Ohio Licensed In-Home Bakers

Business By MeliaJ Updated 19 Jun 2009 , 5:09pm by CookieMakinMomma

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CookieMakinMomma Posted 26 Mar 2009 , 12:42pm
post #31 of 36

Nevermind. If it's ok I'd like to drop the subject as it seems a rather silly thing to divert this valuable thread with. Just because I had *hoped* for a different answer doesn't negate the answer. You're right, the guy probably doesn't know anymore than what he said. I'm not debating that. He satisfactorily answered my first question. I'm not debating that point either. It would have been nice if he had at least acknowledged my other questions but he didn't. That's ok. All I'm saying is that it was not the answer I had hoped or expected to receive. Frankly, I can't even figure out why my statement is being questioned.

Now that I have that off my chest, I would love to get this thread back on track. It is a great thread that I hope will gather even more valuable information as time goes on. If anyone has any experience with selling across state lines I/we would love to hear from you!

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skaggs1 Posted 8 Jun 2009 , 1:29pm
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Can you license a bakery in your home thats not your main kitchen? I want to convert our garage into my bakery how would that work? What would be the requirments for this?

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CookieMakinMomma Posted 8 Jun 2009 , 1:43pm
post #33 of 36
Quote:
Originally Posted by skaggs1

Can you license a bakery in your home thats not your main kitchen? I want to convert our garage into my bakery how would that work? What would be the requirments for this?




I'm not positive of the details, but in Ohio there are several levels of allowed bakeries, it all depends on what you are ultimately wanting to do.

Your best bet is to check out the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture website. I have emailed them with questions before, but have found calling them more effective.
http://www.agri.ohio.gov/divs/FoodSafety/foodsafety.aspx#tog

This link takes you to the food safety homepage. Under fact sheets you can check out the requirements on home bakeries and cottage foods. Remodeling your garage should be just fine. Ohio doesn't have the insane list of rules about sinks and grease traps, etc., but you will still want to double check with the ODA since you are starting a kitchen from scratch. Good luck!

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EvMarie Posted 18 Jun 2009 , 7:07am
post #34 of 36

Hi Everyone...
I've been checking into this licensing thing for a while now. This is what I've learned. You can be a home bakery....cottage food...with out an inspection required. However, the dept. of agriculture reserves the right to inspect. (of course) As a cottage food home bakery you cannot offer "potentially hazardous" foods. Like a previous poster said, cheesecake and cream pies are great examples. Stuff that is temperature sensitive. Sort of like, nobody likes to leave potato salad in the sun or chicken out on the counter all day. Also, you can sell and ship your goods inside Ohio. You cannot have internet sales outside Ohio. I know that specifically because I wanted to sell event favors online. I can't do that until I have a commercial license. Well, to me, that really means, I can sell and ship inside Ohio via my website. I'm getting there...still in the start up phase.

The "ordinary kitchen" in your household is what is required to be used as a cottage food home bakery. I asked about this specifically too because I use an extra kitchen that is practically brand new in the finished basement of my home. Technically, this does NOT fall into the definition of a home bakery. I e-mailed a zillion years ago about the entrance to this kitchen and the possibility of having it licensed as commercial. I have not heard back. I guess, if my basement was one of those designed with an outside entrance...separate from the house...I'd have a good chance of a commercial license. If you open the door to the basement, you actually could run into the door to the attached garage. Also, if you took 5 steps from the basement door, through the mud room, you'd be exiting the house in the rear of my home. This "close" proximity was supposedly being discussed as a separate entrance but I never heard back. I've been carrying on as a cottage bakery. I'm still getting my clientelle built up...so I'm not terribly concerned with the commercial thing. I even thought of adding another door in the area between the mud room and kitchen. That would turn that area into a sort of foyer into the basement. Not sure what they'd think of that...but I haven't pressed the issue yet.

The garage conversion issue - I think that sounds great. But, since it's not the "ordinary kitchen" just make sure your good to go with inspection. Whatever those rules are. All the Dept of Ag. told me is that I need to have a delivery vendor license. They gave me a form number to look up on the site. There is a $25 fee. I can't remember what it is now...

But, the original issue was the state line thing right? So - to sum up..you can sell across state lines only with a commercial license. If you are a home bakery - cottage food set up, you cannot sell across statelines.

Hope all that helped...

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Loucinda Posted 18 Jun 2009 , 3:49pm
post #35 of 36

Commercial kitchen has LOT more qualifiers than a licensed kitchen or cottage industry one. You get into the required sinks, grease traps, handicapped access etc.

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CookieMakinMomma Posted 19 Jun 2009 , 5:09pm
post #36 of 36

Ah, I stand corrected on the home kitchen vs. independent kitchen. Makes sense actually.

However, when I called the Dept. of Ag. I was told I could not sell across state lines as a cottage industry but I COULD if I was a licensed home bakery (only $10, she never even mentioned commercial kitchens). I recommend you call for yourself to confirm.

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