What It Takes to Start a New Food Business
This lesson is an article published by N.C. Cooperative Extension, Buncombe County.
Read the articleWhat you'll get
A Buncombe County Extension agent explains that your first question is whether your product can legally be made in a home kitchen or needs a commercial one, and that either the state agriculture department's food program or your county environmental health office will decide, based on whether it is shelf stable, ready to eat or refrigerated and how risky it is. She also notes that commercial kitchens in her area can be a drive away, so read this before you spend on ingredients or packaging.
Do this week
Write down your product's name, whether it needs refrigeration and whether it is eaten as is, then call or email your county Extension office or the NCDA&CS food program and ask whether it can be made at home.