Tutorial Topics

To sell on home made food on Croftery, you will need a Cottage Food Permit (aka home food seller permit) from the state of Washington. This is to ensure food safety (read more). This tutorial shows you how to get one. If you already have a license, follow these instructions to join Croftery. If not, please continue through the guide.

Feel free to contact us at team@croftery.com | (859) 568-4712

About the Cottage Food Permit

Slightly dated video by the WSDA about cottage food laws

A Cottage Food Permit allows a resident of Washington State to make food that is not potentially hazardous such as baked goods, candies, jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butters, dry spice blends, dry tea blends (etc) in their primary residential kitchen.

Before You Apply

The application fee is $230 and is nonrefundable after it is received
Gross sales of Cottage Food products may not exceed $25,000 annually
You will need to obtain a Food Workers Card and a Master Business License

Allowed Food Guidelines

– Must be stable at room temperature and should not spoil.
– Products must be low risk baked or fried products
– Fresh cut fruits/vegetables can be used for batter or if oven-baked
– All frostings or glazes must have a cook step or be made with ingredients (such as a large amount of sugar) that when combined are stable at room temperature and won’t spoil
– Commercial grade equipment cannot be used
 

Brief list of examples:

– Breads, rolls, biscuits, muffins
– Baklavas or other nonhazardous ethnic foods
– Cakes, Pastries, scones
– Cookies, bars
– Crackers, Cereals, trail mixes and granola
– Pies, except custard style pies (no unbaked fruits and must be safe in room temperature)
– Nuts and nut mixes
– Donuts, tortillas, pizelles, krumkake, kale chips and similar products
– Candies, chocolate, fudge, caramels cooked on a stove top or in a microwave (temperature monitoring with candy thermometer is required)
– Jams, jellies, preserves and fruit butters
– dry herbs, seasoning and mixtures that are obtained from approved sources
– Teas, bread mixes, soup mixes, dip mixes, coffee beans
– Alcohol
 
Please see this article for more details

Prohibited Food Guidelines

– Meats, poultry, fish/shellfish or products containing it
– Canned pickled products such as corn relish, pickles, sauerkraut
– Raw seed sprouts;
– goods which require any type of refrigeration such as cream, custard or meringue pies and cakes or pastries with cream or cream cheese fillings, fresh fruit fillings or garnishes, glazes or frostings with low sugar content, cream, or uncooked eggs
– Milk and dairy products (if unbaked/uncooked) including hard, soft and cottage cheeses and yogurt
– Cut fresh fruits or vegetables (even as ingredients)
– Garlic in oil mixtures
– Beverages
– Ice/Ice products
– Barbeque sauces, ketchups, or mustards
– Focaccia-style breads with vegetables or cheeses
 
Please see this article for more details 

Selling Something Unique?

If you have questions about selling a specific product, please contact a regional government officer below with your list of products, ingredients, and recipes. They are very helpful.

Contact an inspector for your county:
Name: Roger Smith
Phone: (509) 750-5599
or
Name: Cajsha White
Phone: (509) 378-2962
Email: cwhite@agr.wa.gov

For more information, check out Washington’s Cottage Food Laws

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