Where you produce your product will influence your licensing requirements.
During this stop, you might:
- Decide where you will produce your product.
- Find where and how you will source ingredients, equipment, and other supplies.
- Think about ways to use local ingredients.
And work with:
- Co-packers
- Shared commercial kitchens
- Food processing facilities
- Cottage food advocates and experts
- Wholesalers, suppliers, ingredient sources, local farms
On Farm and At Home
- Come & Get It: What You Need to Know to Serve Food on Your Farm (MISA)
- Cottage Food Producer Safety Training (UMN Extension)
- Local Food Fact Sheets (MISA)
- Minnesota Cottage Food Producer's Association
Shared Kitchen
- How to Find & Rent a Commercial Kitchen (video, Portland Mercado)
- Shared Kitchen Directory (MDA)
- Starting & Operating a Food Business Out of a Shared Kitchen (pdf)
Co-Packer
- Choosing and Using a Co-Packer (PDF, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville)
- Minnesota Co-Packer Directory (MDA)
- Co-Packer Directory (Specialty Food Association)
Local Food Procurement
Other
- Inspection Expectations (FDA, U.S. Food & Drug Administration)
- Good Manufacturing Practices (FDA)
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition Research Groups (UMN, University of Minnesota)
- Pilot Plant (Joseph J. Warthesen Food Processing Center, UMN)
Note: Resources listed do not constitute the MDA’s endorsement of a service, program, or organization. The MDA accepts no liability for the content of these resources.
