You have this great recipe for peanut brittle, bread or jam and you’ve always wondered if you could sell it. Well now you have the chance. California recently implemented its Cottage Food Bill (also known as Assembly Bill 1616) that allows you to make certain types of foods at home in your own kitchen and sell it to the public. And my shop, Artisan’s Palate now open in Temecula, is looking for great locally made items.
To sell your goodies to a store for resale, you will need a Class B permit under AB 1616, which allows you to sell as a wholesaler. You will have annual compliance inspections and any reseller you sell to must themselves be licensed from the Health Department, and must reside in the county where you make the food. By taking advantage of AB 1616, your upfront costs will be minimal since you are using your own kitchen, and you can make your creations on your own schedule.
There are restrictions to the types of food you can make. They must be “Non-Potentially Hazardous”. These are foods that do not need refrigeration and retain a certain PH level. So cheesecakes and tomato-based products, for example, are prohibited. Ingredients must also be from “approved sources”, meaning purchased in a grocery store or from a wholesale distributer. Many other rules apply so to get all the details visit http://www.rivcoeh.org/opencms/rivcoeh/Foods/Cottage_Food_Operations.html.
At Artisan’s Palate we are already supporting several local “chefs” who are turning their kitchens into a cottage business using AB 1616. For example, we carry great specialty chocolates from Chicks with Bark, gluten free goodness from Snackin’ Free and the most delicious Biscotti’s from Rocco’s Bakery. Several other artisans are in the process of getting their permits and we’ll proudly offer those products to our shoppers.
Artisan’s Palate is located at 26459 Ynez Rd. Suite C., Temecula California. We specialize in gourmet gift items made predominantly by local artisans. Stop by and see what your neighbors are cooking up!