An Open Letter to State Legislators
Let local makers serve local businesses. It shouldn’t be this hard.
Across America, every state has adopted some form of cottage food law, allowing entrepreneurs to prepare certain foods in state-regulated cottage kitchens. These laws have empowered thousands of people to turn family recipes, passion, and hard work into real businesses.
But in many states, those same licensed producers are still prohibited from selling to the coffee shop, brewery, restaurant, or neighborhood market just down the street.
A local baker may be able to sell a loaf of bread at a farmers market—but not to the café that serves breakfast every morning.
A popcorn maker may be able to sell directly to a customer—but not to the local gift shop that wants to carry their products.
For many shelf-stable foods, these restrictions no longer reflect the realities of today’s marketplace.
Fortunately, we don’t have to guess whether a better approach works.
What other states have already shown
States across the country have already demonstrated that allowing licensed cottage food producers to sell to local businesses can support entrepreneurship while maintaining food safety. These policies have helped create opportunities for small businesses, expanded access to locally made products, and strengthened local economies.
The results are exactly what you would expect.
Local entrepreneurs build thriving businesses.
Local retailers gain access to unique, locally made products.
Consumers enjoy fresher food made closer to home.
Communities keep more economic activity within their own neighborhoods.
These states didn’t lower standards.
They expanded opportunity.
The rules were written for a different market
Many of the remaining restrictions were written decades ago with different assumptions about food production and distribution. While appropriate safeguards remain essential, modern cottage food laws have shown that low-risk, shelf-stable foods can often be produced responsibly by trained, licensed makers.
Requiring entrepreneurs to lease expensive commercial kitchens before they can sell to the café or market in their own town creates a barrier that many promising businesses simply cannot overcome.
Where we stand
That’s why we created Un-Factory™.
We’re building a nationwide network of independent local makers producing artisan foods close to the communities they serve. Where cottage food laws allow, our makers operate from licensed cottage kitchens. Where they don’t, they operate from licensed commercial kitchens.
We’re committed to following the law in every state.
But we also believe the law can continue to evolve.
We’re not asking legislators to take a leap into the unknown.
We’re asking them to look at what is already working in states that have successfully expanded opportunities for licensed cottage food producers while protecting consumers.
What we’re asking for
We believe local makers should have the opportunity to supply local coffee shops.
Local restaurants.
Local breweries.
Local specialty retailers.
Local grocery stores.
Not because they’re asking for special treatment.
Because they’re asking for the opportunity to compete.
The future of food doesn’t have to come from bigger factories.
It can come from thousands of independent local business owners serving the communities they already call home.
We hope you’ll help make that future possible.
One Brand. Local Makers. Made Local. Sold Local.