FAQ & About TrueCottage

TrueCottage is a hyper-local marketplace connecting Colorado home bakers and cottage food producers with buyers in their neighborhood. Think of it as a farmers market, open year-round and online.

Sellers list their homemade products (cookies, jams, breads, granola, and more), and buyers in the same area can browse and order directly from them. Every transaction is local, between real neighbors.

Etsy ships crafts across the country. TrueCottage connects you with producers in your own zip code. Fresh food shouldn't travel 2,000 miles.

There are no franchise fees, no corporate recipes, and no identical product served to 500 cities. Just your neighbor's chocolate chip cookies, baked this morning, available three blocks away.

Not yet. We launched in Colorado first, where cottage food laws are strong and well-defined. Texas is our next stop -- we're targeting a late 2026 launch there. More states will follow.

If you're outside Colorado and want to be notified when we launch in your state, join our waitlist.

The Tamale Act (HB26-1033) is a bipartisan bill that would expand Colorado's Cottage Food Act to let home cooks legally sell refrigerated foods and meat-based dishes like tamales, burritos, and stews. It would also raise the revenue cap, require state registration, and authorize random kitchen inspections.

It is sponsored by Rep. Monica Duran (D-Wheat Ridge) and Rep. Ryan Gonzalez (R-Greeley) in the House, and by Sen. Byron Pelton and Sen. Robert Rodriguez in the Senate. Governor Polis has publicly highlighted the bill.

Not yet. The Tamale Act passed the Colorado House on April 30, 2026 and is currently in the State Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. If the Senate passes it, the Governor would then need to sign it. After that, CDPHE would have to write the implementing regulations.

Until that whole process is complete, current cottage food law still applies. Refrigerated foods, meat-based dishes, and similar perishable items cannot be sold under the cottage food exemption today. A realistic timeline for being able to legally sell tamales is late 2026 to early 2027 at the earliest.

The biggest changes would be:

• Refrigerated foods allowed (cream-filled pastries, cheesecakes, dairy desserts, salsas)
• Meat-based dishes allowed (tamales, burritos, enchiladas, soups, stews)
• Higher revenue cap. The bill raises the cap from $10,000 in net revenues to $150,000 in gross revenues per calendar year, with annual inflation adjustments. The bill text continues to reference "each eligible food product," but exactly how that phrase will be applied under the new framework will depend on the final bill and on CDPHE rulemaking. We are intentionally not putting a more specific dollar figure on it here.
• State registration with CDPHE required before selling
• Additional food safety training on time and temperature control
• Random kitchen inspections allowed, with fines for violations

What would not change: in-Colorado-only sales, the required label disclosure, the prohibition on selling to retail stores or wholesalers, and the exclusion of raw milk and alcohol.

Yes. If the bill becomes law and CDPHE issues implementing regulations, we plan to add new product categories for refrigerated and meat-based foods, update seller onboarding to capture state registration numbers and the new safety certifications, and adjust pickup and delivery flows where needed (for example, shorter pickup windows on hot foods).

We'll communicate updates to existing sellers as the rulemaking process unfolds. Until then, our seller catalog remains focused on the foods Colorado law currently permits.

Colorado's Cottage Food Act allows individuals to prepare and sell certain non-hazardous foods from their home kitchen without needing a commercial kitchen license or state food manufacturing license.

Colorado's law is one of the most seller-friendly in the country. You can earn up to $10,000 per product, per year. Not $10,000 total for all products, but $10,000 for each distinct product you sell.

Yes. It's one of the most misunderstood parts of Colorado's law. The $10,000 cap applies per product, not per seller per year.

A seller offering three distinct products can legally earn up to $30,000 per year from their home kitchen. Add more product variations and the potential grows further.

Examples of distinct products under CO law:

• Classic chocolate chip cookies ($10k cap)
• Chocolate chip walnut cookies ($10k cap, separate product)
• Double chocolate cookies ($10k cap, separate product)
• Strawberry jam ($10k cap)
• Blueberry jam ($10k cap, separate product)

Always confirm the specific definitions with the CDPHE or a legal advisor for your situation. Interpretations can vary.

Colorado allows a broad range of non-hazardous, shelf-stable foods. Generally allowed:

• Baked goods (cookies, breads, cakes, muffins, pies with non-dairy filling)
• Candy and confections
• Jams, jellies, and preserves
• Dried herbs and herb blends
• Roasted coffee and tea
• Granola and cereals
• Nut butters
• Dried pasta
• Honey

Generally not allowed under the standard cottage food exemption:

• Products requiring refrigeration (cream-filled pastries, cheesecakes, most dairy)
• Raw meat or seafood
• Canned vegetables, pickles, or low-acid preserved foods (require separate licensing)
• Alcoholic products

When in doubt, check the official CDPHE list. Regulations can change.

Colorado does not require a full commercial food license for cottage food operations. That's the whole point of the law. However, some requirements do apply:

• Food safety training: Colorado requires cottage food producers to complete an approved food handler safety course. The CSU Cottage Food Safety Training is one approved option.
• Registration: Some counties or municipalities may require local business registration. Check with your county.
• Labeling: Products sold must carry specific labels. See the labeling question below.

You do not need a commercial kitchen, state food manufacturer license, or health department inspection under the cottage food exemption.

Colorado requires all cottage food products to be labeled with:

• Product name
• Your name and home address
• Net weight or volume
• Ingredient list (in descending order by weight)
• Allergen information (if applicable)
• The statement: "This product was produced in a home kitchen that is not inspected by the Department of Public Health and Environment or local health agency."

See CDPHE labeling requirements for the full official guidance.

Yes. Colorado's Cottage Food Act allows direct sales including home delivery, as long as the sale remains within Colorado. You can sell at farmers markets, from your home, or through delivery. The law does not restrict the sales channel for direct-to-consumer transactions.

On TrueCottage, sellers set their own service radius and decide whether they offer pickup, delivery, or both.

It's free to sign up and list your first products. Here's how:

• Create an account at truecottage.com/signup
• Select "Seller" during setup
• Enter your business info, cottage food license/certification, and service radius
• List your products with photos, descriptions, pricing, and ingredient details
• Buyers in your area will start finding you

The whole setup takes about 10 minutes.

Sellers pay no platform fee at launch. Buyers pay a 5% service fee on top of their order subtotal at checkout.

Where the 5% goes: About 3% covers payment processing through Stripe. The rest covers hosting, image storage, email delivery, customer support, and the costs of running a marketplace.

Sellers keep 100% of their listed price. There are no monthly fees, no listing fees, and no upfront costs. You only pay when you make a sale.

Yes. That's explicitly covered by Colorado's Cottage Food Act. Home kitchens used for cottage food production are not required to be inspected by state or local health departments. This is one of the key features of the law.

This does not mean you can ignore food safety. You're still responsible for maintaining a clean, safe kitchen and following good food handling practices. The required food safety training course covers these standards.

Cottage food products sold directly to consumers in Colorado are generally exempt from state sales tax as food for home consumption. However, tax rules can be nuanced; items sold at events or certain packaged goods may be treated differently.

We recommend consulting a tax advisor or CPA familiar with Colorado food sales rules. TrueCottage does not currently collect or remit sales tax on transactions.

Colorado's Cottage Food Act covers non-hazardous, shelf-stable foods: items that don't require refrigeration and have a long safety track record (baked goods, jams, candy, dried goods). These foods carry very low food safety risk compared to temperature-controlled products like meat or dairy.

All Colorado cottage food sellers are required by law to complete food safety training and to label their products with allergen information. Sellers on TrueCottage agree to our Terms of Service and represent that their products comply with Colorado law.

TrueCottage does not inspect seller kitchens. If you have questions about a specific product (ingredients, allergens, or preparation), contact the seller directly through the platform before purchasing.

Enter your zip code on the browse page. TrueCottage will show you all active products from sellers within your service area. You'll see the seller's general area (city/neighborhood) and can view their full product listings.

Sellers are required to list allergen information on every product. You'll find this information on each product page.

If you have a serious allergy, we strongly recommend contacting the seller directly before ordering to confirm ingredients and cross-contamination risks. Home kitchens may handle multiple allergens (nuts, dairy, gluten) and are not subject to the same allergen controls as commercial facilities.

It depends on the seller. Some sellers offer delivery within their radius; others are pickup only. You'll see the fulfillment options available on each seller's products before you order.