How to start a home-based food business in Georgia

Can you make food at home and sell it in Georgia?

Yes, you can make homemade food and sell it in Georgia, but you would need a Cottage Food License first. We’ll go into more detail about how this works below, and the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) has more information on its site as well.  

How much does it cost to sell food from home in Georgia?

A cottage food license costs $100 and is renewed yearly, costing $100 as well every year. However, if you apply after July 30, your initial fee will be $50, and then it will be $100 after that first year. 

How to start a home-based food business in Georgia?

There are many ways you could start a home-based food business in Georgia, but most people follow certain steps. 

Here are the steps:

1. Figure out what kinds of food you want to sell. This will be helpful not only for your customers, but because you’ll be legally required to label your food in a certain way. 
2. Get food safety training. You’ll need to take a course on food safety training that is approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and include your certificate when you apply. A directory of approved programs can be found here. 
3. Apply for a Cottage Food License. With a license, you’ll be an official “cottage food vendor”, which means that you can sell certain types of foods as permitted by the license. We’ll go more into detail into what kinds of food you can or can’t sell below. 
4. Prepare for an inspection. The GDA will arrange for an inspector to visit your home, so it’s a good idea to make sure your home is clean and safe for both the inspection and for your business itself. If your water supply or septic system isn’t public, you may also want to contact your local health department to make sure they’re safe for food preparation. 
5. Label your foods properly. You’re required by law to label your products following certain requirements. More information from the GDA can be found here. You’ll need to include:
   1. Statement of Identity: What your product is, in easily understandable English. 
   2. Declaration of Quantity: The amount of food in your product, in both standard and metric units. 
   3. Ingredients Statement: The ingredients in your product, ordered from most to least weight in your food. 
   4. Allergen Declarations: 9 major allergens must be included alongside your ingredients if your food contains any of them. These are:
      1. Milk
      2. Eggs
      3. Fish
      4. Crustacean shellfish
      5. Tree nuts
      6. Wheat
      7. Peanuts
      8. Sesame
      9. Soybeans
   5. Production Code: You will need a production code containing the date you made the food.
   6. Declaration of Responsibility: This must include your physical address, which is just your home address if you are starting a home business. 
6. Sell your food online or at in-person events. Once you have your license, you can sell your food directly to customers, whether it’s online or offline. If you want to sell food directly from your home, you can always set up an online store using an e-commerce tool like FormPay. 
7. Promote your business. The final step is to make sure everyone knows about your business. You can start small through word of mouth and tell your family and friends, then expand your audience through social media. For more tips on how to promote your business, you can check out this article. 

What kinds of homemade food can you sell in Georgia?

As a cottage food vendor, you’re allowed to sell non-hazardous foods, which means foods that won’t go bad from factors of time and temperature. 

Foods you CAN sell include: 

• Loaf Breads, Rolls, and Biscuits
• Cakes
• Pastries and Cookies

• Candies and Confections

• Fruit Pies

• Jams, Jellies, and Preserves

• Dried Fruits

• Dry Herbs, Seasonings and Mixtures

• Cereals, Trail Mixes, and Granola

• Coated or Uncoated Nuts

• Vinegar and Flavored Vinegar

• Popcorn, Popcorn Balls, and Cotton Candy

Foods you CAN’T sell include: 

• Meat (beef, pork, lamb)
• Poultry (chicken, turkey, duck)
• Fish
• Shellfish and crustaceans
• Eggs
• Milk and dairy products
• Cooked, plant-based foods (e.g., cooked rice, beans, or vegetables)
• Baked potatoes
• Certain synthetic ingredients
• Mushrooms
• Raw sprouts
• Tofu and soy-protein foods
• Untreated garlic and oil mixtures

How to sell food online in Georgia?

After you’ve gotten your license, you can sell your food online, although you can only sell to people currently in Georgia. You can use a tool like FormPay to easily create an online shop – many independent food businesses in North America, like G Sweets and Uncle Tim’s Delicacies, use services like FormPay to speed up sales and transactions for both themselves and their customers. 

Summary

Luckily, it’s pretty easy to sell homemade food in Georgia. Once you’ve gotten your license, you can sell your food in any way you like, whether in-person or online with an e-commerce tool like FormPay. 

Resources

Cottage Food | Georgia Department of Agriculture

Cottage Food Licenses | Georgia Department of Agriculture

Food Labeling Requirements | Georgia Department of Agriculture

Certificate Accreditation Program (Accredited)