Starting a home-based food business in Alberta offers an exciting opportunity to sell your homemade creations while ensuring the safety and quality of your products. Here's a guide to help you navigate food handling regulations, licenses, and other important considerations when launching your food venture.
What is a Home-Based Food Business?
A home-based food business, also known as a cottage food business, operates from a residential property, including a small farm. It involves preparing and selling low-risk food items like baked goods, jams, candies, and snacks.
These foods can be sold online, at food fairs, or farmers' markets. However, you cannot offer onsite dining, and only household members can assist with food preparation.
Is It Legal to Sell Homemade Food in Alberta?
Alberta makes it easy to sell homemade food legally without requiring a permit. The province provides a fact sheet with detailed guidelines for operators.
Key Steps to Start Selling Homemade Food:
- Choose Low-Risk Foods: You can sell foods that don't require refrigeration and are low-risk for foodborne illnesses. These include baked goods, candies, dry foods, condiments, and certain produce like whole fruits and vegetables. However, items containing dairy, meat, seafood, or raw milk cannot be sold.
- Label Your Products: Even without a permit, proper labeling is required. Labels must include the statement "prepared in a home kitchen not subject to inspection," your contact details, the food's name, and the preparation date. Whole fruits and vegetables are exempt from labeling.
- Take a Food Safety Course: While not mandatory, taking an accredited food safety course is highly recommended. Alberta Health Services offers online courses.
- Check for Local Licensing Requirements: Although the province doesn’t require a license, your municipality might have business licensing regulations, so check with local authorities.
- Sell Online: The easiest way to start selling is through ecommerce platforms which are designed for home-based businesses. You can handle orders and payments seamlessly while focusing on growing your business.
- Sell at Markets and Fairs: Alberta has over 130 approved farmers’ markets where you can sell your food. However, additional regulations may apply when selling in person.
Conclusion
Starting a home-based food business in Alberta is cost-effective and simple. Ensure compliance with health and safety guidelines, and you'll be ready to sell your homemade products online or at local markets.