How to start a home-based food business in North Carolina

Do you need a license to sell food from home in North Carolina?

Yes, you do need a license to sell food from home in NC. Specifically, what you need is a NC Home Processing license issued through the North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA). We’ll walk you through how to get it in this article. 

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

You can start a home-based business in NC in many different ways, but most people follow a series of steps. 

Here are the steps:

1. Figure out what kind of food you want to sell. This will be helpful when you label your foods later, as well as making sure that your products are allowed to be sold in NC. You can sell low-risk foods that don’t require freezing or refrigeration, including:             

   1. Baked goods that do not require refrigeration
   1. Jams, jellies, and preserves
   1. Candies
   1. Dried mixes/Spices
   1. Some liquids (i.e. ice tea, coffee, lemonade, etc.)
   1. Some sauces (i.e. balsamic dressing, etc.)
   1. Acid and acidified foods (i.e. pickles, BBQ sauce, etc.)
   1. Freeze dried fruits/vegetables

You CANNOT sell high-risk foods that do require freezing or refrigeration, including: 

1. Refrigerated or frozen products
2. Low-acid canned foods (i.e. jarred fruits, vegetables, etc.)
3. Dairy Products
4. Seafood products
5. Bottled water/Juice Products
6. Bakery products with cream or cream cheese fillings; cheesecakes

2. Make sure your home meets the health and safety standards. If you have a pet that enters your home at any time, you cannot produce foods in your home kitchen. You’ll also need to make sure your kitchen can be easily cleaned, and provide your water bill (or a water test if your water source is private) to prove it’s clean. 

3. Label your food properly. You’ll be legally required to label your foods properly, including:             

   1. Product name
   1. Manufacturers name and address 
   1. Net weight of the product in ounces/pounds and the gram weight equivalent 
   1. Complete list of ingredients in order of predominance by weight

If your food has any allergens, like Milk, Egg, Tree Nuts (specific kind of nut), Wheat, Soy, Peanuts, Sesame Seeds, Fish (specific species of fish), and Shellfish, you will have to specify that your products contain it too. 

4. Apply for a license and prepare for an inspection. The application can be found here.
5. Sell your food in-person at events or online. Once you get your license, you can choose to sell either in-person at events like farmers’ markets and food fairs, or online with an e-commerce tool like FormPay. More information about farmers’ markets in NC can be found here.
6. Promote your business. The final step would be to let everyone know about your business. You can start by telling your friends and family, then reach more people through social media. You can also check out this article for more tips on how to promote your business. 

How to sell food online in NC 

Once you have a home processing license, you can choose to sell your food to customers directly online. Many independent food businesses like G Sweets and Uncle Tim’s Delicacies will use an e-commerce tool like FormPay to streamline transactions and make it more convenient for both themselves and customers. 

Do I need a permit to sell ice cream in NC?

Unfortunately, since you can only sell “low-risk” foods in NC, you cannot sell ice cream in NC as it requires refrigeration, even if you have a Home Processing license. 

Do you need a permit to sell lemonade in NC?

Fortunately, lemonade counts as a “low-risk” food in NC, so once you have a home processing license, you’re free to sell it. 

Summary

Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to sell homemade food in NC. There is a lot of information available on how you can get your license, and once you are approved, you can either sell your food in-person, or set up an online store with a service like FormPay and sell directly to people. 

Resources

Starting a Food Business | NC Agriculture

FDPD - Food Program - Home Processor | NC Agriculture

Application for Home Processor Inspection