When deciding whether to sell food on Shef, it's important for you to understand the laws in your city and state. As a marketplace, we do not provide legal advice, but we want to provide useful links and information that may help you better understand laws and regulations in Wisconsin. This list is not exhaustive and there may be additional requirements or considerations based on your individual circumstances.

Wisconsin has permitted the sale of homemade canned goods prepared from home for quite some time but in 2017 the Institute for Justice successfully sued the state on behalf of three farmers and cottage food producers resulting in the ability to sell home-baked goods. In 2022, the Institute for Justice won another court case which resulted in a further expansion of the homemade food law. More information on the specifics of what is permitted under Wisconsin law can be found at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture.

Sellers are required to follow all state and local rules. If you would like to sell food items that are not covered by these laws, you are required to cook out of a commercial kitchen or other legal facility.

If you determine you need commercial kitchen space based on the regulations in your jurisdiction and your menu, there are many spaces for rent, including but not limited to a list we maintain here. If you need additional referrals, please email help@shef.com. Please note, we can't verify a specific commercial kitchen will meet your specific needs so be sure to do your own diligence before partnering with any location.

Maintaining the safety of the Shef community is our number one priority. All shefs are required to pass an accredited food safety certification exam and must maintain minimum quality ratings. [More information on food safety certifications can be found here and here.