Grace Bandy

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…

[Read more]

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 m…[Read more]

Yes, you can sell popcorn, nuts, candy, and most nonperishable snack foods.

However, you can only produce from your primary residence. I believe the health dept would determine that a motel room’s kitchen — even one that you use for the majority of the year — would not qualify for cottage food production.

Assuming your pudding has dairy and/or eggs in it, no, it would not be allowed under IL’s cottage food law. You’d need to produce it in a commercial kitchen. See the notes below the allowed foods list: https://forrager.com/law/illinois/#food

There is still the $1k limit if your county allows home kitchen operations and you’re selling outside of a farmers market. But as you mentioned, the law is changing and this limit is going away in 2022. If it were me, I’d probably fly under the radar for the next couple of months instead of going through the time and expense of setting up a…[Read more]

Christine, this will not affect the sales cap on the HKO law.

This is a fantastic advancement to the cottage food law! Good work Rebecca and team. Hopefully the governor signs it soon.

Although this is a dramatic improvement to the current cottage food law, and it represents a breakthrough in a state that has consistently been stubborn, I don’t think this can be properly termed a food freedom initiative. I…[Read more]

The health dept could fine you, but I’m not sure if they will take immediate action. But once you go over the limit you are no longer operating as a home kitchen operation.

Here are some ideas for finding a commercial kitchen: http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial-kitchen

That sounds like great news! I read the article, and if I understand correctly, this will only change things for the Cottage Food Law. Will any of the changes affect the Home Kitchen Operation Law (cupcake law)? I would love to see the cap on gross receipts removed for that as well!