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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.

Selling Where can you sell homemade food products?

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.

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Allowed Foods What food products can you sell from home?

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?

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?

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 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.

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”.

Resources Where can you find more information about this law?

Department
Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services
Contacts
Department
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Email
info@health.mo.gov
Telephone
573-751-6095
Fax
573-526-7377
Address
PO Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102

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Starting a cottage food business?

TAKE THE FREE MINI COURSE

How To Start A Cottage Food Business

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