Specialty coffee is often associated with small-batch roasting. However, as the industry grows and matures, many roasters will inevitably scale their operations.

The need to switch to a larger roaster is crucial for coffee businesses to meet the demands of their expanding customer base. In the US alone, the consumption of specialty coffee has increased by 18% between 2020 and 2025, indicating the rising interest in quality, traceable coffee.

But the transition requires much more than simply purchasing a new machine with increased capacity. There are many factors to consider before making the decision, and roasters need to prepare themselves for a significant adjustment.

I spoke with Diego Vidiz, a roaster and technical consultant at IMF Roasters, about the journey roasters take when switching from small-batch to large-scale roasting operations.

You may also like our article on designing a complete coffee roasting facility.

Knowing when it’s time to upgrade a coffee roastery

Most roasters often start their businesses with highly streamlined operations, comprising a small-capacity machine and just a few team members. But as specialty coffee consumption proliferates, including in emerging markets, many businesses seek to capitalise on its explosive growth.

Many spend hours learning the ins and outs of operating a roastery, while also developing production processes that form the base of the business. Once a roaster achieves consistency in their product and has developed strong relationships with their core customer base, expansion becomes much more viable.

“With over thirty years working in the coffee industry, I have personally experienced the transition from a small artisanal roastery to a full-scale industrial plant,” says Diego Vidiz, who collaborates with IMF Roasters as a technical consultant, supporting the start-up of new roasting facilities. The company will exhibit at WoC Geneva at booth no. 2264 from 26 to 28 June.

“It’s a shift that doesn’t happen overnight, but there are clear signs when the time comes,” he says. “The first is practical: when production can no longer keep up with orders and roast days are always full, it becomes clear that the current setup isn’t sufficient anymore.”

Finding the right equipment

When setting up a roasting business, it’s usually recommended to invest in a machine that can accommodate some level of growth from the outset.

Using a roaster that’s too small makes it more difficult to fulfill larger orders, restricting a business’ growth. On the other hand, starting with a machine that’s too big means roastery operators may overestimate their orders, creating potential waste that eats into their costs.

Once a roaster establishes the optimal size of their machine, it’s important to maximise the current setup within the roasting space. Operators must consider the placement of equipment, production lines, and storage areas to streamline workflow and ensure a successful transition to larger-scale roasting.

“From here, you can attract more structured clients, such as large retailers or international operators, that demand higher volumes and consistent quality,” Diego tells me. 

“Internally, the company must also be ready: clear processes, a solid quality control system, and skilled people who can work well as a team are all essential,” he adds. “When these elements are in place, managing significant growth becomes much more feasible.”

What are the main challenges when scaling a coffee roastery?

The transition to using larger roasters has its challenges. 

A significant part of the artisanal experience with specialty coffee involves having close contact with the product itself. Roasters pay attention to sensory cues in the roasting process, such as colour changes and listening for ‘first crack’, to understand how to control different variables, and ultimately maintain and improve quality.

But it’s not always easy to convert these skills from small to large batches. Different batch sizes require varying amounts of energy to achieve the same results, meaning that some trial and error will occur during the early phases of scaling up. 

“The biggest challenge when increasing volumes is maintaining consistent quality,” Diego says. “In an artisanal roastery, you rely heavily on direct experience and visual cues, but at a larger industrial level, you need precise, reliable systems to help replicate each roast profile consistently.

“That’s why investing in well-calibrated technology, with automated controls and data logging, is essential,” he adds. “The team also needs to grow alongside the facility. Technical training, digital process knowledge, and some flexibility in managing new tools are key.”

Leveraging automation

Modern roasters are typically equipped with automated roasting capabilities. Once a roaster carefully dials in a roast profile, the dedicated software takes control, adjusting heat and air during the roasting process using set data points.

These capabilities have made training production roasters easier than ever before, allowing businesses to manage labour costs more closely. As costs rise across the board, from energy to packaging, this has never been more critical.

“I started roasting with an IMF machine in 2001, and since then, it has always been central to my journey, both in artisanal roasting and in scaling up to an industrial operation,” Diego says. “Over the years, IMF has continually improved its machines, making them increasingly precise, efficient, and suitable for all production needs.

“The Vortex system, for example, ensures uniform heat distribution for consistent and even roasting, even with larger production volumes, thanks to precise control of the roast profile and Rate of Rise (RoR),” he adds.

A reliance on automation also ensures that businesses consistently adhere to quality standards, even when training new staff.

What first steps should roasters take?

Once the decision to scale up has been made, the next step is to make sure the company can actually handle the anticipated growth. 

It’s not just about the quality of products and personnel; the roastery location must be able to handle the required volumes. 

Storage capacities and conditions for both green and roasted coffee have to be more than adequate. Green coffee should be stored at a stable temperature to reduce the risk of quality degradation. Processing orders on a larger scale, therefore, requires much more room to store raw materials and packaging.

“From an organisational point of view, everything changes as production scales,” Diego explains. “Warehousing, logistics, timing, and planning must all be restructured.

“Economic planning is crucial; growth should be grounded,” he adds. “You need a solid plan with clear figures and realistic goals. Otherwise, the risk is scaling too quickly and putting the entire business at risk.”

One of the most common reasons a company goes out of business is that it expands too quickly. Stretching resources to breaking point can easily compromise coffee quality and product consistency, as well as staff morale and business viability.

How equipment and technology can assist the transition

When scaling up a roasting operation, a range of different equipment beyond roasters can help support the company during its initial growth period.

“From a practical standpoint, the ability to add modules, such as automatic feeding systems, silos, or quality control units, means that the facility can grow with you, without having to start from scratch,” Diego says. “This is a huge advantage for roasters looking to expand gradually, keeping costs under control while maintaining high-quality standards.

“One of the most interesting aspects of IMF systems is their modularity. It enables you to work with various batch sizes using the same equipment, without compromising precision or consistency in roasting,” he adds. “Whether you’re roasting a specialty micro-lot or selling higher volumes, the machine adapts effectively.”

Specialist equipment that can improve a roastery’s between-batch protocols can be equally as valuable in saving time, energy, and labour. Moving large amounts of green coffee is physically demanding, so utilising additional units like silos and auto loaders can increase capacity.

Looking ahead

When roasters scale up their operations, they typically seek a space that can accommodate immediate growth, while also considering the potential for future expansion.

Creating a plan and vision for the business is crucial to maintaining control over growth and developing sustainable goals. Working closely with experienced roasting plant designers also gives coffee brands access to knowledge and insights that could help them use investment capital more effectively. 

“Growing in the coffee industry means finding the right balance between quality, organisation, and technological innovation,” Diego says. “Thanks to my experience and reliable solutions like those offered by IMF, I’ve been able to face this evolution without compromising brand integrity.

“Scaling is possible – provided it’s done with method, vision, and a constant focus on quality,” he adds.

Moving from small-batch to large-scale roasting is a momentous opportunity for a coffee brand, but the transition comes with its own unique set of challenges.

While the obvious solution is to buy a bigger machine, investing in complementary specialist equipment to assist with the between-batches stage of production is often beneficial.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on what roasters need to know when upgrading their facilities.

Photo credits: IMF Roasters, Better Days Coffee Company

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Please note: IMF Roasters is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind.

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