Missouri Individual Stands Can you legally sell food from home in Missouri?

Cottage Food Law

This state's cottage food law is restricted, so it is not available to everyone!

Missouri has two different laws that allow homemade food sales, which combine to create an overall decent cottage food law. Producers can use both laws, if they’d like.

Unfortunately this law is not available to everyone in the state. It only applies “where local codes allow”, and some counties have chosen not to allow sales of homemade food under this law.

If a county does not allow this law, then the only option is to use Missouri’s other law, which allows producers to sell baked goods, jams, jellies, & herbs from home and online.

For those that can use it, this law allows producers to sell most nonperishable foods at “individual stands” (events and roadside stands), with very few restrictions.

There is no sales limit, and producers don’t need to get a permit from the health department or take a training course.

Table of Contents

Selling Allowed Foods Limitations Labeling Resources Forum

Selling Where can you sell homemade food products?

Allowed Venues

Events Farmers markets Roadside stands

Prohibited Venues

Home Online Restaurants Retail stores

Prohibited Services

Catering Delivery Home Pickup Mail order Wholesale

This law only applies to you if you are selling in-person at an “individual stand”.

You can sell some types of food from home or online by using Missouri’s other cottage food law.

If you are selling or sampling food items that are not individually labeled (for example, selling out of a bulk bin, or offering samples), you must put a clearly visible placard at your sales booth that states that the products were prepared in a kitchen that is not inspected by the health department.

Allowed Foods What food products can you sell from home?

Bread

Bagels Breads Brownies Cake pops Cakes Cookies Cupcakes Donuts Macarons Muffins & Biscuits Pizzelles Rolls Scones Sweet breads Tortillas Wedding cakes

Candy

Brittles Buttercream frosting Candies Chocolate Cotton candy Fudge Truffles

Condiments

Honey Nut butters Oils Syrups Vinegars

Dry goods

Cereals Coffee beans Herbs Mixes Pasta noodles Spices & Seasonings Tea leaves

Other

Carbonated drinks

Pastries

Churros Cones Danish Empanadas & Tamales Other Pastries Pies

Preserves

Fruit butters Jams & jellies Marmalades

Snacks

Candied apples Caramel corn Chocolate-covered fruit Chocolate-covered items Crackers & Pretzels Fruit leathers Granola Kettle corn Marshmallows Nuts & seeds Popcorn Vegetable chips

Prohibited Foods

Perishable baked goods Acidified foods Low-acid canned foods Pickles Salsas Sauces Ketchup Mustards Meat jerkies

There are probably more prohibited foods, but the ones above have been confirmed

If you sell baked goods, jams, jellies, or herbs, you can use Missouri’s other cottage food law to sell at other venues.

Only "non-potentially hazardous" foods are allowed, but certain non-PHFs may not be allowed. Most foods that don't need to be refrigerated (foods without meat, cheese, etc.) are considered non-potentially hazardous. Learn more

Limitations How will your home food business be restricted?

Limitations

County restrictions Direct sales only Employees restricted Interstate sales prohibited

There may be more limitations, but the ones above have been confirmed

There is no sales limit

Only you, or an immediate family member living with you, can prepare food products.

Labeling How do you label cottage food products?

Label Requirements

Business address Business name Ingredients Net amount Product name Statement

Sample Label

Chocolate Chip Cookies

The label must state that the product was prepared in a kitchen that is not inspected by the health department

Forrager Cookie Company

123 Chewy Way, Cookietown, MO 73531

Ingredients: enriched flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), butter (cream, salt), semi-sweet chocolate (sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, milkfat, soy lecithin, natural flavors), brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract (vanilla bean extract, alcohol, sugar), baking soda, salt (salt, calcium silicate)

NET WT 2 lb 4 oz (1.02 kg)

If you are selling honey, it’s recommended that honey you include this statement to your product label: “Honey is not recommended for infants less than twelve (12) months of age”.