Missouri Can you legally sell food from home in Missouri?
Cottage Food Law
Missouri has two different laws that allow homemade food sales, which combine to create an overall good cottage food law. Producers can use both laws, if they’d like.
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.
Missouri’s other cottage food law allows producers to sell baked goods, jams, jellies, & herbs from home and online.
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.
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.
Limitations How will your home food business be restricted?
Only you, or an immediate family member living with you, can prepare food products.
Labeling How do you label cottage food products?
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 and Senior Services
- info@health.mo.gov
- Telephone
- 573-751-6095
- Fax
- 573-526-7377
- Address
- PO Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Comments
Michael
So if I’m reading this right, I can not use a commercial kitchen to make my jams to sell directly to a consumer. I must use my home kitchen, and as long as there is proper labeling on the end product, then I’m A-okay?
Jane
What exactly constitutes an online sale? Are google order forms, orders on FB, or via email allowable? What about payment via Paypal, Venmo, etc.? Are all of the above legal as long as the transfer of goods happens in person?
Lisa
Chocolate and Nuts can go bad and chocolate is something that should be climate controlled.
Michael Lococo
Can homemade Peanut Butter be sold?
Angel Washington
does this mean I cannot sell chocolate bread?