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Maine

NEW LAW Since this page was last updated, Maine created a new food sovereignty law, which allows some municipalities to remove most restrictions on homemade food. You should check with local officials to see if there is an ordinance that enables this law in your area. Maine has had their “home food manufacturing” law in… [read more]

Cake Dreams

Better-than-the-bakery fresh plain or decorated cakes and cupcakes. Make completely from scratch – no mixes, canned frosting or purchased fondants. Fruit fillings are cooked from fresh or frozen fruit. Real butter, pasteurized egg whites and other quality ingredients. Decorated simply or simply beautifully for your special occasion Wedding cakes serving up to 75 people. Put… [read more]

Amy’s Bakery Delights

Currently my Cottage Business hasn’t started up yet,I am in school right now learning about gourmet baking and should be done by Sept 2016, Also I am working on designing my social page as well as my business webpage and menus and business cards. And then I will start working on my own recipes and… [read more]

DoorstepDiners

Coming soon to the Roanoke, VA Area! An online marketplace for local CFO’s and Home Food Producers to sell their meals! Check out our website, DoorstepDiners.com, for more information and sign up for our Monthly News Letter to stay up to date on our progress.

Interview with Rich Gould, Founder of the CFOAA

Rich Gould founded the Cottage Food Operators Association of America (CFOAA) in 2015, and it is the first non-profit trade association for the cottage food industry. I spoke with Rich about a number of topics, including his vision for the CFOAA and the industry.

Brigadeiro Bee

We make Brigadeiros: Irresistible Brazilian Fudge Truffles.

The Truth About Running A Business

Maybe you’ve read articles about entrepreneurs going from rags to riches overnight, but every business owner knows the real, unwritten story.

Iowa SF 2273

Increased sales limit to $35k; changed name from “home food establishments” to “home bakeries”

Do You Have An Email List?

If you are selling at a local market and are merely collecting money, then you are missing out! If you want to give your business a huge boost, try this.

The Price Is Wrong

Let’s say you’re thinking of selling your homemade goodies at a local market this summer. How will you set the price?

Why Cottage Food Laws Matter

I had a simple goal: sell my homemade chocolate fudge at the farmers market this summer. How complicated could it be? Turns out that if the government has anything to say about it, the answer is “very complicated”. My experience is just one simple example of why cottage food laws can make a huge difference in a community.

The New Cottage Food Rules

Wyoming has tested the waters of food freedom for a year. Are people using their food freedom law, and if so, is it negatively impacting the public health? Is this the future of the cottage food movement?

Lisa’s Creations

I am a mother and grandmother.  Happily married to my wonderful husband, Chuck.  We have custody of our grandson age 16 and our son age 15. We live on our ranch, 4D ranch, in Colorado Springs, CO.  We currently do not have any farm animals but have ordered some chicks for egg layers and meat… [read more]

Delaware 20 DE Reg. 176

Creates rules to allow cottage food establishments. Allows certain non-perishable baked goods, candy, jams, jellies, and other fruit preserves. Allows sales from home and at farmers markets, events, and roadside stands. Limits sales to $25,000 per year. Requires producers to get registered, get a kitchen inspection, and renew their registration annually.

The Most Important Ingredient In Your Business

Are you using the most important ingredient in your business? If you are using it, then you know how powerful it can be; and if you are not using it, then simply put, you are not leveraging your business’ most important asset!

How Many Products Should You Sell?

One mistake startups often make is offering customers too many choices. Initially this may seem backwards and unintuitive… wouldn’t you sell more if you had more to offer customers? Not necessarily.

Why Online Marketplaces Fail

It’s that time of year again: cottage food laws being introduced, home bakers starting CFOs, and some entrepreneurs launching their cottage food marketplaces. As I’ve written before, Forrager was initially intended to be a cottage food marketplace, but now we have abandoned that idea. However, on the face of it, the idea seems to be… [read more]

Forgot The Flour

I make delicious gluten free baked goods. I specialize in cakes and cookies, but I make breads and other gluten free treats. All of my products are corn free as well. I can usually make custom requests for any other allergies or diet restrictions (i.e. dairy free, sugar free, nut free, etc), just contact me… [read more]

Oregon Domestic Kitchen

Setting up a domestic kitchen is a relatively complex and expensive process, but they give producers a lot of freedom once they are setup. Those who want an easier setup and fewer requirements (but more restrictions) can use Oregon’s cottage food law, and those who grow the primary ingredient in their products may be able… [read more]

Jims Jams

I learned to make Jams and Jellies among other things From my Grandmother as a young boy,starting at about 8 yrs old. I have never bought jam or jelly in a store because I’ve always made it myself. And now at 52 I still make jam and jellies the same way Granny Lillie taught me… [read more]

Roll Your Way

Roll Your Way is a local bakery that provides top quality pastry rolls of multiple varieties.  These include cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, and chocolate, peanut butter & chocolate, and coffee sweet rolls among others.

Build For Sale, Not For Scale

I’m a dreamer. I can see my fudge business taking off… I can see it on store shelves, I can see huge batches being made, and I can see that I often get a little ahead of myself! With a new year comes renewed energy for our homemade food businesses. Maybe you’re looking forward to… [read more]

My Chai Supply LLC

My Chai Supply specializes in the production of instant chai powder. We focus on assisting active individuals who want the taste and benefits of chai yet do not have time to create their own recipe or order at the coffeeshop.

Alternative Bakery & Gifts

We are a gluten free (and sometimes dairy free) Bakery and Gift Shop. Our #1 goal is to not only make gluten free food taste good but make food that tastes SO GOOD that even those who are not gluten free enjoy it. All of our bakery is made fresh to order and delivered locally from… [read more]

Wildchild Remedies

After my youngest was born and my oldest started preschool, I noticed that we all seemed to be sick more. Illnesses happened more frequently and stayed around longer. It also seemed that we couldn’t stay healthy for long! As soon as one of us felt better, someone else started to feel badly. And around and… [read more]

Sweet N Treat Boutique

Sweet N Treat Boutique has many different products in their queue. Cookies, cupcakes, brownies, fudge, chocolates, jams/butters, and breads. We cater to all types of occasions, all you have to do is send us a message.

Whittier Coffee Roasters

Third-wave coffee is obsessed with taste and transparency. More than simply revealing the country of origin, customers are talking elevation, micro-lots, and artisan blends, while paying real respect to the farmers who grow and process the beans. Whittier Coffee Roasters is where third-wave coffee and our community come together as a force of nature. At… [read more]

Amitea Organics

In 2015 Amitea Organics pulled away from the main stream and began blending only organic versions of my teas and herbal blends. It is a reflection of my belief that life is too short to drink bad tea. Tea is a pause in the day, a moment in time, to be savored and enjoyed. While… [read more]

Squirrel Songs

Squirrel Songs is a cottage food operation specializing original recipe gourmet pralines, brittles and nut toffees. Praline fudge brownies, pecan chess cakes and chess bars are also baked fresh daily. Chess in this fashion is a cake topped with a cream cheese based icing, and is a delicious southern treat!

Sweet and Divine by Emmaline

About the Baker Emily has always loved baking. A defining moment was getting the blue ribbon in high school for her chocolate cake. Another was leaving the hubbub of family and friends to make her own wedding cake. She started baking professionally in 2011 and has learned a lot of lessons from the kitchen since then. Being… [read more]

Is A Cookie Business A Good Idea?

Store-bought cookies are pathetic and everyone raves about yours. Your friends keeps saying that you need to sell them, but are they right? Why do some food businesses succeed, and others fail?

Stop Worrying About Your Sales Limit

People often wonder if the cottage food laws are too limiting. Should they use it to start their homemade food business? Is it worth their time?

Blast From The Past Bakery

Located in Virginia Beach at the Oceanfront Boardwalk – a nifty 1950’s nostalgic warm bakery full of vintage recipes brought to delicious life available for pickup or delivery! ** UNDER CONSTRUCTION ** Not currently open to the public, but be excited, very excited!

Happy Kitchen

If you have been valiantly saying ‘no’ to all those treats you see at Whole Foods, the donuts in the break room, or cake on your birthday, then my friends, you are my heroes. Come with me as Life Just Got Sweet! Happy Kitchen purposes to provide an alternative to the sugar-laden, wheat flour based… [read more]

Heavenscent

I do homemade jams and jellies also homemade baked goods, mini pies, cookies bites, pie in a cup I do farmers market in the summer and crafts  show in the fall and winter months.

Sweet Cravings

My mission is to bring glory to God in all that I do while bringing you fresh, made to order sweet treats made from scratch.

Cottage Food Operator Self-assessment

Do you have what it takes to be a CFO, a cottage food operator? More than an idea, recipe or home kitchen filled with appliances, becoming a small food business owner will require a level of knowledge, skill and talent, each addressed below.

Status of the Cottage Food Industry

I recently received a few questions from Sid, a student at the University of Tampa who’s doing some research on the cottage food industry. The questions are high-level enough that I realized they’d make a good blog post, so I’m sharing my answers here.

CreativeSlav

I have just started my business. I wanted to do something creative. It started with me wanting to make a video of everyday cooking. But then the name I had in mind was taken. I then came up with CreativeSlav to speak to my ethnic background and to the fact that I like to dabble… [read more]

Why Health Departments Hate Cottage Food Laws

Cottage food operations often get frustrated by health departments, who can be slow, uncommunicative, and sometimes downright unfriendly. Do health departments really dislike the cottage food industry as much as people think they do?

The Baker’s Bug

I am a stay at home mom that loves to bake. Through the encouragement of my family and friends, in May I decided to go into business as The Baker’s Bug (named for my little Bug that likes to help me in the kitchen). I attended my first craft fair July 4th and am very… [read more]

Bella’s Desserts

Bella’s Desserts is an artisanal bakery located in Chester County, Pennsylvania since 2002. We offer sweet and buttery, vegan, gluten free, and dairy free cakes and desserts, not found in our area! Pennsylvania cake designer, Lauren Cortesi offers custom wedding cakes, special occasion cakes for birthdays, religious cakes for Bar or Bat Mitzvah’s, Baptism, 1st Communion,… [read more]

Hopeton Farm

Hopeton Farm – locally grown farm raised meats (processed in USDA facilities) We have chicken, lamb and beef available at most times. Other specialties are: Granola, Chocolate syrups, Dilly Pickled Beans, BBQ Sauce, Jams & Jellies, Home grown and made Tea’s, Vanilla, Farm Fresh Eggs (Chicken and Duck)

Hot Trends for a Cottage Food Operation

From Buy Local to Small Business Saturdays, from slow food to fancy food, from farm-to-fork to handmade artisan breads, more people than ever are demanding real food made by real people — not by machines in factories, the same way they make cars and computers.

Gracie’s Sweets & Treats

I have been baking from scratch since I was a small child. The day after Thanksgiving the holiday goodie baking began. Gracie’s Sweets and Treats is any & everything imaginable. That can be baked to satisfy the sweet tooth!

Etta Mae Gourmet

Etta Mae Gourmet is a home-based “craft jammery” specializing in artisan jams and preserves. The jams are prepared in small batches using locally sourced fruit. You can taste the difference! We can make personalized jams for your next wedding, party or event.  Our jams have won awards at the 2014 California State Fair, 2014 Orange… [read more]

Living Well Organics

I love sharing ideas of natural/holistic ways to promote self-care, self healing and wholefood cooking. Learning Holistic Self Care and healthy cooking will improve your life so much. I offer Holistic Whole food cooking Workshops. I make Gluten free goodies to sale at local events. I love upgrading traditional favorites to no sugar added, lower glycemic… [read more]

The Spice Whisperer

The Spice Whisperer makes custom spice rubs and seasoning blends for cooking.  Current blends available: Bitchin’ Beef Passionate Pig Bodacious Bird Seductive Seafood Sultry Citrus Sinfully Citrus

Eat the Spoon

Eat the Spoon is my homemade gift to the public where I incorporate my ohhh soooo good desserts with edible spoons! Future “end” goal is an eclectic coffee/bake shop! :)

SweetPots Mason Jar’d Desserts

SweetPots Mason Jar’d Desserts are unique, delectable & delicious desserts, with some of your favorite comfort confections. Flavors are: Honey Bourbon Carrot Cake, Red Velvet Vineyard, Neapolitan, The Black & White and Chocolate Bliss. They are served up in 4 (mini) & 8 (small) ounce Mason Jars. SweetPots Desserts are Dairy-Free, Egg-Free & Nut-Free. Why… [read more]

John’s Biscotti and Baked Goods

Come get your Italian cookie fix! We’re a cottage food operation (pending) operating out of Southern Nevada that specializes in biscotti and Italian cookies.

Food Freedom Is No Longer A Myth

Yes, food freedom is real. The term has become increasingly popular: you may have heard it around the dinner table, at farmers markets, or even at a food freedom fest. This catchphrase of locavore culture has become so common that, until recently, you may have thought it to be a real thing. Proponents of food… [read more]

Ballard Farms

Ballard Farms Eat Fresh-Buy Local Our Web Site is under construction and will be added soon. You can also find us on Facebook. Visit Ballaed Farms at the following Farmers Markets: Thursdays 11:00 am-3:00 pm Mockingbird Farmers Market on the Square Monroeville Alabama Saturdays 9:00 am-2:00 pm  Brewton Choo-Choo Farmers Market Next to the Bank… [read more]

Sammy Cakes

My name is Sammy, I have an associates degree in patisserie and baking from the Le Cordon Bleu. I have been making cakes since 2009 and I love what I do! All my work is done from home please feel free to visit my website for pictures of some of the work I have done… [read more]

Alameda Fruit Co.

Homemade preserves and marmalades using the seasonal produce grown on the island of Alameda, California.

PP&J’S Homemade Sweets

I SELL HOMEMADE PECAN CANDY,PECAN PRALINE,COCONUT PRALINES, T-COOKIES, POTATO PIES, COCONUT PIES, LEMON PIES, APPLE PIES, ALMOND MUFFINS, RUM MUFFINS, POPCORN BALLS, BROWNIES, CANDY APPLES,RICE KRISPY TREATS

Ela’s Sweet Treats

Licensed HOME BASED bakery specializing in custom, MADE TO ORDER treats delivered to your event location. Please call to discuss your event.  Everything is made to order close to your event date. We do not have stock on hand for daily sales. We make cupcake, cake pops, custom cookies and cakes. Cupcakes, cookies and cake… [read more]

Baked Good 2014

Established in 2014. Baked Good is a “Pop-Up Bakery” founded by Guillaume Boulard (baker, musician, producer, accountant and agriculturist) and Charity MacDonald (Producer, Director, Editor of Digital Media, Performance Installation Artist and owner of dddeyes.com). He is originally from Marseille, France but grew up in Paris and I am originally from Arizona but set other… [read more]

Feasibility Study: Testing the Market

While you may have a great-tasting product, you still have to test it in the marketplace. It’s one thing if everyone you know loves your muffins — especially, if they’re free. It’s something completely different to see if customers will buy them at two dollars a pop. This process of testing the market for your products is often called a feasibility study; it may take the following route:

Light and Healthy Desserts

Light and Healthy Desserts is a Cottage Food Operation Class A permitted artisanal bakery located in Irvine, Orange County, CA.  We follow the natural, fresh, whole-food, and clean-eating concept, allowing you to enjoy desserts guilt-free! Our gourmet healthy desserts are handcrafted in small batches using fresh, natural, wholesome, and premium-quality ingredients. We use fiber-rich whole… [read more]

Ohio Home Bakery

Although Ohio has a good cottage food law, it has another law which allows home bakers to sell perishable baked goods, like cheesecakes and cream pies. Home bakeries can also use the cottage food law to sell certain non-baked products, though those sales would need to adhere to that law’s stricter rules. Home bakeries must be… [read more]

Oregon Farm Direct

The Farm Direct Bill in Oregon is for processors that grow the primary ingredients of what they produce, and it allows them to bypass licensing and fee requirements. For instance, this law would work well for an individual that grows strawberries in their garden and wants to sell the strawberry jelly they make at home…. [read more]

JJ’s Old School Bakery

I make everything from scratch. My cakes are good but I’m not good at decorating. Cupcakes are easy to decorate. I make cakes, breads, cookies,  brownies, cinnamon rolls and muffins. I will try to make just about anything. I very picky about how things look and taste so you will get a quality product.

The Sweets by Thelisha, LLC

My name is Thelisha Thomas and this all started as a dream. From wanting to open a restaurant to not knowing how to pipe a letter on a cake. I started from home practicing on my counter top. I always knew how to bake, but I never knew how to decorate. I had a manager… [read more]

Rasayana Coffee

Path (Ayana) of Essence (Rasa) Rasayana is more than just a name, it is the purpose behind us roasting every batch of coffee. We carefully select the beans, roast each personal batch completely by hand using centuries old techniques and hand deliver them so, your order arrives perfectly fresh and utterly artisan By believing coffee beans should… [read more]

Nevada SB 441

Allows up to $35k/year of homemade acidified foods (e.g. pickles, salsas, etc) to be sold directly to consumers.

Simplelifebakery.com

Fresh, soft, moist and delicious cupcakes & cookies delivered right to your door, it doesn’t get any better than that!

A LA MALTAISE

À LA MALTAISE I was born and lived on the island of Malta until I married an American. The one thing I missed the most once I moved to the United States was the food I routinely had available to me growing up. Eventually I learned to duplicate these dishes in my own kitchen, and… [read more]

The Cake Pop Shop

Our little adventure began at a birthday party where these adorable little balls on a stick were being served. We had never had nor heard of cake pops before. But one bite changed our lives forever. After a lot of researching and learning how to make them ourselves we started getting requests from friends and family, and before we… [read more]

Texas HB 2600

Similar to HB 1926. Would have created a new category of home food business called a “home food processor.” Would not have changed the existing cottage food law. Would have allowed sales from any venue, including indirect sales. Would have permitted shipping within Texas. Would have expanded the list of allowed foods to include items… [read more]

Gifts Given From the Heart

Gifts Given From the Heart is a small independently owned business that found its humble beginnings in creating homemade Christmas gifts for family and friends since 2008. It was around that time I really began to discover my innate love for food and budding talent for cooking. Specialty gift concepts changed slightly from year to… [read more]

Virginia Home Food Processing Operation

Unlike almost every other state, Virginia allows people to operate very unrestricted food businesses out of their homes. Their food laws are very different than most states, written in such a way that there is not any distinction between a food business that uses a commercial kitchen versus a home kitchen. Instead, the distinction is provided by… [read more]

Raleigh Street Bakery

Raleigh Street Bakery is a CFO that specializes in naturally leavened artisan bread. I sell at farmers markets and have a Community Supported Bakery (CSB) program I have developed. I am eager to provide bread for my neighbors and the surrounding community.

Hello Sweetie Pies

Hello Sweetie Pies are made to order in a Cottage Food Operator permitted home kitchen and can be picked up or delivered only in Los Angeles and surrounding areas.Please contact us directly for custom baked goods. Our pies and other baked goods make the perfect addition to a dessert bar at your next wedding, shower,… [read more]

La Citadelle

I love to bake but unfortunately I don’t have a bakery yet.  I would like to start small and save enough to open my bakery in Maryland. Haitian puff patties are unique.  They are very aromatic and they make a nice start to any party or meal. Ingredients include egg.

The Sizzlin Spoon, Inc

Herb infused specialty vinegar and dressings, homemade syrups, pies, cakes, breads, baked goods.

Pies On Demand

Welcome to Pies On Demand! Your home for delicious home-baked 9 inch pies and pie pops in Port Saint Lucie Florida!  All pies are made to order. Each pie is$23.50 plus a delivery charge of $3.00and delivered right to your door.  Email [email protected] or call (772) 285-0549 to place your order. *Now offering delicious custom made thumbprint cookies too! Icing can… [read more]

Bouquet Chocolates and Confections

Bouquet Chocolates and Confections www.bouquetchocolates.com We are dedicated chocolatiers making a one of a kind floral petit fours. The product is patent pending status with the USPTO as of 1/5/2015. The chocolate floral petit fours are customized by the customer, so the customer controls the flavors, fillings, design and presentation. Truly a decadent treat for… [read more]

East Bay Cakes

Custom and Specialty Cakes, By Order Only Cupcakes, Truffles, CakePops, Push Up Cake Pops, Cookies, Puddings,Tea Parties & Dessert Bars Fun and fanciful cakes, where flavor, texture and decadent yumminess reign supreme! East Bay Cakes bakes custom one-of-a-kind cakes just for you and for all occasions, such as Birthdays, Weddings, Quinceanera, Anniversaries, Graduations, Baby Showers and… [read more]

Found Penny Farm

WELCOME to the Found Penny Farm Home made White bread, Whole Wheat and Sprouted Grain loaves made with fresh, home ground wheat for the freshest, most wholesome ingredients.  Never any chemical preservatives, no “mixes” or short cuts. 100% Organic Whole Wheat, milled fresh the day of baking, gives each whole wheat loaf more nutrition than… [read more]

Oats Any Time

I have never been interested in baking.  I have spent my entire professional career in the Travel & Hospitality Industry.  Leisure activities included anything that was outdoors and required physical activity.  I also love to cook, but I never liked to bake.  Not only because of how precise you have to be to bake, but because the end product wasn’t anything… [read more]

I Hella Heart Sugar

Kitchen science and gooey love got married and had delicious little home-made, oven fresh children. It’s called I Hella Heart Sugar. Let us take you back to the time when you came home after school and had a nice warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie while watching He-Man or She-Ra (if you watched both we won’t… [read more]

Virginia Food Freedom Campaign Makes National News

UPDATE: This initiative did not pass again, but hopefully they will try next year. Soon after it failed, Wyoming successfully passed the Wyoming Food Freedom Act, making them the first state to deregulate almost all direct sales of homemade food. Fox News just aired a segment with Bernadette Barber, who has been heading up the Virginia… [read more]