Jennifer Lopez

I think the problem with cookie businesses is that they’re often more fun than profitable. If you’re interested in turning it into a money-making business, I’d recommend skipping the markets and trying to focus on direct deliveries of batch orders. And if you do some markets, consider them an advertising expense and then you can’t be…[Read more]

Yes, you would need to get your kitchen inspected: http://forrager.com/law/north-carolina/

This question has come up a couple times:
http://forrager.com/groups/laws/forum/topic/total-number-of-cfos-nationwide/
http://forrager.com/groups/laws/forum/topic/licensed-kitchens-in-us/

Honestly, I still don’t think it would be possible to even generally ballpark the number. The correct answer is probably “more than you think”. If you include…[Read more]

Generally speaking, for Texas, if it’s not on the allowed list (as specified in the law), then it’s probably not allowed at all. You can check with the health dept about items that aren’t on the allowed list, but they’ll probably say that you need to produce them in a commercial kitchen.

I recently came across this, which should give you a pretty good idea for what’s required: https://ag.tennessee.edu/foodscience/Documents/Getting%20Started%20in%20a%20Food%20Manufacturing%20Business%20in%20Tennessee.pdf

Lindsay, the law isn’t really clear about that, and that’s why I hadn’t specified it on the site. My guess is that the intent of the law is not to allow online sales.

I just re-researched both the home-based exemption and the domestic kitchen law, so those now have quite a bit more information. I’m now confident that you can sell online if you’re…[Read more]

Usually you have to talk to the health dept about getting licensed. There is a lot of paperwork and plans you need to fill out to start a commercial food business, and there may be some training required as well. The letter of the law typically states that food cannot be stored at home, but I know that health depts are lenient about that sometimes.

You cannot sell homemade soup in stores. You need to produce the soup in a commercial kitchen. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial

You cannot sell homemade soup in stores. You need to produce the soup in a commercial kitchen. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial

To add to what Chad wrote:
1. Many allow you to email it, though some require snail mail or hand delivery. Only a few have an online form submission.
3. It does not count as getting zoning approval… that approval will likely be a prerequisite to completing your health dept application.
4. It greatly varies by county. This might help.
5. My…[Read more]