Here we go. My sauce is actually taking off...

scarpetti

scarpetti

So, this is it! I guess? Or hoping. I even made a new label because everyone "needs" it! Now it's all about figuring out if I just want to small, small market it at first. i.e. Farmer's Markets or go full on small market and try to take on the Government of the USA!!!!! I already have a few people in my area that own cafes that want to buy it from me. I also have about 5 more recipes........ I guess it's time to expand and look for approved kitchens to use!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!
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And thanks to tons of posts on this forum, I'm so full of info I may have figured out a way to actually do it!

Anymore advise would be helpful! I actually need to send some to most of you to try. Or not!!!!!! Might not be HOT enough......:doh:
 
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Please be careful about selling wholesale before you are properly licensed and insured. It puts yourself AND the store/coffee shop at risk if anything ever goes wrong.

The production rules are usually different for farmers markets which is why many folks start there. It's also the difference of- a farmers market is selling directly to the customer (retailing) and if the customer has a question, they can ask you directly. When wholesaling(selling to the coffee shop) the buyers cannot ask you directly. Talk to your local farmers market to find out what their policy is as far as what homemade products can be sold at the market.

I notice on your label you only have an email listed as a contact. For our area, that is not enough. We have to have legal business name physical address of the business, phone number optional. Don't know about your area of course. It looks like the rest of the label is good.

Anyway, please be careful. It's exciting to make those first sales!
 
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That's probably good advice, but you know what you're doin now, and c'mon its Oakland! Take the money and run! That's cool you're makin your own sauce, hope it goes well for you!
 
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Taking on BigBrother really isn't as bad as it seems.

Here's what's needed for someone to start up in OUR area, in no particular order-

1- product liability insurance (ours is $450 a year)

2- government licensing- $55/year for the state food license, $25 (one time) state business license, and if a county license is required for farmer's market or whatever $75.

3- processing facility- think OUTSIDE the box! there are TONS of buildings that have kitchens that might be available! In WA, a processor can get licensed in any number of public facilities including- church, private school, fire hall, a restaurant during the off hours, grange hall, community center, shared-use kitchen, Eagles/Elks/VFW/Masonic lodges, a private caterer, another small food processor........just go for a drive and look at all the buildings that have kitchens.

Here's what happens in OUR area-
If you want to RETAIL, you need a county health permit. If I was to get my private facility licensed by the county so I can RETAIL, it would cost me about $1000. If I were to use an existing kitchen, which is already county licensed and uses municipal water (eliminating the need for $400 of water purity tests) , it's $75-$100 for a yearly health department permit.

If you want to WHOLESALE, you need a state permit $55/yr. And you can get licensed in any existing commercial kitchen, providing you and the kitchen can work out schedules and there is room for your product to be kept separate from the rest of the kitchens stuff. No cross-contamination, etc.

In some areas, one permit will allow both retail and wholesale. Research! For me, it's not cost effective to spend $1000 on a county license for my private facility. It would take me 5 years of the occasional farmers markets to get that back.

4- bottles, labels, product, looks like scarpetti has some of that stuff already

5- Process authority letter if the product is to be considered "shelf stable"- $25 (prices vary considerably for this! It's $25 at WSU food science department, private labs probably charge more.) This is for WA state, other states may vary, but I know most states follow the Better Process Control School guidelines. The product needs to be tested by a "process authority" person. You send in a detailed description of the recipe, the ingredients (quantity in recipe and source) the production process, and they review it and make a determination if the product is safe to be made as described and based on pH level or if other processes need to be followed. WA state requires it before a product can be sold as "shelf stable".

6- file for an FDA nutritional labeling exemption (free) and you can forget all that FDA stuff ....at least for a year or two until you get really big and prosperous! Remember to renew every year. You can do it online now and they'll email a renewal reminder to you.

The key is finding a kitchen where you can rent by the hour or occasion. Other than that, for less than a grand, you can be in biz legit!

If you just want to sell at farmers markets it could be a lot less than that. But please be careful! Anything can happen...bad product, a chip of glass in the jar....it's just smarter to eliminate potential problems by doing it right. Especially when it can be done for a couple hundred bucks....

I'm Cheering you on, Scarpetti!
 
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Small steps. I've seen many stories where bakers started making cookies and brownies at home and broke the rules. But yeah it's usually only jellies and baked goods since they are low risk foods. That's why some states allow it for selling at farmers markets. Sauce gets into the area of being dangerous if packed wrong. Good advice from SL. Insurance is needed where you are? I know it is highly recommended, and you'll need it if you want to be distributed (dist. will request it), but I've never heard it is needed to start up.
 
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THP is right about the insurance.

It is not legally required to start up. I didn't even think about that since after being self employed for the better part of 20 years, I wouldn't even consider going public or wholesaling without it.

I may not have had it for the first couple months when I was doing a farmers market, but I know I had insurance before going into stores.

Baked-at-home goods are allowed at farmers markets in our area along with high sugar jams and jellies. Hot sauces are up to the market and the health department to decide on case by case.

Good Luck, scarpetti, and don't be overwhelmed. As THP said, small steps.....
 
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Church kitchens are an excellent option! Usually open during the week.

OH ONE MORE THING!!!!! Our local Grange hall said they can only rent their facility 4 times a year to a "for profit" event/person. So BE CREATIVE! Maybe offer to trade cleaning services of the facility for the right to use the facility. It could be a private win/win situation if the organization is open to "creative" solutions. off the books~~~~


Whenever I suggest the church option, I always hope the producer is curtious to make their product on MONDAY so the membership doesn't suffer through Sunday Services with the delightful smell of onions, peppers and vinegar lingering in the air! LOL. I'd be happy with that lingering smell, but I'm not sure if other members would feel the same way.

GO PEPPERS!
 
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Awesome! congrats! its always exciting to see your product in a public place :-)

Small tip- shelf stability is dependent on accurate Ph levels- buy a Ph meter! If its off, your product can rot and make people sick... small, cheap, important investment!

Good luck! I really love the labels xox
 
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[quote name='Josh's Sauces']Congrats! your several steps ahead of me. I could really use some pointers on manufacturing if you have time.[/QUOTE]

Josh it's been a long time since I've posted but you can always email me or pm me and I'll see if I can help give you some pointers, manufacturing hot sauce can oddly enough be a dangerous game.
 
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