How to Become a Coffee Distributor in 2026

Coffee is one of the most loved products in the world, with a projected market value of $369 billion by 2030. Behind every cup is a complex network of suppliers working to keep beans moving from farm to shelf. And coffee distributors are the link that connects roasters with retailers to get that product in millions of customers' cups every day.

If you’ve ever wondered how to become a coffee distributor, you’re entering a global industry that’s rapidly evolving. Modern distributors aren’t just moving sacks of beans—they’re running digital-first operations that manage business-to-business (B2B) and direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels in one place.

This guide explains how to build a coffee distribution business from the ground up, covering market opportunities, setup steps, legal requirements, and marketing strategies. You’ll also learn how unified commerce helps distributors streamline operations, so your business runs as smoothly as your morning brew.

What is a coffee distributor?

A coffee distributor is a company that buys coffee and resells it to other businesses. They might purchase the coffee as green, unroasted beans or even as the finished, packaged product. 

They sell the coffee to businesses such as retailers, cafés, restaurants, and offices. Distributors handle the logistics of procurement, storage, and account management for clients, as well as compliance services like traceability and labeling.

Today, unified commerce platforms help distributors manage every part of this process—from sourcing and pricing to fulfillment and reordering—within one connected system. 

Coffee distributor vs. coffee roaster vs. coffee importer

While they’re all part of the same world, it’s helpful to know the key players in coffee distribution:

• Importer: Specialists who source green coffee beans from farms and co-ops. They manage international logistics, quality control, and the process of getting raw coffee into a country, where they then sell it to roasters. 
• Roaster: Artisans and technicians who take the green beans from importers and roast them. They develop the flavor profiles and package the finished product. Roasters can sell direct-to-consumer, wholesale to other businesses, or to distributors themselves.
• Distributors: The B2B powerhouse that buys coffee, either green or roasted. Distributors get coffee onto grocery shelves and into coffee pots. They optimize the route to market and provide extra services like demand planning, financing, and even merchandising. 

Types of coffee distribution business models

There’s no one right way to run a coffee distribution business. Operators can choose from a variety of models that align with their strengths and target market. 

Here are some of the most common avenues:

• Direct store delivery (DSD): A hands-on model where your own team and trucks deliver directly to stores. It’s a common model in convenience stores and smaller retail outlets. DSD reps manage the shelves, restock products, and handle in-store promotions.
• Warehouse/wholesale distribution: The classic model—you ship pallets and cases of coffee to large retailer distribution centers (DCs) or regional wholesalers, who then take on the final step of replenishing individual stores.
• HoReCa specialists: These distributors focus on hotels, restaurants, and cafés (HoReCa), and other food service establishments. They’ll supply the coffee, as well as brewers, espresso machines, and even training and maintenance services. 
• Office coffee service (OCS): A fast-growing niche accelerating at 10.2% per year, supplying coffee to workplaces. OCS providers place brewers, stock breakrooms with coffee and snacks, and manage it all on a service contract.
• Private label or white label: These companies are silent partners to grocery chains and corporate brands. They source, roast, and package coffee for companies to sell under their own name. NIQ reports this model grew 4.3% year over year as stigma around store brands fades.
• Ready-to-drink (RTD): A specialized model that distributes RTD products like canned cold brew or bottled lattes. It requires managing a cold chain or light-ambient logistics network to get products into grocery coolers, convenience stores, and cafés.

Unified commerce platforms like Shopify allow each of these models to operate from the same data foundation. This simplifies pricing, inventory visibility, and customer management across channels.

Current coffee distribution market opportunities

Alongside recent home-brewing trends, the coffee market continues to evolve and create new opportunities for distributors ready to adapt.

These are some of the biggest trends shaping the industry right now.

The RTD explosion

The global market for RTD coffee is already massive, estimated at $29.4 billion in 2024, and it's projected to keep growing at 6.2% annually until 2030. Distributors with cold-chain logistics and DSD routes into convenience stores and grocery stores are perfectly positioned to capitalize on this boom.

The return to office

As more folks return to the workplace, the office coffee service (OCS) market is rebounding in a big way, with forecasts predicting a nearly 10% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in the US over the next five years.

The winning play here is to offer a complete coffee solution. Bundle bean subscriptions, single-serve pods, and RTD options, and lock in long-term contracts by placing brewers and creating full-service micro-markets in offices.

A thriving café scene

Coffee shops are cropping up everywhere in the US after a brief hit from the pandemic. Recent data from IBISWorld shows there were over 87,700 coffee and snack shops as of 2024, an increase of 3.9% from 2023.

Distributors that specialize in smaller retail formats can partner with regional chains or independent brands with menu development, equipment servicing, training, and, of course, high quality coffee beans.

Together, these trends show how distributors that modernize can diversify channels, reach new buyers, and scale efficiently as demand grows.

How to start a coffee distribution business

So you want to get into coffee distribution. It’s a tough business, but getting it right keeps you profitable. Here’s what it actually takes to get off the ground.

Research your target market and ideal customers

First things first, you have to choose a lane. Are you moving unroasted green beans to specialty roasters, or selling roasted consumer packaged goods (CPG) and RTD products into retail and foodservice? That decision defines your entire business model, right down to your NAICS code for licensing and insurance.

Once you know what you’re selling, figure out who you’re selling it to. The real decision-makers aren't always obvious—it could be a category manager at a grocery chain, a buyer for a hotel group, or the facilities manager handling the office coffee contract. And if you're aiming for big retail, get ready to talk about slotting allowances, or the fee you'll have to pay just for a spot on the shelf.

Tip: Remember that in coffee, freshness is currency. A high-end café will scrutinize roast dates, measuring shelf life in weeks. 

You also have to keep an eye on the regulatory landscape. The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) will require farm-level geolocation data for any coffee sold in the EU. Build your business from the start around compliance, and you’ll become a go-to partner for anyone with global ambitions. 

Develop your coffee distribution business plan

A business plan will help you answer the hard questions first. How big of a warehouse do you really need? What’s your capital expenditures for delivery vans and pallet racking? You’ll also be able to plan everything from market analysis to a full financial workup, which should account for:

• Distributor and retailer margins
• Trade spend for promotions and discounts
• Slotting fees, where applicable
• Costs for freight and warehousing
• Shrink from stale or expired product
• Days sales outstanding (DSO) based on payment terms like Net-30

If you're storing or handling food in the US, you’re registering your facility with the FDA. If you're importing, you’re on the hook for Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regulations and running a Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP). This isn't optional.

Get your data house in order from day one. That means Global Standards 1 (GS1) identifiers like the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), Universal Product Code (UPC) on the consumer package and the Interleaved Two-of-Five (ITF-14) on the shipping case. If you change the case count or pack size, you need a new GTIN, so plan your configurations carefully.

Secure coffee supplier relationships

Good suppliers are what keeps you in business. If you’re moving roasted consumer packaged goods , you need a mix of options — good, better, and best price points, plus decaf and RTD to fill out the offering. 

Get specific on the terms. What are the case packs? What’s the minimum guaranteed shelf life you'll accept on a delivery? Nail this down up front.

Selling green coffee is a different language entirely. You need to understand Green Coffee Association (GCA) and European Standard Contract for Coffee (ESCC) contracts, master cupping protocols, and talk logistics like spot versus forward positions in destination warehouses. Use importer directories to find your partners, but make your first question about their EUDR traceability readiness.

Determine your pricing and margin strategy

Let's talk about the math, because getting this right keeps you sustainable. You have to understand how every player in the channel gets paid.

A distributor’s gross margin is typically in the 15%–25% range for CPG. The retailer is going to take another 30%–50%. On top of that, you need to budget about 15%–20% of your gross sales for trade spend, which is the money for promos and discounts needed to move the product.

Here’s how to build your price from the ground up:

• Start with your landed case cost: That’s the product cost plus all freight, duties, taxes, and warehousing fees.
• Calculate your distributor sell-in price: Landed cost / (1 – Your target GM%)
• Set the final manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP): Sell-in price / (1 – Retailer’s GM%)

Tip: Unified commerce systems can connect this pricing, your customer catalogs, and payment terms in one system—making it easier to scale when you add new buyers or markets.

Legal requirements for coffee distributors

Business licenses and permits needed

You'll need to register your business entity, like an LLC or corporation, and get any required city or county business licenses. 

In the US, you’ll also need a sales tax permit or reseller certificate, so you can buy coffee for resale without paying tax. It also allows you to collect and remit sales tax from your customers in states where you sell.

Regulations for coffee distributors vary by state, but most require the following:

• Food warehouse license: If you store packaged food, most states require a specific license or registration and will conduct periodic inspections.
• Transportation registrations: Interstate carriers generally need a US Department of Transportation (USDOT) number. Some states also require one for carriers that operate only within the state.
• Organic certification: If you want to sell coffee labeled as USDA Organic, you have to be certified under the National Organic Program. 

If you supply customers who sell into the European Union, be prepared for the EUDR mentioned above. It requires proof of where the coffee was grown, with compliance deadlines of December 2025 for large operators and June 2026 for small to medium-size companies.

Food safety certifications and compliance

In the US, warehouses and wholesalers have to follow Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), which cover sanitation, pest control, and allergen cross-contact prevention. For roasted or RTD coffee, you must follow the FDA’s Food Labeling Guide, which dictates the statement of identity, net quantity, and ingredient list.

Aside from the government, there are buyer requirements you might have to meet as well. Many large retailers will expect your warehouse to be certified to a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) scheme like Safe Quality Food (SQF) or Brand Reputation through Compliance Global Standard (BRCGS).

Insurance requirements for coffee distributors

Lenders and customers will ask you to provide a certificate of insurance (COI) to prove you have the right coverage at specific limits. 

General liability and product liability are the minimum you need. They offer coverage for bodily injury or property damage, as well as claims arising from the actual coffee you distribute. If you have owned or leased vehicles, you’ll also need commercial auto insurance. 

Some other types of insurance to consider include:

• Workers’ compensation: This is a statutory requirement in nearly every state if you have employees.
• Inland marine and cargo: This policy protects your goods while they are in transit or stored off-site.
• Warehouse legal liability: If you store goods for your customers (acting as a bailee), this policy covers your legal liability for any loss or damage to their property while it's in your care.
• Property and cyber insurance: These policies cover your own assets, like your building and inventory, and protect you from risks associated with running B2B ecommerce portals or using electronic data interchange (EDI).

Tip: Talk to a professional provider before purchasing insurance to see exactly what you need for your business. 

Centralizing all licenses, certificates, and insurance documents in your B2B ecommerce system helps you stay audit-ready and gives buyers confidence in your compliance.

Building your coffee distribution infrastructure

Warehouse and inventory management systems

When working with perishable goods, your warehouse and inventory practices have to protect the freshness and quality of your products first. 

Your warehouse layout and standard operating procedures (SOPs) have to protect your coffee from moisture, light, and air. Use strict FIFO/FEFO (first-in, first-out / first-expired, first-out) rotation policies to ship your oldest stock first and reduce write-offs. 

When it comes to your software, a generic warehouse management system (WMS) won't cut it. You need features specifically for coffee, including FEFO/FIFO allocation by roast or expiry date, full lot and batch traceability for recalls, and the ability to manage shelf-life thresholds on inbound purchase orders.

Ideally, inventory data from your WMS should sync directly with your ecommerce platform for accurate B2B stock visibility and seamless order fulfillment. Modern ecommerce for distributors makes it possible to manage real-time inventory and automate replenishment across channels.

Transportation and delivery logistics

Next, choose your route to market, or how you’ll take your coffee from production to the customer. 

One model already mentioned is DSD, where your own reps service stores directly. Another option is shipping pallets to retailer distribution centers (DCs) or regional wholesalers, which involves fewer stops but has stricter labeling requirements. 

Be sure your transportation matches your products. Cold brew and other RTD products may require refrigerated vehicles with temperature monitoring, while shelf-stable coffee can be shipped in standard ambient trucks.

Once logistics are set, you’ll need a connected digital platform to manage orders, inventory, and customer data across every channel.

B2B ecommerce platform selection

Your B2B platform is the nucleus of your whole operation. It connects all your tools and data so you can get one unified view of your company. Choose a platform that allows you to run your wholesale (B2B) and retail (DTC) businesses from a single admin, like Shopify.

With Shopify, you can meet buyers where they are with features like: 

• Advanced company and customer management: Create multi-layered company accounts, where each company can have multiple locations and contacts, each with their own specific permissions.
• Catalogs and pricing control: Tailor custom catalogs with price lists that you can assign to entire B2B markets or directly to individual company locations. Set volume pricing, quantity rules, and offer custom discounts separate from your retail promotions. 
• Flexible B2B checkout: Assign net terms (like Net 30 or Net 60) to a company profile to automate the invoicing process. Use APIs to offer custom shipping and payment options tailored to your B2B customers' needs.
• Purchase orders and drafts: Allow customers to add their own purchase order (PO) numbers at checkout. You can also give customers the ability to submit orders as drafts for your review before confirming.
• Seamless self-serve customer experience: Provide a secure portal where B2B buyers can log in to view their pricing, see order history, and manage their account information. They can also easily place reorders and submit returns from their account dashboard. 
• Robust integrations and APIs: Connect your enterprise resource planning (ERP), accounting software, and other business systems to Shopify through native apps or B2B APIs. This includes integrations that support coffee-specific workflows such as FEFO batch tracking, automated reorders for cafés, and pricing control.

With online store contextualization, you can display content, products, or even site navigation to your B2B customers that’s different from what your DTC shoppers see. You can also add B2B-specific features like quick-order lists, which allow buyers to add multiple product variants to their cart from a single page.

From one dashboard, distributors can manage DTC orders, wholesale accounts, and even global pricing without separate systems—creating a unified commerce foundation for B2B ecommerce wholesale growth.

Finding and securing wholesale coffee customers

Regardless of channel, your success depends on how easily buyers can order and reorder—another reason unified commerce matters.

Approaching cafes and restaurants

Quality relationships are the name of the game for this sales channel. With over 905,000 restaurants in the continental US, you have plenty of targets to choose from. 

Whether you’re working with a small restaurant owner or a larger chain, you have to show them your coffee is good. Plan to bring fresh samples and the updated Coffee Value Assessment standards so buyers can score your product consistently. 

Many professional buyers still use Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) cupping protocols and aim for Golden Cup brewing targets. Provide spec sheets with roast dates, suggested brew ratios, and water targets to help you close the deal.

Selling to grocery stores and retailers

To get on grocery shelves, you have to play by their rules. Retailers review their coffee aisle with a data-driven approach, using planograms and line reviews. You need to prove that your assortment will grow the entire category, not just replace sales from another brand.

Tip: Private label coffee is expanding globally as retailers invest more in their own brands. Position your business as a solution by offering turnkey private-label roasting, packing, and compliant traceability.

Case study: Death Wish Coffee

After making the switch to Shopify, Death Wish Coffee saw 200% year-over-year top-line growth and handled Super Bowl traffic spikes while expanding into major grocery chains—all from one platform that supports every channel.

Building online B2B marketplaces

Ecommerce is now a top revenue driver in B2B, and buyers are increasingly comfortable placing large orders, even over $500,000, through digital self-serve channels. 

You could list your products on B2B marketplaces like Alibaba or Amazon, or build your own with B2B ecommerce software like Shopify. A branded, self-serve channel can complement your sales reps and make it effortless for buyers to do business with you. 

Shopify makes it easier for coffee distributors to manage every customer interaction—whether it’s a café placing a recurring order or a retailer reordering from your online B2B site.

Marketing your coffee distribution business

Creating a compelling brand story

B2B buyers aren’t easily moved by romantic brand missions. They are making a business decision, and their goals are to sell in-demand products and mitigate risk. Your brand story proves why they can trust you and why you’re a smart investment. 

That’s why you need to lead with proof. A strong narrative matters, but it’s more effective when anchored in hard numbers. Build your story around metrics buyers care about:

• Quality score
• Order-fill rates
• On-time delivery percentages
• Official certifications 

Make sustainability a selling point. Buyers who believe a supplier is advancing their sustainability goals are more likely to commit to a long-term partnership.

Reinforce that story wherever buyers interact—your B2B portal, DTC site, and retail displays should all share consistent messaging.

Tip: Nielsen data found that brand recall is the main driver of lift across channels. Create simple memory assets—a single claim, a distinctive visual, or one undeniable proof point that sticks in a buyer’s mind long after the meeting ends. 

Digital marketing for B2B coffee sales

B2B has come a long way from handshakes and phone calls as the primary sales driver. The new buyer is digital-first and perfectly comfortable purchasing B2B products online. 

So, your digital presence needs to be more than just a website. It should be a resource that helps customers make the best choices for their organization. 

During their evaluation process, B2B buyers find the most value in content like detailed research reports, case studies, webinars, and tools that help them calculate their potential ROI. Invest in building these assets for each of your key segments, whether it's cafés, grocery, or office coffee services.

Other digital tactics to focus on:

• Optimize for SEO. Build dedicated landing pages that target high-value B2B search terms like “wholesale coffee beans supplier,” “RTD coffee distributor,” and “private label coffee wholesale.”
• Run targeted LinkedIn campaigns. Use LinkedIn to run thought leadership and lead generation from campaigns aimed at the specific job titles that make buying decisions, like grocery category managers, café owners, and food and beverage directors. 
• Capture high-intent leads with Google Ads. Bid on specific, high-intent search queries like “coffee distributor near me,” “wholesale espresso beans,” and “office coffee supplier.” 
• Nurture leads with an email sequence. For each of your key customer segments, develop a three-part email sequence to guide them through the consideration process: start with a sampler offer, follow up with a relevant case study, and conclude with an explainer on your pricing and payment terms.

Finally, build your website for wholesale. Gate your wholesale content behind a form. Once a prospect fills it out, immediately grant them access to a catalog that displays their pricing and terms, and allow them to place a test purchase order.

Unifying your marketing and commerce tools ensures every campaign, landing page, and lead form connects back to the same system—giving you complete visibility from a customer’s first click to their reorder.

Trade shows and industry networking

Despite the emphasis placed on digital sales, the coffee industry still values in-person networking. Trade shows are still a venue for lead generation, where you can demonstrate your product and create partnerships. 

But you need to get in the right rooms. 

• The Specialty Coffee Expo in the US is excellent for connecting with roasters, equipment buyers, and potential clients. 
• For European and Middle Eastern contacts, the World of Coffee events are setting attendance records.
• For targeted outreach to café and restaurant owners, regional shows like Coffee Fest are invaluable.

Follow up by capturing leads from every event directly into your ecommerce system. Integrating trade-show contacts with your B2B platform helps you convert interest into lasting relationships.

Scaling your coffee distribution operations

Expanding into new markets and channels

Want to take your brand global? It's a big step, but a clunky, one-size-fits-all portal can kill an international deal before it starts. A buyer in London shouldn't have to guess what their landed cost is in US dollars.

This is where you can combine the power of Shopify B2B with Shopify Markets. Imagine your buyer in the UK seeing prices in pounds sterling, while your partner in France sees euros, all from the same platform. You can customize which products they see and, most importantly, calculate all the duties and import taxes upfront. 

No surprise fees for them or invoice headaches for you. It’s a professional, localized experience that builds trust from the very first order.

Case study: Fire Dept. Coffee

Fire Dept. Coffee, a veteran-owned roaster, grew four times by adding subscriptions and wholesale channels on Shopify. Using one unified commerce platform, the team scaled recurring and bulk orders across every market, reaching nearly $10 million in revenue.

Adding value-added services

In a competitive market, the best coffee distributors do more than sell coffee. Think beyond the beans and consider offering services that solve your customers’ biggest problems, like:

• Equipment and training: Got a new café client? Offer them equipment installation and hands-on training. You can even get your team certified through the SCA Coffee Technicians Program to show you’re serious about quality.
• Vendor-managed inventory (VMI): This means you take responsibility for replenishing a retailer’s inventory levels. A VMI program can help clients stay in stock with the freshest product, turning you into an integrated and loyal partner. 
• Compliance as a service: New rules like the EUDR for deforestation-free products can be a headache for your customers. You can turn that into a service by providing traceability data right from their B2B portal.
• A seamless digital experience: Your B2B portal should feel as easy as a retail site. With Shopify B2B, you can give your buyers their own catalogs, saved carts for one-click reorders, and a checkout that already knows their payment terms. It makes their life easier and keeps the orders coming.

Shopify helps you scale without adding systems or complexity. From one platform, distributors can launch new markets, introduce value-added services, and deepen buyer relationships—without disrupting operations or retraining teams.