Maine Cottage Food Label Requirements

The required label statement

Good news — Maine does not require a home-kitchen disclaimer sentence on the label. Maine mandates NO home-kitchen disclaimer sentence — do not print one. Labels under 01-001 C.M.R. ch. 345 §7 carry only identity, ingredient, quantity and producer items.

What must be on your label

• The common or usual name of the product (01-001 C.M.R. ch. 345 §7(A))
• Ingredients in order of predominance (ch. 345 §7(B))
• Net weight or numerical count (ch. 345 §7(C))
• The name and address of the producer, manufacturer or distributor and zip code (ch. 345 §7(D))
• A label is required when the item is sold to stores, wholesale for further distribution, or retailed through any form of public marketing (farmers' markets, fairs, online); when sold directly to a consumer from the home, the product does not require a label (ch. 345 §7)
• Allergen declaration per federal law (FALCPA) — not listed in ch. 345 but applies to packaged food; Maine's misbranding statute 22 M.R.S. §2157(5) and (9) independently requires name/place of business, quantity of contents, common name and ingredients on packaged food

Example: a Maine label for a bag of butter cookies

An illustrative worksheet with the lines Maine requires, and placeholders for your own details. It is not an approved product label or a tested recipe. Replace the ingredients and the measured package quantity with your actual product information.

The example ingredient order follows the input weights in our butter-cookie recipe. It does not establish the weight of a finished bag. Any additions or supplier sub-ingredients must be reflected in your own label.

Before you print

1. Match every ingredient and sub-ingredient to your actual recipe and supplier labels.
2. Check the allergen declaration, the filled package's net quantity, and producer details.
3. Confirm the product and sales setup with the Maine program; do not infer registration or an exemption from this example.
4. Review the whole package, including any required information placed outside the Nutrition Facts panel.

Maine cottage food label questions

Does a Maine cottage food label need a home-kitchen statement?

No. Maine mandates NO home-kitchen disclaimer sentence — do not print one. Labels under 01-001 C.M.R. ch. 345 §7 carry only identity, ingredient, quantity and producer items.

Do I need a license or registration to sell cottage food in Maine?

Yes. A Home Food License from DACF Quality Assurance & Regulations is required to operate a food establishment (22 M.R.S. §2167): annual application, $20 per year (01-001 C.M.R. ch. 330 §2(G) 'Home Food Manufacturing'); the Department inspects the premises before the licence is issued or renewed and must issue within 30 days if the kitchen complies (ch. 345 §8). Covers shelf-stable, non-potentially-hazardous foods; refrigerated/TCS products need a commercial processing licence. Under the Maine Food Sovereignty Act (7 M.R.S. §284) a municipality may adopt an ordinance exempting direct producer-to-consumer transactions from state licensing — check whether your town has one.

Is there a sales limit for Maine cottage food?

No annual cap is set: none — no annual sales cap appears in 22 M.R.S. §2167, 01-001 C.M.R. ch. 345 or ch. 330 (argument from silence).

Where can I sell cottage food in Maine?

Licensed home food manufacturers may sell from the home, at farmers' markets and other public marketing, to stores and wholesale (ch. 345 §7 contemplates store, wholesale and public-marketing sales). In food-sovereignty towns, unlicensed direct producer-to-consumer transactions (at the farm or home, roadside stands, farmers' markets, buying clubs, deliveries, CSAs — 7 M.R.S. §282) are governed by the local ordinance; state meat and poultry inspection is never waived (7 M.R.S. §285).

Does a Maine cottage food label need a Nutrition Facts panel?

Not by state cottage-food law unless a nutrient content or health claim is made; the federal small-business exemption usually applies. If you choose to print a panel, it has to be complete and correctly formatted.