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Talk with others about the cottage food industry in Illinois
Illinois Commercial kitchen for cottage bakers
This topic contains 2 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by 
David Crabill 6 months, 2 weeks ago.
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The IDPH guide states that…
“Cottage food operations are home-based food businesses conducted by a person who produces food or drink, other than foods and drinks listed as prohibited by Illinois law, in a kitchen located in that person’s primary domestic residence or another appropriately designed kitchen on a farm.”
I understand that as a cottage baker I can only bake in MY home kitchen, but does that also mean that I CANNOT bake out of a commercial kitchen with the cottage food certificate and sell my products directly to my customers.
For example, I have a large corporate order of 1000 cookies. Can I legally use a commercial or shared kitchen to bake those cookies and then sell them directly to my customer under my cottage food business?
Can anyone please share WHERE in the law it states this? I would like to inform my groups with the correct information so these debates cease and everyone is aware of the actual law.
Thank you so much for you time,
I understand that as a cottage baker I can only bake in MY home kitchen, but does that also mean that I CANNOT bake out of a commercial kitchen with the cottage food certificate and sell my products directly to my customers.
That’s exactly what it means. There is an intentional limitation created by restricting volume to that which can be made in one’s own kitchen even though home kitchens are not all equal and people get really creative.
To sell goods from a commercial kitchen, you need a commercial license. You can’t make goods outside your home and sell them legally under a cottage license.
Melanie is correct. It is specified in the law under the CFO definition:
“Cottage food operation” means an operation conducted by a person who produces or packages food or drink… in a kitchen located in that person’s primary domestic residence or another appropriately designed and equipped kitchen on a farm for direct sale by the owner, a family member, or employee.
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