Our Story
About CottageFoods.us
Part of the Contract Manufacturing Alliance — connecting home kitchen food entrepreneurs to the resources they need at every stage of growth.
Our Mission
Help New Food Entrepreneurs Start
CottageFoods.us exists to help new food industry entrepreneurs understand how they can legally start making their food, beverage, and snack products in their home kitchen — and begin selling them to real customers with minimal risk.
We believe that every great food brand starts with a person, a recipe, and a dream. Cottage food laws make it possible to take that dream to market without the overhead of a commercial facility.
When you're ready to grow beyond your home kitchen, the full Contract Manufacturing Alliance ecosystem is there to support you — from commercial kitchens to co-packers to national retail launch.
The Foundation
Our History
A Family Legacy in Food
From humble beginnings in the 1920s to a national Alliance supporting thousands of food brands today.
Family Heritage Begins
The founding families behind the Co-Packing Network begin their involvement in food production and distribution across America.
Contract Packaging Association Founded
The CPA is established as the first professional trade association for the co-packing and contract manufacturing industry.
Network Expansion
The Co-Packing Network grows to connect hundreds of manufacturers, packers, and food brands across every major category.
Alliance Takes Shape
The Contract Manufacturing Alliance begins forming — a unified framework to support brands from their first idea to national retail.
Cottage Foods Joins the Alliance
CottageFoods.us launches as the entry point of the Alliance — recognizing that every great food brand started in someone's home kitchen.
The Full Ecosystem
8 Arms covering every stage: from cottage food licensing to commercial kitchens, co-packing, pilot plants, private labeling, and national retail launch.
Where We Are
Our Offices
Four regional offices supporting food entrepreneurs across the country.
The Full Ecosystem
The 8 Arms of the Alliance
From your first home kitchen batch to national retail — every stage is covered.
Cottage Foods
cottagefoods.us
Home kitchen production — the first step for every food entrepreneur.
Commercial Kitchens
commercialkitchens.org
Licensed shared-use kitchens for your first production runs.
Food Innovation Centers
foodinnovationcenters.org
R&D facilities, food scientists, and shelf-life testing.
Pilot Plants
pilotplants.org
Pre-commercial scale production to validate your process.
Co-Packing
co-packing.org
Outsourced manufacturing at commercial scale.
Private Labeling
privatelabeling.org
White-label manufacturing for retailer and store brands.
Inventions
inventionguidance.org
Patent guidance and product development.
CPG Own Facilities
cpgmfg.org
For brands building or optimizing their own plant.