Florida Cottage Food Law · 2026
Can you sell granola from home in Florida?

YES — Allowed
Yes. Granola, cereals, and trail mixes are allowed Florida cottage foods with roughly 80% profit margins — a top-tier product choice.
Why yes?
Dry goods like granola are the definition of non-potentially-hazardous: no refrigeration, long shelf life, easy packaging. Florida explicitly allows cereals, granola, and dry mixes.
Business-wise, granola is one of the best cottage foods: cheap ingredients bought in bulk, premium retail pricing, and strong subscription/repeat-purchase behavior.
Florida Cottage Food Law: Key Facts
Updated July 2026- Permit required: None — no license, permit, or FDACS registration for cottage foods
- Legal basis: Florida Statute 500.80
- Annual sales cap: $250,000 gross per year
- The rule: Only non-potentially-hazardous foods (safe at room temperature)
- Sales channel: Direct to consumers in Florida only — no wholesale
- Labels: 6 required elements, including the cottage food statement
How to sell granola legally
- 1Bag in heat-sealed or zip pouches with a clear label window
- 2Declare tree nuts and other allergens prominently
- 3Offer a rotating flavor plus 2–3 staples to drive repeat orders
- 4Sell 3-packs and monthly bundles to raise average order value
Storage & refrigeration
Granola qualifies because it's shelf-stable — safe at room temperature. Keep it that way: the moment you add a cream or custard filling, fresh dairy, or anything that needs refrigeration, it stops being a cottage food. Store and transport granola at room temperature and it stays compliant.
How to label granola
Every package of granola you sell needs a compliant label with all 6 required elements:
- 1Your cottage food business name and address
- 2The product name
- 3Ingredients, listed in descending order by weight
- 4Net weight or quantity
- 5Allergen declaration (milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish)
- 6The cottage food statement (exact wording, below)
“Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Florida's food safety regulations.”
This statement must appear word-for-word.
Where you can sell granola in Florida
Cottage food is sold direct to the customer, within Florida. For granola, that means:
✅ Allowed
- Farmers markets, fairs & events
- Home pickup and local delivery
- Online, phone & mail order — delivered in Florida
🚫 Not allowed
- Wholesale to stores/restaurants for resale
- Selling or shipping outside Florida
- More than $250,000 in gross sales per year
Pricing granola for profit
Add up your cost per unit (ingredients + packaging), multiply by 3–4× to cover your time and overhead, then sanity-check against what similar makers charge locally. Undercharging is the single most common mistake — your time is a real cost, not a freebie.
Free recipe cost calculatorCommon mistakes to avoid
- Underpricing — not counting your time, packaging, and market fees
- Missing a required label element, especially the exact cottage food statement
- Adding a filling or frosting that needs refrigeration, which quietly turns compliant granola non-compliant
- Selling across state lines or wholesale to a shop for resale
- Losing track of the $250,000/year gross sales cap
Not sure about a different product?
Check any food against Florida's rules in seconds with our free tool — then price it and label it with the rest of the toolkit.
Frequently asked questions
Can I include freeze-dried fruit in granola?
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Yes — freeze-dried and fully dried fruits are shelf-stable and allowed as ingredients.
Can I sell granola bars too?
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Yes, baked granola bars are allowed the same as loose granola. Keep coatings shelf-stable (chocolate is fine).
People also ask about
Official Florida sources
FDACS — Cottage Foods
Florida Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services — the official cottage food program.
Florida Statute 500.80
The cottage food law itself, on the Florida Legislature's official site.
This is general educational information, not legal advice. Cottage food rules change — always verify current requirements with FDACS before you sell.
Ready to start selling?
Get the step-by-step startup guide, free pricing tools, and a spot in Florida's cottage food directory.
Educational information, not legal advice. Verify current requirements with FDACS. Based on Florida Statute 500.80 as of 2026.