Cottage food rules
Wisconsin Cottage Food Law: Ingredient Labels
Know exactly what to print on a Wisconsin label, and what to leave off.
On this page
What to remember
- Packaged goods need to state what the product is, who is responsible for it, and the net quantity.
- The ingredient list is how a customer spots something that could trigger an allergic reaction.
- Small businesses may qualify for an exemption from nutrition labeling.
- Wisconsin sets no dollar limit on cottage food sales, so your kitchen and your time are the real ceiling.
If you bake from your kitchen in Wisconsin and sell to neighbors and market regulars, the label is the first thing they read. It is also the easiest thing to get wrong when you are printing stickers at the kitchen table at ten at night. Here is what the state guidance actually asks for, and how to build a label you can trust. If you sell in more than one state, it also helps to read how to research your state’s cottage food laws before you order a big roll of labels.
What has to be on the label
Wisconsin’s labeling guidance for packaged goods centers on three basics. The label has to clearly state the product’s identity, name the responsible distributor, packer, or manufacturer, and give the product’s net quantity. Those three pieces are the frame. Your ingredient list sits inside that frame and does the job the frame cannot do, which is tell a person what is actually in the bake.
Name the product
Write what it is in plain words at the top, the way a customer would ask for it at your table.
Name who is responsible
Put your business name and contact details on as the responsible producer, along with your town and state.
Give the net quantity
State how much is in the package so a customer knows what they are paying for.
List the ingredients
Write out what went into the batch, in words a neighbor can read quickly on a phone.
Why the ingredient list carries the most weight
The ingredient list identifies products that consumers may need to avoid due to potential allergic reactions or other health concerns. That is the whole reason it matters. Somebody’s child has a nut allergy, somebody else cannot have dairy, and your sticker is the only warning they get before they hand over cash. Keep the list complete and keep it readable. If you want to see how another state words its label rules, the Virginia cottage food label requirements walkthrough is a useful comparison.
You may not need a full nutrition panel either. Small businesses may qualify for exemptions from nutrition labeling under Wisconsin rules, so check where you fit before you pay a printer. Many home bakers find a clean ingredient list plus the three required basics is the work that actually matters.
Where Wisconsin home baker rules stand right now
Generally, a food processing license or a retail food establishment license is required to produce and sell food products in Wisconsin, but there are exceptions written into statute. As of November 2024, certain court orders prohibit enforcement of licensing requirements for home bakers who make baked goods that are not potentially hazardous and sell them directly to consumers. On December 28, 2022, the Lafayette County Circuit Court extended that ruling to home producers who make any foods that are not potentially hazardous and sell those items directly to consumers.
No dollar cap, so the ceiling is your kitchen
Wisconsin sets no dollar limit on cottage food sales. That means the thing holding your business back is not a statutory cap, it is how many batches you can turn out and how many hours you have. If you are thinking about growing past your own oven, states with the best cottage food laws is worth a read before you plan too far ahead.
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- Oregon cottage food label requirements
- Research your state’s cottage food laws
- States with the best cottage food laws
Common questions
Does every bake I sell need an ingredient list?
Wisconsin's labeling guidance for packaged goods requires the product identity, the responsible distributor, packer, or manufacturer, and the net quantity. The ingredient list is the part that tells a customer what is inside so they can avoid something that could cause an allergic reaction, which is why it belongs on anything you wrap and sell.
Does Wisconsin limit how much I can sell?
No. Wisconsin sets no dollar limit on cottage food sales, so the real ceiling on growth is your own kitchen and your time rather than a statutory cap.
Do I need a nutrition panel on my labels?
Small businesses may qualify for exemptions from nutrition labeling under Wisconsin rules. Check where you fit before you pay for printing.
Can I sell baked goods from my home kitchen right now?
A food processing license or retail food establishment license is generally required to produce and sell food in Wisconsin, but there are exceptions in statute. As of November 2024, certain court orders prohibit enforcement of licensing requirements for home bakers making baked goods that are not potentially hazardous and selling directly to consumers.
Who counts as the responsible party on my label?
The label has to name the responsible distributor, packer, or manufacturer. For a home baker, that is you and your business, with your contact details and your town and state.
Sources
General information only, not legal advice. Labeling and licensing rules change. Confirm current requirements with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection before you print labels or take orders.