Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I catered my wedding with my pasta dish and received a lot of people requesting me to make it for them. I ordered through the internet microwave safe trays and produced about 30 of them and handed them out to different people to see what the feedback would be and everyone said that they wanted more and they would pay for it so i believe i have something good going on. My dilemma is that it has meat in it and  I have heard that i need FDA approval as well as insurance but do not know where to start or those upfront costs. From reading some of the articles it is a great idea to rent out a kitchen so that helped me out in that but what do i have to do for the rest and what should be my first steps in starting my business /  NEED ADVICE

I`ll try since no one else has yet.  I have worked and still work for an FDA regulated company.  They are pretty strict, which is a good thing, but also under-staffed.  Your best bet is to go straight to the FDA and see what they can tell you.  If not, maybe they can lead you.  I know on home businesses or small businesses they will check your kitchen closely.  I work in pharmaceuticals, so processes, deviations, things like that here.  Another avenue may be any type of SBA in your state.  They may have something on this.  Same with the business insurance.  I would definitely recommend insurrance and incorporating or getting yourself out of the way of lawsuits since it is food.

 

So, if you are good with your product, I`d call the FDA first to see if it is feasible for you, then the SBA and then get an llc or inc and business insurance.  Good luck.