Lisa Kivirist and John D. Ivanko are nationally recognised speakers and writers with 15 books between them including the award-winning ECOpreneuring, Homemade for Sale, Farmstead Chef, and Rural Renaissance. Lisa is the instructor for the best-selling online Udemy course: How to Start and Market a Food Business from Your Home Kitchen. Together, they spearheaded the first-ever Home-based Food Entrepreneur Virtual National Conference. Lisa served as a plaintiff in the successful lawsuit that legalized the sale of home-baked goods in Wisconsin. She also leads Soil Sisters, an award-winning project of Renewing the Countryside that supports women in sustainable agriculture and is the author of Soil Sisters: A Toolkit for Women Farmers. John is a photographer and the co-author for six award-winning multicultural children's books including To Be a Kid, Come Out and Play, and Back to School. John and Lisa are innkeepers of the completely solar-powered Inn Serendipity B&B in Wisconsin.

Foreword by Nell Newman

Introduction: Cottage Food, Food Freedom, & Growing a Movement

Cottage Food Surge

Work Your Passion for Food

First-timers or Seasoned Pros?

It's Thyme. Why Now?

Key Elements of Cottage Food Laws

Organization of This Book

SECTION 1: GETTING STARTED

Chapter 1: Navigating Your State's Cottage Food Law

Historic Roots, Back to the Homestead

Food Products Versus Food Service

Cottage Food Movement is Growing

Tips for Understanding a Cottage Food Law

Mapping the Movement with Forager

Cottage Food Operator Assessment by University of Wisconsin-Stout Research Study

Chapter 2: What's Cooking?

What Products Can You Sell?

Where Can You Sell Your Products?

How Are You Allowed to Sell Your Products?

How Much Can You Sell of Your Products?

Be Your Own Advocate

Chapter 3: Ideas in the Oven: Identify Your Business Goals

My Kitchen, My Rules

Recipe for Success

CFO Self-assessment

SECTION 2: WHAT'S COOKING: PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND RECIPES

Chapter 4: Understanding Non-hazardous Food Products

Food Safety

Non-hazardous Basics

Common Non-hazardous Food Products

Non-hazardous Testing Process

Chapter 5: Independently Tested Non-hazardous Recipes for Food Products

Best Practices & Kitchen Wisdom

Ingredients: Celebrating Local Foods & Grains

Recipes: Muffins & Scones

Recipes: Cookies & Cakes

Recipes: Crackers

Recipes: Frostings

SECTION 3: SELLING YOUR STORY: MARKETING

Chapter 6: Product Development: Design, Name, Logo, & Packaging

Niche, Target, & Positioning

Product Design & Attributes

Naming Your Products & Business

Chapter 7: Better Labels & Packaging That Increase Sales

Keep It Homespun, Yet Professional

Five Basics of Product Labeling

Identify Packaging Goals

Chapter 8: Packaging Ideas to Increase Sales

Three Purchase Scenarios: Impulse, Gifts, Snacks

Packaging that Reflects Your Values & Brand

Encyclopedia of Packaging Options

Chapter 9: Amp Up Your Jams & Other Jarred Products

Common Jar Blunders

Adding Effective Visual Appeal to Jars

Combining Items to Create Attractive Holiday Gift Baskets

Label & Package Efficiently

Chapter 10: Proving the Market & Getting a Plan

Market Feasibility: Testing the Market

Competitive Analysis

Planning for Profits

The Back-of-the-Napkin Plan

Organizing, Planning, & Managing the Business

Chapter 11: Getting the Right Price

Business Expenses

Self-worth: Valuing Your Time

Pricing Your Product

Variable Savings

Chapter 12: Moving Your Product to Market

Sales Venues: Places to Sell

Direct Customer Deliveries

Home Pickup

Community Events

Special Events or Weddings

Wholesale (Indirect)

Mail Order

Stay on Target for a Bull's-eye

Thematic Displays to Boost Sales

Chapter 13: Promotion: Persuading Customers with Advertising & Public Relations

Promotion

Advertising

Public Relations

Chapter 14: People, Partnerships, & Purpose

People

Partnerships, Networking, & Cause-related Marketing

Purpose & Passion

SECTION 4: ORGANIZING, PLANNING, & MANAGING THE BUSINESS

Chapter 15: Ready, Set, Go: Organize Your Kitchen

Five Steps for Setting Up Your Home Processing Facility

Chapter 16: Time Management & Beating Burnout

Identifying Burnout

Six Components of a Healthy CFO Lifestyle

Let the Care for the Product Carry Over to You

Chapter 17: Make It Legal: Establish Your Business in 7 Easy Steps

Step 1: Do a Local Zoning Check

Step 2: Get Licensed

Step 3: Set Up Your Business & Structure It Wisely

No Personal Liability Protection

Distinct Legal Entity Offering Personal Liability Protection to Shareholders

Step 4: Secure a State Business License (If Needed)

Step 5: Get a State Sales Tax Permit (If Needed)

Step 6: Get a Local Business License (If Needed)

Step 7: Manage Risk with Insurance

Chapter 18: Day-to-day Financial Management

Day-to-day Financial Management

Income Statement & Balance Sheet

Expenses Defined

Bookkeeping Basics

Cash Flow Is King

No Cakewalk: Hobby Versus Business

SECTION 5: SCALING UP

Chapter 19: Scaling Up

First, a Reality Check

Casting Off the Shackles of the Cottage Food Law

Wholesale Expansion

State Prerequisites for Wholesale & Mail Order

Three Options for a Licensed Food Production Facility

Chapter 20: Multiple Markets & Money Matters

Markets, Markets Everywhere

From Handmade to Mechanized

Labeling for the Big Leagues

Pricing & Distribution Revisited: A Whole New Formula

Magnifying Your Marketing

Raising Some Dough

Keep Tabs

SECTION 6: FUTURE OF COTTAGE FOODS: FREEDOM!

Chapter 21: Importance of Cottage Food Advocacy

Wisconsin: Lessons in Lawsuits, Collaboration, & Patience

Work the System

Chapter 22: Organize Your State Cottage Food Association

The Reasons Why State

Associations Rock Association Start-up in Four Steps

Chapter 23: Final Frontier: Food Freedom

Foundation of Food Freedom

States Leading the Way

Lemonade Law Loophole

Online App Platforms Provide a Bridge to Customers

Ignite Your State's Food Freedom Law

Epilogue: Icing on the Cake

Index