffee/scale is at the start of the process, roaster, grinder/packaging shelve then shipping. We have an Ambex YM-2 but when the “production line” gets going, we can pump out a lot of finished coffee in a relatively short time. This concept is called Lean Manufacturing made famous by Toyota. Any waste in the process is eliminated and production efficiency goes up. The categories of waste are transport, inventory, motion, waiting, over production and defects. If you look at your production flow and try to eliminate these, you can do a lot with not a lot of floor space. I am currently undergoing this process with my day job. When you actually look at all the waste in a process and start thinking of the money being spent on it, this concept of Lean make great business sense.

 

[Mr.Peaberry]

Great post Razzo! Also, check out the book "Quality is Free" by Phillip Crosby. Not only does it speak about waste, but it goes into a psyche that drives high performance. In my opinion, as a society we seem to have lost sight of striving for perfection...not in a bad way, because working toward any worthwhile goal ultimately involves failure, and how one deals with failure has apparently replaced the focus on perfection. Here's how Vince Lombardi put it: Perfection is never attainable, but by chasing perfection, we can catch excellence.

 

[JerryB]

We have a similar situation where we have a total of 500 sqft. The key is to set up your roasting process so this it flows in a logical manor. I have ours set up in a U-shaped work sell flowing from left to right. The coffee/scale is at the start of the process, roaster, grinder/packaging shelve then shipping. We have an Ambex YM-2 but when the “production line” gets going, we can pump out a lot of finished coffee in a relatively short time.

Razzo,
I am interested to see how you laid out your work space. Would you be willing to take some pictures and share them with us? I am in the midst of moving so I can have room to set up a new roaster and start roasting. I am always looking at what people do as they learn what works best. As not to hijack this thread, perhaps you could start a separate one. Let me know if you do, I don't' want to miss it.

Cheers,
Jerry

 

[JerryB]

View attachment 4965
It's small but works.

Hello Topher,
Your place looks very nice and organized. Are those windows on the right leading out into an area where your coffee is sold in a coffee shop?

Cheers,
Jerry

 

[bigMoose]

Question for you folks with commercial/licensed roasteries. How many sinks did the health department require in your jurisdiction? Did you need a grease trap? Must you have a rest room in your facility, or could it be a tenant shared rest room?