Starting a Small Food Business
The Food Business Guide for Entrepreneurs
Do you have an idea for a new food product and want to start a business to make and sell it?
This guide intends to outline important considerations a Massachusetts food business owner must consider as they take a food product idea to market.
This guide is food safety focused and intended for food products sold on store shelves (retail and wholesale products) not for food trucks, restaurants, food stands, and bakeries. Food Service businesses such as those listed above should consult the Massachusetts MDPH retail food page.
The University of Massachusetts Extension office serves the commonwealth by providing
- Short course trainings related to food science
- Food Science research support
- Access to the Pilot Plant for research and development
The Pilot Plant at the flagship campus in Amherst, Massachusetts holds a number of specialized industrial equipment pieces to conduct research that may assist businesses in their product or process development.
There are many elements to starting a food business. Among these elements are a number of regulations and governing agencies aiming at protecting consumers and businesses alike.
Bite by bite, this guide will help guide you and your enterprise to success. Before you start committing time, effort and money into this venture it is highly recommended that you take a moment to gauge the road ahead. Think about and thoroughly consider what you want to happen and how you will get there. Write down your goals and define your expectations for your business.
This guide can be downloaded below or in the Additional Resources section.
