What Size Coffee Roaster Do You Need for 100 kg per Week?

For a business targeting 100 kg of roasted coffee per week, the technically possible machine and the commercially sensible machine may be different. A smaller roaster can produce the volume with more batches. A larger roaster can reduce labor, but only if the product mix supports larger normal charges.

The right decision begins with finished roasted output, then works backward through roast loss, normal batch size, complete cycle time and available production hours.

1. Start with 100 kg of finished roasted coffee

If the sales target is 100 kg of packaged roasted coffee, the roastery must charge more than 100 kg of green coffee because moisture and mass are lost during roasting. The exact loss varies with the coffee and roast style, so use records from your own profiles whenever possible.

Also decide whether 100 kg is the current requirement or the target after 12 to 24 months. A machine selected for future demand still has to handle today's normal batches without forcing excessive inventory.

2. Use normal charge size, not the model name

A machine described as “6 kg” should not automatically be budgeted at a 6 kg charge for every coffee. The normal charge may be lower, and a week with many origins can create partial batches.

Use this planning sequence:

1. Estimate weekly green-coffee input after roast loss.
2. Choose a realistic normal charge for the coffees you sell.
3. Divide weekly green input by normal charge to estimate batch count.
4. Multiply batches by complete cycle time, including discharge and reload.
5. Add warm-up, cleaning, coffee changes, quality checks and packaging labor.

For early planning, test conservative, expected and high-efficiency scenarios rather than relying on one perfect number.

3. Compare 3 kg, 6 kg, 12 kg and 15 kg roasters

These charges and batch counts are illustrative calculations, not model guarantees. Confirm the supported range and profile performance for the selected machine.

3 kg class

A 3 kg coffee roaster can reach 100 kg per week, but it creates a high batch count. It is most defensible when production can be distributed over several days, small lots matter and the owner's time is not the main constraint.

6 kg class

A 6 kg commercial roaster is often a practical starting point for this volume. The Yoshan YS-6KG page lists a 1-7 kg batch range, which can support smaller coffees and larger regular production runs subject to final configuration and testing.

12 kg class

A 12 kg coffee roaster significantly reduces batch count. It is stronger when the business has repeat wholesale products, limited production days or an operator whose time must cover packaging and quality control as well as roasting.

15 kg class

A 15 kg commercial roaster provides more capacity headroom. It is usually justified by confirmed growth, larger repeated batches or a plan to move beyond 100 kg per week relatively soon.

4. Product mix can change the answer

A roastery producing one 70 kg espresso blend plus two regular single origins can use larger batches efficiently. A business selling fifteen coffees in small weekly quantities may need a smaller machine or a two-machine strategy even if total output is identical.

Build a batch schedule before choosing:

• list each coffee and expected weekly roasted quantity;
• convert each quantity into green-coffee input;
• compare each lot with the machine's practical charge range;
• identify partial batches and profile changeovers;
• reserve time for sample roasting and production quality control.

This schedule reveals whether a larger roaster will actually run near an efficient charge or spend much of the week underloaded.

5. Check the site before increasing capacity

Larger capacity affects more than floor area. Confirm fuel, voltage, exhaust, make-up air, cooling airflow, chaff handling, unloading access and service clearance. Review the installation requirements and ventilation guide before committing to a machine.

Production around 100 kg per week may also justify a destoner, improved green-bean handling, a dedicated packaging area and smoke or odor treatment. See the complete roastery equipment list.

6. Practical recommendation paths

Choose 6 kg when

• 100 kg is a current or near-term target;
• you can roast over two or more production days;
• the product range includes smaller lots;
• the site or investment plan favors a compact commercial system.

Choose 12 kg when

• 100 kg is stable weekly demand;
• wholesale products create repeatable larger batches;
• reducing operator hours has clear value;
• the site supports the larger utilities and exhaust requirement.

Choose 15 kg when

• the sales plan is moving beyond 100 kg per week;
• large production runs dominate the schedule;
• the business wants fewer roast days;
• supporting equipment and workflow are being built for growth.

If demand is uncertain, compare total project cost and labor rather than machine price alone. The commercial roaster cost guide explains the additional budget categories.

Frequently asked questions

What size coffee roaster do I need for 100 kg per week?

A 6 kg machine can be practical when production is spread across the week. A 12 kg or 15 kg machine reduces batch count when the business has stable larger production runs and an appropriate site.

How many batches does it take to roast 100 kg?

Calculate from required green input and normal charge size. In the illustrative table above, the result ranges from about 48 batches on a 3 kg class machine to about 10 batches on a 15 kg class machine.

Is a 6 kg roaster too small for wholesale?

Not necessarily. It can support growing wholesale production, but the decision depends on weekly volume, roast days, number of coffees and operator hours.

Should I choose 12 kg or 15 kg?

Choose from the actual batch schedule. A 12 kg machine may provide enough efficiency at 100 kg per week, while a 15 kg machine is easier to justify when larger orders and near-term growth are already visible.