Raechel T.

No — you will need to use a commercial kitchen to start your business. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial

First of all, keep in mind that Kentucky currently only allows farmers to sell items they make at home. If you are a farmer, I’m not sure if apple cider vinegar would be allowed, but you should call your ag dept to check.

If you’re not a farmer, you will need to use a commercial kitchen to produce your vinegar. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial

Over the past few years, I’ve seen many entrepreneurs try to establish an online marketplace for local foods — virtually all of them with limited or no success, myself included. So just by that fact alone, it’s clear that there are some serious barriers to entry in this space. I’m still trying to figure out exactly what those barriers are.

I…[Read more]

If you add the butter and then thoroughly bake the croutons, that would definitely be allowed. If you are adding the butter after baking, it would still likely be allowed, but you should check with the ag dept.

CO has said that anything that’s not in the list is not allowed. Therefore, I assume that you would need to use a commercial kitchen to produce popcorn. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial

It would probably be allowed under the cottage food law, but really, if your health inspector is okay with it with fewer requirements, then I’d say you’re good to go. They are the ones that regulate the laws, and their word about what’s allowed is final.

Jenn, usually the only way to find info about this is to call the govt dept directly.

Jay, I’m pretty sure that your equipment doesn’t need to follow commercial standards. You should call the ag dept to make sure.

I don’t think it’s different for CFOs. If you also use your kitchen for personal use, it can’t be deducted. I’m pretty sure about that, but not 100% sure. To learn more, you need to contact whatever tax authority there is in your area — the depts that govern this are different for each state, so I don’t know what yours is called.

Yes, you just report it on your quarterly estimated and yearly taxes.

How do they know if you go over? They probably won’t. But, once you go over, you’re no longer operating legally, so if you got sued, you wouldn’t have any legal ground to stand on. The laws are there to protect you — once you leave their umbrella, you’re no longer…[Read more]

Thanks so much for the info about that phone number now being invalid! I’ll remove it.

The list of requirements you’d need to go through sounds about right. For a tiny business, it’s not really worth it. The statement that most home food businesses don’t operate under the law also sounds right. And considering that you’re not willing to operate…[Read more]

Although direct sales only require a Class A registration, that assumes that the direct sales will not occur in a retail facility, from what I’ve gathered. I guess the first question you need to address is whether your store is allowed to sell food items? There are specific requirements of what and how a retail facility may sell food, and you’ll…[Read more]

For a business this unique, you really need to speak with the health dept directly. Although there’s no substitute for that, I will clarify that the cottage food law in CA only allows dry coffee beans, not prepared coffee as you’re suggesting. The cottage food law also only allows your products to be made in your home kitchen, and nowhere else.…[Read more]

The regular cottage food law, which only allows sales at farmers markets, probably is allowed in Cook County. The law for home kitchen operations, which allows sales from home, probably isn’t. I don’t know for sure, and you will need to call their health dept.

The $5,000 limit only pertains to those operating under the cottage food law (only making at home and selling at events/farmers markets). If you’re not using that law, then you need to get a commercial license and use a commercial kitchen, and you will need to go through the setup process with the health dept before you do any sales.…[Read more]

You will need to use a commercial kitchen to start your business. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial