I just wanted to ask if anyone one here has a legal home bakery in MS!! To those MS residents, what were your start up costs? (the more detail the better!) How hard was it to get all the correct legal documents in order? How hard are the HD inspections? Are they ridiculous, or do they give good guidelines on how things should be? When I called the HD to get info on what type of things I needed in the home kitchen, she told me I did not have to have commercial grade appliances, as long as they were working properly, and things like freezers and refrigerators had to have external temp gauge, is that accurate? Also, she told cabinets were allowed, as long as they had like a high gloss finish to keep them easy to clean? Any advice about getting started that I did not ask about would be greatly appreciated!!!

When you talked with the Health Department, was she giving you guidelines for an actual home kitchen that you use for your family, or for an area that has been set apart for cakes? For example, a converted garage.

Debbie B.

Yea, she said the main thing is having a separate kitchen with a separate entrance, like a converted garage. Has to have all easily cleanable surfaces on walls, celling, floors, and cabinets if there are any. Of course there are the things every commercial or home kitchen has to have like the 3 compartment sink, hand washing sink, and mop sink...It just seems too simple! I don't feel like I have enough information, or the right information! Maybe starting a home business won't be AS scary as I thought, still scary though!

If you want to only sell at your local Farmers Market:
Mississippi has a Cottage Law which allows its citizens to operate a home based bakery or food processing business. Baked goods may be sold at Mississippi Farmers Market only. You must be certified to sell at any MS Farmers Market. Participants may obtain certification by visiting the office of Richard C. Butler.

Contact: Richard C. Butler
Mississippi Farmers Market
929 High Street
Jackson, MS 39202
Office: 601-354-6573
Fax: 601-354-7330
Email: [email protected]


If you are interested in building a commercial kitchen facility you will need to contact your local Health Department which can be located using the following link: http://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/4,0,204.html

Additional information can be found in the Mississippi State Department of Health Website: Food Code and Food Facility Permits
http://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/30,0,77.html

You can also contact the Food Protection Division at 601-576-7689.

ConfectionsCC- how did your business opening go? I'm in the same boat as well! Did you get to open? Which route did you take? Thanks!!