A one-person coffee stall in central Michigan, as of October 2026. Market-day totals are models: arithmetic on stated assumptions.
| Item | Figure | Or | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|---|
| One 12 oz bag: first season (green in 20 lb lots) · by the 65 lb box | |||
| Green coffee, 0.882 lb | $7.06 | $5.39 | 12 oz ÷ 0.85 (15% roast loss); $8.00 vs $6.11 a lb |
| Valve bag · label · electricity | 45¢ · 25¢ · 4¢ | 45¢ · 18¢ · 4¢ | Foil-lined pouch; labels by 500 vs 1,000+ |
| Total, one 12 oz bag | $7.80 | $6.06 | Green is about 90%. An 8 oz bag: $5.36 / $4.18 |
| Left from a $17 / $16 bag | $9.20 / $8.20 | $10.94 / $9.94 | Less a 59¢ card fee on a $17 bag |
| One cup, first-season coffee: Lansing-area price (small town 50¢ less) · cost | |||
| House, pour-over or press, 12 oz | $3.50–$4.00 | cost 54¢ | 20 g coffee 41¢; cup, lid, sleeve 13¢ |
| Iced coffee, flash brew, 16 oz | $4.00 | cost 87¢ | 23 g coffee, ice, clear cup |
| Honey coffee, hot, 12 oz | $4.50 | cost 81¢ | 17 g coffee; 15 g honey at $10/lb |
| Cà phê sữa đá, 16 oz | $5.50 | cost $1.12 | 25 g coffee, condensed milk, ice |
| Honey-and-milk coffee, 12 oz | $5.00 | cost $1.33 | Phin concentrate, honey, half-and-half |
| A market day: 18 bags, first season · by the box | |||
| Bags only, Lansing area | about $112 | about $145 | 306 − bags − $25 stall − $18 samples − $11 card fees |
| Bags only, small town | about $109 | $10 stall, $16 bags | |
| + 40 cups, season licence | +$64 first year | +$100 later | Lansing day total $176, then $212 |
| + 40 cups, $104 licence every day | +$10 Lansing | −$8 small town | Break-even about 37 cups (Lansing area) |
| Licences, equipment, the season | |||
| Temporary licence, per market day | $104 Mid-Michigan | $114 Shiawassee | Mid-Michigan District covers Clinton County |
| Transitory Food Unit, a season | about $1,205 first year | $335 later years | Shiawassee 2026: $155 + 2 × $90 inspections + $688 plan review + $182 course |
| Start-up, bags under cottage food | $940–$1,150 | +$479 Behmor | Bags, labels, sealer, scale, stamp, airpots, cups |
| Bullet R2 $4,099 / R2 Pro $5,299: paid back in | 476 / 615 bags first season | 396 / 512 by the box | R2: about 26 markets at 18 bags a week |
| A season: 24 markets × 18 bags | about $2,690 first season | about $3,490 by the box | 432 bags, 324 lb, $7,344 of sales |
| Cottage food cap, $50,000 a year | about 2,940 bags | 42 lb roasted a week, every week | |