The First Step in Your Food Business Journey
Cottage food laws let you make and sell food products from your home kitchen. No commercial kitchen required. Learn how to get started, what you can make, and where to sell.
An FDA-registered, NASC-certified pet-care manufacturing and co-packing operation — ten product categories on flexible lines, out of North Texas.
Operated by ChemFolks, a Compana Pet Brands company
Four generations of consumer product industry experience.
The Basics
A cottage food license is a permit from your state or local government that allows you to produce and sell certain low-risk food products from your home kitchen — without needing a commercial facility.
Every state has different rules. Some are generous, some are restrictive. But in almost every state, there's a pathway to legally selling food you make at home. This is where food businesses begin.
The Alliance Framework
Every food business starts somewhere. Cottage Foods is where the journey begins — Step One of the INNOVATE phase.
Phase One
Cottage Foods is where it all begins. Your home kitchen is your first production facility. Make your first products, sell to real customers, and validate your idea — all with minimal risk and investment.
Phase Two
When your home kitchen can't keep up with demand, it's time to scale. Move to commercial kitchens, find a co-packer, and build the infrastructure to manufacture at volume.
Phase Three
Your product is manufactured and ready. Now get it on shelves through the Conzumables retail network — grocery, convenience, mass retail, club stores, and beyond.
Common Categories
Cottage food laws typically cover low-risk, shelf-stable products. These are the most popular categories.
Cookies, cakes, breads, muffins, pies, brownies, and pastries made fresh from your home kitchen.
High-acid fruit jams, jellies, fruit butters, and chutneys. One of the safest categories for cottage food.
Fudge, caramels, brittles, toffees, chocolate-covered treats, and artisan candy bars.
Granola blends, trail mixes, granola bars, and custom cereal mixes — huge demand at farmers markets.
Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, and specialty spreads. Check your state laws for specifics.
Dried herbs, seasoning blends, rubs, and spice mixes. Low-risk and popular with home cooks.
Raw honey, flavored honeys, and bee products. Many states have special exemptions for honey producers.
Pancake mixes, soup mixes, cookie kits, popcorn seasonings, and other shelf-stable dry products.
Selling Channels
America has over 9,000 farmers markets and 8,600 farm stands. Cottage food sellers have more options than ever.
The most popular venue for cottage food. Direct connection with customers who value local, artisan products.
Roadside farm stands and local farm stores often welcome cottage food producers to fill out their offerings.
Food festivals, street fairs, holiday markets, and community events are perfect for cottage food sellers.
Artisan and craft fairs love local food makers. Your products complement other handmade goods perfectly.
Some states permit online sales and delivery. Check your state laws — direct-to-consumer is a growing channel.
Local gift shops, boutiques, and specialty food stores often carry cottage food products on consignment.
Find Markets Near You
ProduceStands.org tracks farmers markets and farm stands across all 50 states. Find markets in your area to start selling.
Explore ProduceStands.org →When You're Ready to Grow
When you outgrow your home kitchen, the Contract Manufacturing Alliance has every resource you need. You're not alone — the Alliance supports food entrepreneurs at every stage.
commercialkitchens.org
Licensed shared kitchen spaces for your first real production runs.
foodinnovationcenters.org
R&D facilities with food scientists, nutritional analysis, and shelf-life studies.
pilotplants.org
Pre-commercial production testing to bridge innovation and scale.
co-packing.org
Outsourced manufacturing at commercial scale. You own the brand, they own the equipment.
When You're Ready
When your home kitchen can't keep up, find a commercial kitchen near you. Over 3,000 facilities across the country.
Search Commercial Kitchens →Our Foundation
CottageFoods.us is part of the Contract Manufacturing Alliance — founded by theContract Packaging Association (est. 1992) and theCo-Packing Network (100+ year heritage).
The Alliance supports food and beverage brands at every stage of their journey, from first batch in a home kitchen to national retail distribution. Cottage Foods is the very first step.
Learn About the AllianceEntrepreneur TV
Real stories from food entrepreneurs who started in their home kitchens and built lasting businesses.
Your home kitchen is your first production facility. Let's get you set up with a cottage food license and selling at your first farmers market.
