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Cottage Food Overview

A cottage food business is a small business, netting under $50k per year, that uses a home kitchen to prepare foods intended for sale outside of the home. Cottage food is prepared food that is perceived to be low-risk for food-related injury or illness. As a low-risk product, cottage food can be prepared in a home environment without some of the controls used for a traditional ready-to-eat food such as those foods sold in a restaurant or grocery store.

A cottage food business startup requires applying and registering with the state government, with approval from the New Haven Zoning Department. You will need to fill out the state application, obtain approval by the State Consumer Protection Department, and obtain written approval by New Haven City Plan (zoning) to engage in cottage food production and sales. Cottage Food Operations are under direct supervision of the State of Connecticut Government. The City of New Haven is only involved in approving your location as fit to produce. Use this Connecticut Cottage Food Business Guide for FAQs and more in-depth information on Cottage Food Operations in Connecticut.

Application Process

• New Haven Zoning: Request a Verification of Compliance by the New Haven Zoning Department. This application can be found here.
• Food Safety Training: You must complete a food safety training program by a state-recognized provider. A copy of your certificate of completion must be provided with your cottage food business application.
• Water Testing: You must have your water tested for coliform bacteria and nitrates by a state-recognized environmental lab if you are using private well water. A list of these facilities can be found here. If you are connected to city water, you must provide a copy of your most recent bill with your application.
• Develop Menu: You must indicate the kind of food products you will be producing in your cottage food operation on your application. If you are interested in producing a food that includes prohibited ingredients, you can file a New Food Application.
• Apply! After completing the prior steps, you are ready to fill out and submit your CT State Cottage Food Application. Good luck!
• Cost: There is a non-refundable State application fee of $50. There is a non-refundable New Haven Zoning fee of $100.

The Details

Your workspace

• Only the person licensed to produce cottage foods, or someone assisting directly under the licensed person’s supervision, can produce your cottage food creations for sale.
• Preparation, packaging, and handling of cottage food products must be in a separate space from other activities in your house. For example, you cannot be folding laundry at your kitchen table while simultaneously creating your cottage food masterpieces!
  
• No pets or children under the age of 12 are can be in the kitchen during preparation, packaging, or handling of your cottage food products.
  
• Make sure to keep a clean workspace! You must wash, rinse, and sanitize all contact surfaces, equipment and utensils before use. The workspace must be also be free of unwanted house guests (rodents and insects).
  
• Make sure to use sanitary precautions! You must wash your hands, not be sick, and avoid touching food products with your bare hands by using single-use gloves, tongs, or other utensils.
  

Your product labels

Your cottage food creations must have the following information printed on the labels in English:

• Name and physical address of cottage food operation (no P.O. boxes).
• Common name of the food product (i.e. jam, bread, cake).
  
• Ingredients listed in order from the ingredient with the greatest weight or volume to the ingredient with the least weight or volume.
  
• Allergen information.
  
• This statement: Made in a Cottage Food Operation that is not Subject to Routine Government Food Safety Inspection.
  

Where to sell:

• Your cottage food products must be sold directly to the consumer (not through wholesaler, retailer, school, or any other facility).
• You can only sell what you are licensed to sell. If you decide to add cottage food products into your existing operation, you have to check in with the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection first, and you will have to fill out a new application.
  
• You cannot sell directly out of your home cottage food operation itself, per City of New Haven zoning law.
• You can sell through farmers' markets, local fairs and festivals, and charitable organizational functions, or online, as long as the transaction is made in-person.
  
• You have to make less than $25k per calendar year in cottage food sales.
  

Inspections

The Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection may inspect your cottage food operation at any time. They can request documentation to verify that you make less than $50k annually from your cottage food sales and/or documentation to verify where you are selling your products. Remember that you cannot sell your cottage food products by wholesale or to retail shops.