How to Start a Home-Based Food Business

Dreaming of selling your homemade treats or meals? In Riverside County, you can turn that dream into reality—right from your own kitchen!

With two main options, the California Cottage Food Operation (CFO) and Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKO), local home cooks can legally start selling food to the community. Whether you’re into baking cookies, making jams, or cooking fresh, hot meals, there’s a path for you.

Here’s a quick look at both options:

1. Cottage Food Operation (CFO) – Perfect for selling non-perishable items like baked goods or jams, directly from home.
2. Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKO) – Allows you to prepare a wider variety of foods, including fresh, cooked meals, with options for dine-in or take-out from your kitchen.

Each program has a few rules, so choosing the right one depends on the types of food you want to make and how you plan to sell them. Download our free ebook for the complete guide.