Cottage Food Law and How to Sell Homemade Food Online

If cooking or baking is your passion, you may have considered learning how to start a small food business at home to sell homemade food online. Whether you want to sell and deliver your delicious donuts to customers in another county in your state or have the dream of starting a subscription service delivering your homemade monthly jellies and jams all over the world – there are some important things you need to know about how to sell food online and how to start an online food business from your home.

While there may be might be some specific restrictions on what you can sell and a few general rules about how to get a license to sell food in your state so that you can sell food online, you may be surprised to find that it is easy to learn how to make money selling food from home via the internet.

Do You Need a License to Sell Baked Goods from Home? And Other Questions for Cottage Cooks and Food Artisans

Whether you are an independent chef, cottage cook, or talented food artisan, it is important to know the rules about how to sell homemade snacks online as well as other types of easy food to sell to make money online.

Rules vary depending on what state you reside in for selling food online, so it is imperative to check with your state’s authority for guidance to see if yours is one of the food operations that do not need permits. Your local health department as well as the Department of Agriculture are great resources.

Here are some general rules and regulations that apply to those who are interested in how to start a small food business at home selling your delicious products online.

How to Start a Small Food Business at Home

• General Cottage Food Laws to Sell Homemade Food Online - A valid business license is required in the state where you reside, and you must receive proper zoning approval and all government required permits. In addition, you must complete and pass a health department inspection as required by local and state authorities and maintain a professional kitchen that follows all health department guidelines for food and preparation areas. Inspired entrepreneurs can check with the local government authority for a detailed explanation of their requirements concerning how to start your online food business from home.

• Reliable Suppliers Are a Must - Once the legal tasks are handled, it’s time to get to the business of how to sell homemade food online. Finding dependable suppliers who want to partner with you is crucial. Resellers as well as those who make their goods will do well if they ensure suppliers are certified, have complimentary reviews from past clients, and have experience in the sourcing of food supplies. You may also consider a local warehouse store for your ingredients.

• Establish a Website - Since your food specialties will be sold via the internet, a website will be extremely helpful to help get your business noticed and start selling your goods. You can contact a website design company to have a website created or take advantage of new software technology that provides everything you need to launch your food-selling website that includes features like amazing themes, a collection of photo galleries to use, email subscription forms, and even social media links.

• Marketing Tips on How to Make Money Selling Food From Home - Effective marketing efforts to get the word out about your online business is crucial for success. Immediately create social media pages for your online food business and post about your offerings daily using optimal keywords and appropriate hashtags. Also, invite potential customers to sign up for your email newsletter to stay in the loop and don’t forget about offline marketing as well for your food products at local festivals and farmer’s markets to get the word out and let people see and taste your goods.

• Easy Food to Sell to Make Money - Thanks to the advanced software technology and easy access to the internet, today’s independent cottage cooks and food artisans are able to easily set up online stores to sell their homemade food products online. Popular online food sales range from homemade delicacies that include baked goods, confectioneries, and packaged mixes to homegrown ingredients, freshly prepared meals, and more. Here are some of the easiest foods and snack to make and sell from home to make money from your online cottage food business.

10 Easy and Profitable Foods for Cottage Cooks to Sell Online

• Cakes
• Energy Bites/Bars
• Chocolate Confections
• Seasoned Nuts
• Pies
• Popcorn
• Jams/Jellies/Preserves
• Brownies
• Cookies
• Muffins

Are You Ready to Learn More About How to Sell Homemade Food Online?

Whether you want to sell your famous homemade fudge, delicious donuts, or creamy chocolate confections, learning more about how to start an online food business from home is a sure way to earn money, become a successful cottage cook, and build a brand for your delicacies.