Making your grocery store legal on Instagram eliminates the worry of getting into trouble with the law. Even if you only sell food through an online platform, getting a license shows that you`re complying with your state`s food laws. When it`s time to package your food products, be sure to create detailed labels that let shoppers know exactly what ingredients are included. Include this information in your online product descriptions as well. This makes it easier for customers with dietary restrictions and reduces the risk of allergic reactions. Alvin Salehi, co-founder of Shef, an online platform for amateur chefs, also sees it as a moment to seize. He calls the adoption of the new rules in New Jersey and the fact that the sale of artisanal food is legal in all 50 states a “turning point.” In South Los Angeles, for example, the underground economy is thriving because they provide people with things they don`t get easily, like home-cooked food. This trend spawned a new wave of underground chefs who started selling food on Instagram by posting on the app and taking orders. These people do not have the privilege of affording themselves the five-star luxury on the other side of the highway. So they`re making the most of what they have, and they`ve created a kind of movement because their accounts have gained a following of hundreds, if not thousands, who use their services. And yet, not everyone in the state could participate in this renaissance of home cooking. On paper, AB626 allows MEHKO-licensed entrepreneurs across the state to cook and sell food from their own private kitchens. However, few permits have been issued, as each county must pass the law before amateur leaders can apply for one, and to date, only Riverside County has passed the law.
Solano County will be the second county to pass the bill when the stay-at-home orders end, and San Mateo, Santa Barbara and Imperial County, as well as the city of Berkeley, have signed up but have yet to begin issuing permits. And some supporters want to go further and make it legal for amateur chefs to make and sell not only baked goods, but also complete meals. It`s legal in a handful of states: Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Oklahoma, and North Dakota allow certain types of these sales. And last year, California passed a law that allows counties to choose to legally sell food. So far, a number of counties, including the city of Berkley and Alameda County, California, have legalized them. Of course, the tradition of colorful chefs selling hot ready meals was long before AB626 — from bulk bags of Oaxaca tamales sold via Facebook groups to the combined plates of oxtails, rice and plantains marketed on Instagram. But operating an approved MEHKO allows amateur chefs to attract a wider audience and saves them from worrying about fines from their local health authorities. If you sell homemade food to the public, you fall under state regulation. These regulations may include commercial food production, or they may be considered cottage food laws.
The latter is a more flexible diet that applies to a narrow range of food groups. According to the wording of AB626, MEHKO inspectors must monitor the home kitchen, on-site dining room, storage of food, utensils and appliances, washroom, janitorial or cleaning facilities, and garbage storage area. In the event of a complaint, MEHKO owners may have to pay a reasonable fee for the cost of the inspection itself, in accordance with the law. If you want to sell food on Instagram, you need to do some research first. Some states don`t allow home canneries, and you may need to get a license from your local health department. Then there are safety and health concerns. You also need to know what to post with your product, how to create a hashtag, how to create a purchasable post, and how to use stickers. Chefs like her across the country are increasingly benefiting from the relaxation of laws that allow them to make and sell baked goods — from cupcakes to cocoa bombs — at home. Although each state has dropped its complete ban on these companies, many still have different restrictions. Some require food safety permits or training, and many set limits on the income a home cook can bring in. Be sure to keep your approvals and certifications up to date as your business progresses and review changes to laws and requirements. As a proactive entrepreneur, you earn the trust and respect of your customers and can build a reputable food business.
Keep in mind that using Instagram to sell food means that you are actually using the platform to promote your products. Shipping or delivery, on the other hand, is another story. As a home cook in your community, it`s best to supply your products yourself to ensure their quality when they reach the customer. And its traditions run deep, as evidenced by the feedback it hears from repeat customers. “I had an older black lady who called me and became very emotional. She thanked me and told me that my food tasted the same as her mother`s,” she adds. Blackmon, which launched Soul Goodness in August 2019, has seen its business grow significantly since the passage of California`s Shelter in Place ordinance in March. It`s gone from two days a week to four or five days, “and every time I`m at my peak,” she says. There are no soul food restaurants in Moreno Valley — a dry town east of Riverside in Southern California — so her kitchen has attracted a number of devoted customers to Foodnome, the site that serves as a market for her and other amateur chefs looking to sell meals in the area.