Georgia just blew the doors open on cottage food sales

Georgia just blew the doors open on cottage food sales

Georgia’s HB 398, effective July 1, 2025, removed the state cottage food license, eliminated the sales cap, and opened cottage products up to retail store and restaurant sales. The old setup—fee, license, and in many cases a home inspection—is gone for cottage operators selling non-potentially hazardous foods. Operators can now sell directly to consumers, take orders online, and ship within Georgia. The label still has to do its job: name and address, product name, ingredients by weight, allergens, net weight, and the required home-kitchen disclaimer. Out-of-state shipping is still not allowed under cottage food law, and Georgia’s guidance says interstate sales fall under federal jurisdiction and require a permitted commercial facility.

Gobble's Take: Georgia didn’t just loosen a rule; it handed cottage sellers a much bigger market map, with the label still acting like the bouncer at the door.
Source: Cakery

Cottage food law, in one sentence, is the legal permission slip for home kitchens

Cottage food laws are state-level rules that let people prepare and sell certain foods from a home kitchen without a commercial food license. They exist in every US state, though the names vary—"home-based food production," "home processor exemptions," or "food freedom acts." Traditional cottage food laws usually come with allowed-food lists, revenue caps, labeling rules, and limits on where you can sell. Nearly every state requires some version of the home-kitchen disclaimer, often along the lines of "made in a home kitchen not subject to state inspection," plus other basics like ingredients, allergens, net weight, and producer info.

Gobble's Take: If you sell from home, the rulebook is short on romance and long on labels—and that’s exactly what keeps the whole thing standing.
Source: Perplexity Search

In Case You Missed It

Yesterday's top stories:

• Cottage food isn’t “anything homemade” — the shelf-stable line still runs the show
• Revenue caps are real, reset every year, and can force a business model change