Home food business guide · Last reviewed October 2026
Cottage Food Laws in Minnesota
Minnesota caps home food sales at $78,000. Getting started: Annual MDA registration; training. Foods that need refrigeration have to be made in a commercial kitchen. Of the 40 common products in our finder, 21 can be made in a home kitchen in Minnesota, many with conditions.
Online orders; you or an employee present at delivery; shipping allowed from Aug 2027
Sell through stores
Direct to consumers only
Refrigerated & TCS foods
No; canned acidified foods at pH 4.6 or below allowed
Quick facts are summarized from 50-state trackers (Ardent Seller, reviewed October 1, 2026, cross-checked with PermitDeck and Food Business Pros). Where the details below differ, follow the state sources listed at the bottom of this page and confirm with the agency.
How 40 common products are treated in Minnesota, with the condition or reason for each. Items marked "general rule" weren't specifically addressed in the state's guidance.
Allowed from a home kitchen
Sourdough bread. Non-potentially hazardous baked goods are allowed.
Garlic or herb-infused oil. General rule, not specifically addressed in this state's guidance; ask the agency to confirm. Garlic or herbs in oil carry a botulism risk and need a validated commercial process.
Home-cooked meals. General rule, not specifically addressed in this state's guidance; ask the agency to confirm. Prepared meals need refrigeration, so they're made in a permitted commercial kitchen.
Kombucha. General rule, not specifically addressed in this state's guidance; ask the agency to confirm. Fermented beverages need a commercial kitchen, and producers monitor alcohol, since at 0.5% ABV or more it is treated as an alcoholic beverage.
Regulated separately
Beef jerky. General rule, not specifically addressed in this state's guidance; ask the agency to confirm. Meat products need USDA or state meat inspection, regardless of kitchen.
Cheese & yogurt. General rule, not specifically addressed in this state's guidance; ask the agency to confirm. Dairy products are licensed separately, through the state's dairy program.
Cold-pressed juice. General rule, not specifically addressed in this state's guidance; ask the agency to confirm. Juices aren't home-kitchen foods. Wholesale juice needs a Juice HACCP plan with a 5-log pathogen reduction.
Ask the agency first
Cake with buttercream. Allowed only if the finished frosting doesn't need refrigeration.
Macarons. Not clearly addressed in the state's guidance; ask the agency.
Fruit tamales. Not clearly addressed in the state's guidance; ask the agency.
Low-sugar or freezer jam. Allowed only if the finished pH is 4.6 or below and it doesn't need refrigeration.
Sauerkraut & kimchi. Canned fermented vegetables at pH 4.6 or below may qualify; refrigerated ones don't.
Nut butter. Allowed if shelf-stable; MDA may ask about the recipe.
Infused honey. Not clearly addressed in the state's guidance; ask the agency.
Vanilla extract. Not clearly addressed in the state's guidance; ask the agency.
How to start selling from home
Check that the product doesn't need refrigeration. Home-canned pickles, vegetables, and fruits must reach pH 4.6 or below, or water activity 0.85 or below.
Register with MDA every year. Tier 1 (up to $7,665 in sales): free, with MDA's online training and exam. Tier 2 (up to $78,000): $50 and an approved food safety course every three years.
Sell directly to consumers from home, at farmers markets and events, or online. You or an employee must be present for each sale or delivery; human food can't be shipped (until August 2027).
Label every product and post the same statement on a sign or your website (see the checklist below).
Legal paths
Cottage food producer
Where
Your home
Sell
Directly to consumers: from home, farmers markets, events, and online, with you or an employee present at delivery. No shipping of human food until Aug 2027.
Sales cap
$78,000 a year (Tier 2); $7,665 for Tier 1
Paperwork
Annual MDA registration; free (Tier 1) or $50 (Tier 2); training
Commercial kitchen
Where
A licensed commercial kitchen
Sell
Wholesale, stores, shipping, and refrigerated foods
Sales cap
None
Paperwork
MDA license; usually FDA registration
Commercial canning
Where
Licensed commercial facility
Sell
Low-acid canned foods and larger-scale acidified foods
Sales cap
None
Paperwork
MDA license, process authority review, FDA scheduled-process filing
Label requirements
Required by MDA on every cottage food product. Show the same statement on a sign where you sell, or on your website.
“These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection.”
Your name or business name
Your address, or your MDA registration number
Date the product was made
Ingredients, including potential allergens
Turning a recipe into a product?
Mendocino Food Consulting helps food entrepreneurs with food science, formulation, and process questions. We are food scientists, not attorneys, and we don't provide legal advice.