Frustrated W/ Business Info - Jackson County, Missouri
Business By cheekymonkey06 Updated 22 Jul 2009 , 3:42pm by ccr03
I have been trying to get some information on opening a home-based cake business in Jackson County, MO. I keep getting tossed around to different departments. I have sent another email to the Health Department to find out what the health code regulations are... if I need a commercial grade and/or separate kitchen, etc. I just can't believe it is this difficult to get information. It sounds like we all have run into this at one time or another. I'll be so glad when I'm passed this part!
I've gotten quite a few views on this. Anybody have any experience in the Jackson County, MO area? Just wondering if it's even possible.
Hi! I am also from Missouri (Green County, Springfield). I am sorry but I do not know the information on your county but I was pretty sure it was a state wide rule against home bakeries. I will try to find the link to the state health code for you later today.
According to this: http://www.jacksongov.org/filestorage/2494/2984/FarmersMarketInfo.pdf (look under Bakery)
It looks like you can as long as you have proper signage up indicating that you are not inspected by the health department... although I don't know who would want to sell from someone who has a sign like that hanging on the wall. I have a feeling it is possible, but you probably have to have a separate kitchen and/or a commercial grade kitchen... that's my #1 question at the moment.
I am in Layfeyette county and called and talked directly to my health inspector. he told me that he is not going to bug me and that I do not need to be inspected because he cannot "certify" a home kitchen. If you want it certified you do need seperate quarters, screens on the windows and a water heater that goes to a certain temp. My inspector is really nice and easy to work with. Call your county and get ahold of your inspector and see what they tell you. HTH.
Thanks. I have sent an email and tried calling but no return call. Hopefully I'll get through to someone. I'd like to register a business name and set up a website, but I don't want to do it if I can't legally do business. Right now I'm doing cakes for friends/family and getting paid for the cost of supplies... I'd like to actually make some profit at some point!
I was in your boat a while back. Here's what I got from a Jackson County rep/person.
"If you are starting this business to sell to the public, to a grocery
store or any other business to sell then you need a health permit (legal
license). Our plan review forms are online at www.jacksongov.org, go to
government, then to departments, then to public works and then to food
inspection.
If you planned to only sell at a farmers market or a temporary event
then you do not need a health permit, but must follow some state health
guidelines to sell these items without a permit or license. You can
come pick these guidelines up at our office or we can fax then to you.
The sale of jams, jellies and honey will need a health permit if their
sales exceed 30,000 dollars, but there is not such a money exception for
bakery items in the state guidelines.
Send me a e-mail if you have any more questions or you can reach me by
phone in the morning at 881-4455.
Chris Saxton
Jackson County Env. Health"
I was in your boat a while back. Here's what I got from a Jackson County rep/person.
"If you are starting this business to sell to the public, to a grocery
store or any other business to sell then you need a health permit (legal
license). Our plan review forms are online at www.jacksongov.org, go to
government, then to departments, then to public works and then to food
inspection.
If you planned to only sell at a farmers market or a temporary event
then you do not need a health permit, but must follow some state health
guidelines to sell these items without a permit or license. You can
come pick these guidelines up at our office or we can fax then to you.
The sale of jams, jellies and honey will need a health permit if their
sales exceed 30,000 dollars, but there is not such a money exception for
bakery items in the state guidelines.
Send me a e-mail if you have any more questions or you can reach me by
phone in the morning at 881-4455.
Chris Saxton
Jackson County Env. Health"
So when I look at the section on inspections, it looks like all you have to do is notify the public that the food is prepared in a kitchen that is not subject to regulation and inspection by the Health Officer, right? I wonder if you can set up a business name, then?
I finally got a call back from the Health Department. I think it may have been the same guy you talked to ccr03. He confirmed what you've already told me - that you have to have a commercial kitchen, or you can rent space at a commercial kitchen - at least in the city I live in.
Next task to complete... finding some place that will rent commercial kitchen space by the hour/day. Back to the drawing board.
I'm in Lee's Summit. The thing is, I'm just starting out so how do I know if I will be able to have a big enough customer base to support the cost of renting space if I don't first build a customer base? I get why they have these regulations, but they sure make it difficult if not impossible to do. I have to wonder how other people have made it as far as they have without having a boat load of money up front. I guess I can just keep doing cakes for friends/family for cost and build interest that way... it's just a lot of time and sometimes money out the door - but I guess that's the old saying "no pain, no gain". It would be awesome to build a commercial kitchen in my garage or something but I can't imagine how expensive that would be!
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