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Selling at farmers markets in NYC
Anonymous7 views3 answers
Hi,
I am looking to start a business, specifically selling chocolates I bake at a farmers market in NYC. What licenses and/or permits would I need in order to sell chocolates to customers from a stand at a farmers market such as Smorgasburg or Greenmarket? I tried contacting both the arrangers of these markets, but they have been no help as I've received no response.
If any attorney here can help me with this I would be interested in also retaining you to help me form the business and anything else along the road that comes up, so please leave your contact information.
Thank you
I would advise you to discuss this with an attorney. It might seem like a simple list of permits and/or licenses would suffice, unfortunately it’s not that cut and dry. In New York, Farmers Markets are regulated by the Department of Agriculture and Markets. The Department is not as strict on Farmers Markets as it is on retail stores. However, that leniency extends to farm produced foods (ex: fresh fruits, eggs, etc…). You are looking to sell chocolate, which raises different issues and things to consider. I'm assuming you bake the chocolates at home. What ingredients do you use? Are any fruits or nuts included in the chocolates? There may be packaging and labeling requirements, along with a myriad of other issues to consider.
Generally, when starting a new business it is best to speak with an attorney from the beginning! A good attorney will do more than just prepare the appropriate documents, but will also identify issues not readily apparent and provide invaluable assistance in the business planning. This will pay dividends!
I suggest going to the DCA (Department of Consumer Affairs) website to get a bit of information about the permits that are being offered. You will most likely need Temporary Street Fair Vendor permit, but more information is necessary to help.
