Optional reading
Selling food near you — Canada & U.S.
Neighbour selling is normal. Most people start with simple snacks or low-risk baking. Rules exist to keep people safe — not to scare you off. Read this when you want the overview; confirm details with your local authority before you scale.
Quick clarity
Gifting a friend vs selling on FrenzyGo
Sharing with friends (no sale)
Baking cookies and giving them to a friend or family member — no payment, no public listing — is generally not treated as a food business.
Charging money (especially on a marketplace)
Once you accept payment, advertise, take repeat orders, or list on FrenzyGo, you are usually selling to the public. Local food rules typically apply — even if the buyer is a neighbour you know.
There is no reliable “friends only” exemption once you charge for food on a platform. Start with low-risk items and check your area when you are ready.
Canada
Canada — start simple, stay local
Food safety is mostly provincial and local. Ontario is where FrenzyGo launched; other provinces have their own health authorities.
Ontario (homemade low-risk)
Ontario does not use a U.S.-style “cottage food” permit. Home sellers typically operate as a home-based food premise under public-health rules.
- Since 2020, low-risk, shelf-stable home foods are easier (cookies, muffins, bread, jam, granola, candy — method still matters).
- Notify your public health unit before you sell (Notice of Intent).
- Low-risk-only prep may skip some commercial kitchen requirements (e.g. dishwashing / food-handler cert — confirm with your PHU).
- Higher-risk items (meat, hot meals, many refrigerated dairy dishes) need proper setup — do not list these without clearance.
Ontario (sealed grocery & snacks)
Reselling factory-packaged chips, drinks, sauces, or specialty grocery in original sealed packaging is a different track — you are usually not manufacturing.
- Keep manufacturer labels intact (allergens already on the pack).
- Ontario-only resale of prepackaged goods often does not need a federal Safe Food for Canadians licence — confirm for your activity.
- You may still need municipal business / zoning checks, and GST/HST registration if you pass CRA thresholds.
Other Canadian provinces & territories
Rules vary. Before selling homemade food outside Ontario, contact your provincial or territorial health ministry / local public health office. Municipal zoning and business licensing still matter everywhere.
Full Ontario guidelines on FrenzyGo · Ontario MOH home food guide (PDF) · Find your Ontario public health unit
United States
United States — cottage food laws
Every state has some form of cottage food / home-food rules for low-risk products sold direct to consumers. Details differ a lot by state.
What is usually true
- Low-risk, shelf-stable foods (baked goods, jams, candies, dry mixes) are the common starting point.
- Direct-to-consumer sales are typical; wholesale and interstate shipping are often restricted.
- Labels usually need ingredients, allergens, net weight, your name/business, and a home-kitchen disclaimer.
- Some states need registration or training; a few “food freedom” states are lighter — always verify yours.
- City / county zoning and home-occupation permits can still apply even when state cottage food allows the product.
Search “your state cottage food law” or ask your state department of agriculture / health before listing. FrenzyGo does not replace that check.
Practical path
A calm way to begin
Suggested first steps
- Pick something simple: sealed snacks, drinks, or low-risk baking.
- Label honestly — especially allergens.
- When you are ready to charge regularly, make one short call to your local health / city office.
- List on FrenzyGo with clear lead times and pause when you cannot fulfill.
Guidance only — not legal advice. FrenzyGo is a marketplace: we do not issue food licences or inspect kitchens. You are responsible for what you sell where you live. See also our Seller Agreement.