Ohio Can you legally sell food from home in Ohio?

Cottage Food Law

Ohio’s cottage food law does not require any licensing from the ag department, and there is no sales limit, but the law limits producers in other ways. Rather than allowing all direct sales, operations can only sell their items at specific types of venues, which does include a couple indirect (wholesale) channels, like selling to a restaurant. Also, Ohio is very specific about what types of food an operation can make. After being expanded in 2009 and 2016, the allowed foods list is now fairly comprehensive.

Ohio also has a law for home bakeries that want to sell perishable baked goods, like cheesecakes and cream pies.

Table of Contents

Selling Allowed Foods Limitations Business Labeling Resources Forum

Selling Where can you sell homemade food products?

Allowed Venues

Events Farmers markets Home Online Restaurants Retail stores

Allowed Services

Delivery Home Pickup Mail order

The only “retail stores” that can sell your products are grocery stores and restaurants. Restaurants can use your products in their food items.

“Events” must be government-organized festivals or celebrations that do not last longer than seven consecutive days. You cannot sell your products at privately-sponsored events, like craft fairs or flea markets.

In addition to farmers markets, you can sell at farm markets and farm product auctions.

Interstate sales are not allowed, but shipping within the state is allowed.

Allowed Foods What food products can you sell from home?

Prohibited Foods

Perishable baked goods Dried fruit Dried vegetables Chocolate-covered fruit Pickles Fermented foods Salsas Sauces Ketchup Mustards Oils Vinegars Juices Meat jerkies

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

If you want to sell perishable baked goods, you can become a home bakery.

Doughnuts must be baked and unfilled.

Although you cannot dry your own fruits and vegetables, you can incorporate commercially-dried produce into items like soup mixes and granola.

Honey can be flavored, and at least 75% of the honey must come from your own hives.

The only syrups allowed are maple and sorghum syrup. Syrups cannot be sold in stores or restaurants, and at least 75% of the syrup must come from your own trees. You can also produce and sell maple sugar.

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

Commercial equipment prohibited Interstate sales prohibited

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

There is no sales limit

Your kitchen may only have one oven or double oven.

Business What do you need to do to sell food from home?

No license from the ag department is required, but there may be other local requirements, like a business license.

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

"This product is home produced." (10-point type)

Forrager Cookie Company

123 Chewy Way, Cookietown, OH 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 the business name is listed in a local telephone directory, the street address may be omitted or replaced with a PO box.

If a nutritional claim is made on the label, a nutrition facts panel must be included.

Labeling Info & Sample

Labeling Laws (ORC 3715.023)