Selling homemade food in Maine
Maine's main path for home producers is the Home Food Processor License: a low-cost annual license (with a kitchen review) that lets you sell shelf-stable homemade foods statewide, wholesale, and online, with no revenue cap. Separately, some Maine towns have adopted Food Sovereignty ordinances that skip state licensing entirely, but only for direct, face-to-face sales made at the site of production — confirm your town's ordinance before relying on it, and don't count on it covering online sales.
You can sell
- Baked goods without cream/custard fillings
- Jams, jellies, fruit butters
- Candy & chocolate
- Dried fruits, vegetables, pasta & cereals
- Maple syrup & honey
- Pickles, relishes, salsas, BBQ sauces (may require Process Authority/pH review)
You can't sell
- Most potentially hazardous/perishable foods
- Meat products (special local rules may apply)
- Dairy-based products
- Low-acid canned foods without Process Authority review
Where you can sell
- Farmers markets
- Retail & wholesale statewide (Home Food Processor License)
- Direct, face-to-face sales at the site of production (Food Sovereignty ordinance towns only)
Selling online
Home Food Processor License holders may sell online/by mail order and ship within and beyond Maine; sales made under a local Food Sovereignty ordinance must be direct, face-to-face transactions at the site of production and do not cover online orders
What your labels must include
- Business name & address
- Ingredient list
- Allergen declaration
- Net weight
- Home-kitchen/licensing disclosure statement