Are home bakeries legal in Florida?
BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL OVER 1,000 FREE VIDEOS!
Marketing Food Online participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Our Blogs are for informational purposes only seek legal advice if needed.
Are home bakeries legal in Florida?
I live in Florida; is it legal for me to operate a bakery out of my home?
Putting together a cake in a rustic kitchen: the ingredients for the dough recipe are spread out on wood.
Are home bakeries legal in Florida?
In the state of Florida, "cottage food enterprises" can be run by home bakeries with annual sales of less than $50,000 if they meet certain criteria. Products that could potentially make customers ill, such as those that have to be stored at a particular time or temperature, are not allowed to be sold by cottage food companies. Therefore, they are unable to sell any baked goods like cheesecakes or other desserts that require to be stored in the refrigerator.
In Florida, what options do small enterprises that deal in food sales have?
You are only permitted to sell foods under the label "cottage food products" if they have been kept on the premises of the cottage food enterprise. Both the raw materials and the final goods have to be stored in a single-family home, which is also the location where the goods are manufactured.
This includes a kitchen, a spare room, or a basement that does not have any vermin, water, or other conditions that are unhealthy for human habitation.
Only food that is pre-packaged, labeled in English, and contains the required information may be sold by enterprises that specialize in the preparation of cottage foods. The information that is required includes the name and address of the cottage food operation, the name of the cottage food product, a list of the ingredients in weight order from most important to least important, the net weight or volume of the cottage food product, information about allergens as required by federal law, and any applicable nutritional information.
""Produced in a home kitchen, which is exempt from the state of Florida's regulations for food safety." This needs to be written in a font size of at least ten points.
Are home bakeries legal in Florida?
In the state of Florida, are licenses required for enterprises that prepare food in their homes?
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is not required to provide licenses or permits to cottage food enterprises in the state of Florida, and there is no state agency that inspects these businesses.
The FDACS does, however, have the authority to submit a written request to any individual who operates a cottage food business, requesting documented evidence of the company's yearly gross sales.
In the event that complaints are lodged alleging that individuals are not adhering to the Florida Cottage Food Laws, FDACS has the authority to investigate any potential violations of state law that may have occurred. Cottage food enterprises are not exempt from any tax legislation, rule, or regulation at the state or federal level; in addition, they are required to comply with all laws enacted by the county and the city in which they operate.
On their websites, cottage food companies are permitted to post their products for sale, make them available for sale, and accept payments for those products, but their products cannot be mailed to customers who place mail order purchases. Products supplied by a cottage food business must either be delivered directly to the consumer or sold directly to the customer and then delivered to the customer's private event site. It is against the law to sell big quantities of cottage food items.
Are home bakeries legal in Florida?
What are my options if I want to sell food in Florida that has to be maintained at a specific temperature?
In the state of Florida, you are required to operate out of a commercial kitchen or commissary in order to sell food that must be maintained at a specific temperature. Commercial kitchens and commissaries are the types of facilities that allow those who provide food service to obtain licenses that allow them to cook and store food. A private residence is not and cannot serve as a commercial kitchen or supply room for any purpose.
Are home bakeries legal in Florida?
It's possible that more than one individual will be permitted to utilize a shared commercial kitchen or commissary at the same time. This is because some commercial kitchens and commissaries are considered "shared space." To begin with, you will need to obtain a permit from the FDACS if you wish to create your own commercial kitchen. Other licenses or permits may also be required. You can submit this form to the agency by filling it out on their website and sending it in.