Advise Please: I Need to Upgrade to a Larger Roaster - Which Size Should I Get?

[gary3917]

Hi you roasters,
I'm currently roasting around 130 lbs a month and slowly growing and need to get a larger machine . I am using a 1.5 kg machine once a week 6 hours of roasting and getting about 45 pounds in 5-6 hrs and I'm thinking i might need to get bigger. Although I could fire up my roaster 3-4 days a week 6 hours a day and produce around 400 lbs of coffee a month at that rate I am wondering if I should get a larger machine and how large ? My 1.5 will process this much with no problem however I would like my business to grow to 2-3000 lbs a month .Do you think that a 3 kg machine is a workhorse enough and not be large enough ? .Is my 1.5 going to hold up ? .Just need some insight on getting a larger roaster but I do not want to get the 3 kg and upgrade again cause I'm pushing years ...maybe have around 10 years left to roast I'm thinking . Has your coffee business grown like wildfire or does it seem to settle down .
Thank you for your help .I just do not have 20000. right now for a mill city 6 kg machine . Maybe if I got one direct from another country for around 10000 ?
Gary

 

[Musicphan]

Are you selling wholesale 5lb bags?

 

[derek.peris]

Don't cross bridges before you arrive.
Steve @ MCR has the BEST growth advice out there.

When you are roasting 4-5 times a week for 4-6 hours a day you are ready to move up.
At that point you SHOULD be able to afford a 12k or 15k, nothing less, you will want to have expandable growth room.

You always have the option of keeping it a hobby IF it doesn't grow as you HOPE.

Keep an eye on CL occasionally a 12k surfaces, have your cash saved up and be ready to buy.

Good luck,

 

[LoadMaster]

Hi Gary!

I have never been in the roaster business, however, I have ran a number of small businesses successfully over the past 55 years. Follow the suggestion of Derek Peris. He has given you sound advice. Only purchase new equipment when you can no longer keep up using what you have. Delay, delay and use what you have to the maximum. This holding off allows you to save and maybe the equipment you desire will become available used on the market. Adding days for roasting with your current equipment is the smart way to go. You never know for sure when the market might take a downturn. If it happens shortly after purchase of an expensive machine that cost more to operate that is far more capacity than you can sell you will loose money. Slow and steady will win every-time!

 

[gary3917]

Hi Gary!

I have never been in the roaster business, however, I have ran a number of small businesses successfully over the past 55 years. Follow the suggestion of Derek Peris. He has given you sound advice. Only purchase new equipment when you can no longer keep up using what you have. Delay, delay and use what you have to the maximum. This holding off allows you to save and maybe the equipment you desire will become available used on the market. Adding days for roasting with your current equipment is the smart way to go. You never know for sure when the market might take a downturn. If it happens shortly after purchase of an expensive machine that cost more to operate that is far more capacity than you can sell you will loose money. Slow and steady will win every-time!

Thank you guys so much that is great advice appreciate it thank you very muchyt?

 

[gary3917]

Are you selling wholesale 5lb bags?

Not that much .mostly 16 ounce bags

 

[Musicphan]

If you're not going to wholesale stick with your current machine until you simply can't produce enough volume and still have a life. Once you wholesale to cafes the bags are 5lbs so you need a machine that can output that much volume at a minimum. I would plan on saving for a 5K/min.