marketing Going official in 2019 in CA, but confused as to what licenses/permits needed?

Hey everyone! Hoping I can get some clear cut answers here pertaining to my specific scenario. I've been crafting and iterating on my recipe for a fermented hot sauce over this past year, and have learned quickly that I cannot just bottle it myself and sell it to people as hotsauce does not fall under California's cottage food law.
 
I want to do things as legit as I possibly can in 2019, which means I will be filing an LLC and getting all necessary permits and licensing so I can sell my hot sauce at farmers markets and online. Ideally, as I am just starting out, I want to mitigate my risk by keeping batch sizes small so I am looking into finding a willing restaurant or church to use their kitchen after hours.
 
So a few key questions I am looking to have answered:
 
- At this stage, if I am planning on doing business in Los Angeles, California (Gardena specifically) is it best I form my LLC in California or Delaware?
 
- Aside form registering my LLC, what other permits or licenses do I need to obtain in order to produce and bottle my own hot sauce if I am using a restaurant's or church's kitchen?
 
- If I use a restaurant's or church's kitchen, what aspects of the process MUST I do in that kitchen?
 
- If I am fermenting my hot sauce, can I prepare the ingredients at that kitchen, and then let it ferment at my house or do I have to let it ferment at that commercial kitchen?
 
- If I cook and bottle the fermented hotsauce at the commercial kitchen, can I at hold my stock at my own home or do I have to find a commercial space to hold the stock?
 
- And finally, if I want to legally sell this product online and at farmer's markets from Los Angeles, California, do I need a food scientist to review my recipe and come up with nutritional information?
 
 
I probably have a plethora of other questions, but this should be it for now lol. Thank you so much for any responses!
 
:welcome: to THP, exit plan.

Most of these questions are answered in this thread
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/66094-starting-a-food-business-101/

Regarding where to ferment, most inspectors require all the processing to happen at the food processing plant. You can't take a product out of the facility. Too much risk of contamination and such.

Some places require product to be held in a secure place, you can't take cases home to label. Others allow off site storage.

Most all of your questions can be answered by your local authority. Regulations vary, maybe someone with specific knowledge of Cali regulations can chime in.

Good luck and Have Fun!

Salsalady
 
Evening ExitPlan! 
 
I came across your post as I am trying to start up legally just a short drive up the coast from you near Santa Barbara.
 
I was wondering how everything worked out for you last year and if you would be willing to offer any advice on going legal in California??
 
If you're still working the system yourself I'd be happy to bounce ideas off of each other as well!
 
We're in the very early stages of working with the county for all of the licensing requirements and there is definitely not a lot of open source info out there so I'd be incredibly grateful for any help!
 
 
 
mike14 said:
Evening ExitPlan! 
 
I came across your post as I am trying to start up legally just a short drive up the coast from you near Santa Barbara.
 
I was wondering how everything worked out for you last year and if you would be willing to offer any advice on going legal in California??
 
If you're still working the system yourself I'd be happy to bounce ideas off of each other as well!
 
We're in the very early stages of working with the county for all of the licensing requirements and there is definitely not a lot of open source info out there so I'd be incredibly grateful for any help!
 
 
 
Mike...
See my attachment below. Note 3 things.
1.) Original post date.
2.) Note last time ExitPlan was online.
3.) Note you received a Notification I Quoted you. Unless you do the same with ExitPlan he wouldn't know of your inquiry (2018 was awhile ago so why would he return here if he does return at some point in the future.)....
 
Good luck with your search!
 
06.28.20_ExitPlan.jpg
 
ExitPlan said:
Hey everyone! Hoping I can get some clear cut answers here pertaining to my specific scenario. I've been crafting and iterating on my recipe for a fermented hot sauce over this past year, and have learned quickly that I cannot just bottle it myself and sell it to people as hotsauce does not fall under California's cottage food law.
 
I want to do things as legit as I possibly can in 2019, which means I will be filing an LLC and getting all necessary permits and licensing so I can sell my hot sauce at farmers markets and online. Ideally, as I am just starting out, I want to mitigate my risk by keeping batch sizes small so I am looking into finding a willing restaurant or church to use their kitchen after hours.
 
So a few key questions I am looking to have answered:
 
- At this stage, if I am planning on doing business in Los Angeles, California (Gardena specifically) is it best I form my LLC in California or Delaware?
 
- Aside form registering my LLC, what other permits or licenses do I need to obtain in order to produce and bottle my own hot sauce if I am using a restaurant's or church's kitchen?
 
- If I use a restaurant's or church's kitchen, what aspects of the process MUST I do in that kitchen?
 
- If I am fermenting my hot sauce, can I prepare the ingredients at that kitchen, and then let it ferment at my house or do I have to let it ferment at that commercial kitchen?
 
- If I cook and bottle the fermented hotsauce at the commercial kitchen, can I at hold my stock at my own home or do I have to find a commercial space to hold the stock?
 
- And finally, if I want to legally sell this product online and at farmer's markets from Los Angeles, California, do I need a food scientist to review my recipe and come up with nutritional information?
 
 
I probably have a plethora of other questions, but this should be it for now lol. Thank you so much for any responses!
 
I'm in the same boat as you are, Exit Plan. LA based and all. 
 
Seems that fermenting requires a commercial kitchen, right? 
 
Curious how you ended up. 
 
DudeThtsBad said:
Curious how this turned out and if you have any tips.
 
Starting something similar down the street here in Torrance, California
Ahhh Dude,

See my attachment below. Note 3 things.
1.) Original post date.
2.) Note last time ExitPlan was online.
3.) Note you received a Notification I Quoted you. Unless you do the same with ExitPlan he wouldn't know of your inquiry (2018 was awhile ago so why would he return here if he does return at some point in the future.)....
 
Good luck with your search!
 
post-10993-0-61059900-1593396980_thumb.jpg
 
Just saw this! I'll shoot you a message!
 
The_NorthEast_ChileMan said:
Ahhh Dude,

See my attachment below. Note 3 things.
1.) Original post date.
2.) Note last time ExitPlan was online.
3.) Note you received a Notification I Quoted you. Unless you do the same with ExitPlan he wouldn't know of your inquiry (2018 was awhile ago so why would he return here if he does return at some point in the future.)....
 
Good luck with your search!
 
post-10993-0-61059900-1593396980_thumb.jpg
 
DudeThtsBad said:
Curious how this turned out and if you have any tips.
 
Starting something similar down the street here in Torrance, California 
 
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