Tracy Mason

I don’t think any savory pies would be allowed. You cannot use meat or cheese in your items. If you make a savory pie that does not require refrigeration, it may be allowed. Otherwise, you need to prepare your pies in a commercial kitchen. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial

Yes, you can start any kind of food business if you use a commercial kitchen, but you’ll also need to get the necessary licenses to run your business, which can be complicated.

The cottage food law covers spices and seasonings, so yes, you can make those, and yes, you would be limited to less than $20,000 of sales. You need to get a sales tax certificate.

It’s worded in a confusing way, but basically, the bill language means that if you make “$20,000 or more”, then the cottage food law exemption no longer applies to…[Read more]

You do not need a license from the ag dept, though you might need a business license from your city, county, or state.

Because you are so specialized, you might want to consider moving your production into a commercial kitchen as soon as possible so that you can sell to other states.

My guess is that you won’t be able to do what you envision. If all you are doing is making pizza dough, baking it, and then selling baked pizza crusts (with nothing on them) for customers to pickup, then yes, I’d say this is possible. You can sell bread as a cottage food operation in MA. I’m not sure if you could use an outdoor oven to do that,…[Read more]

I think the only way you can sell homemade jams/jellies online and via retail stores is by getting a domestic kitchen license.

Most states do not allow hot sauces, but it depends on your state.

Although it may be common for New Yorkers to sell homemade food on Etsy, it is nevertheless illegal. Also, cordials wouldn’t be allowed under the cottage food law for in-person sales. You will need to use a commercial kitchen to produce the cordials. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial

No, you cannot sell there even though it’s your shop. You would need to produce the items under a commercial license to sell from your store. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial

I believe that you would need a commercial kitchen to sell either pizza or pasta. You can’t use the cottage food law. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial

It is possible that you can sell them at private events and make them in your home kitchen, but it entirely depends on what state you live in. Where do you live?

No, I haven’t heard anything.

I do not think that you can sell them, but you should double check with the ag dept. To sell them (at a roadside stand or elsewhere), I think you need to prepare them in a commercial kitchen. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial

I don’t know the laws about making cologne, but I know that they would be separate from the cottage food law. I recommend you contact the health dept about this.

I have heard that you can have a dog if you can prevent your pet from EVER accessing the kitchen area, as well as any area/path that will be used to transport food/supplies to the kitchen. You should discuss this with the ag dept.