I know everyone has heard this story as I have even read it before but here goes. So I have been making my own sauce for a couple years now at home. Friends and family say it is awesome and I should sell it. I already run my own business (albeit completely unrelated to the food industry) so I have a good understanding of startup costs, business plan, marketing ect. I have been giving out free bottles in return for feedback to several friends, family, business partners, acquaintances ect. for around a year now to try and work on some of my recipes to "fine tune" them so to speak.
My issues are lying in getting good, solid information of how I go about getting the proper permits/licensing in place in order to make and sell my sauce legally. I have contacted someone with FDACS to get some information and was pleasantly surprised with how quick I got responses and she helped me answer many of my questions on this "quest" I am on. One that I cannot seem to get a direct answer on is what, if any, licensing/certifications do I need aside from the wholesale food manufacturer permit in order to legally make and sell my sauce? I have a commercial kitchen I can use to make sauce and apply, a friend owns and operates a restaurant locally, I know I need to send my sauce, recipe and cooking process to a process authority. What is hanging me up is that there is some line items in the link to a legal document the FDACS contact sent me that talks about certain "safe handling" and acidified foods specifically. Is there some sort of course or education I need to have under my belt prior to being able to do this legally or are they simply referring to something as simple as the Safe Serve type of certification?
With the kitchen on board, storage worked out, I believe I can go ahead and get my LLC open, apply for permit, work with a process authority on 2-3 of my recipes and start cooking in this commercial kitchen to finally sell my first bottle. Is this correct or am I missing some steps for it to be legal? I read somewhere on some forum (I've been through so many my brain hurts) that a canning license is needed? Is this true or maybe just true to some states? (I am aware of insurance, of which I will lock down before the first bottle is sold but FDACS did not say it was required)
Sorry for the long winded post and thanks to any advice that can be provided. Glad to have finally joined THP after reading many many forums to assist me with getting what bit of knowledge I have now.
My issues are lying in getting good, solid information of how I go about getting the proper permits/licensing in place in order to make and sell my sauce legally. I have contacted someone with FDACS to get some information and was pleasantly surprised with how quick I got responses and she helped me answer many of my questions on this "quest" I am on. One that I cannot seem to get a direct answer on is what, if any, licensing/certifications do I need aside from the wholesale food manufacturer permit in order to legally make and sell my sauce? I have a commercial kitchen I can use to make sauce and apply, a friend owns and operates a restaurant locally, I know I need to send my sauce, recipe and cooking process to a process authority. What is hanging me up is that there is some line items in the link to a legal document the FDACS contact sent me that talks about certain "safe handling" and acidified foods specifically. Is there some sort of course or education I need to have under my belt prior to being able to do this legally or are they simply referring to something as simple as the Safe Serve type of certification?
With the kitchen on board, storage worked out, I believe I can go ahead and get my LLC open, apply for permit, work with a process authority on 2-3 of my recipes and start cooking in this commercial kitchen to finally sell my first bottle. Is this correct or am I missing some steps for it to be legal? I read somewhere on some forum (I've been through so many my brain hurts) that a canning license is needed? Is this true or maybe just true to some states? (I am aware of insurance, of which I will lock down before the first bottle is sold but FDACS did not say it was required)
Sorry for the long winded post and thanks to any advice that can be provided. Glad to have finally joined THP after reading many many forums to assist me with getting what bit of knowledge I have now.
