Do you need a vendor's license to sell food in the Strip? (Sharpsburg: insurance)

[alastad]

And do you need to pay to set up a stand? My roommate makes homemade spaghetti sauce and we plan on canning it and selling it at the Strip.

[bluecarebear]

Do you have a commercial kitchen (which you need in PA for processed foods)? Had it inspected by the Health Department? Did you ask them about the permits and regulations to sell, store, and possibly serve (another permit) food samples? Do you have labels printed with the required information? What about insurance in case someone gets sick and sues you? I could go on...

[sskink]

Originally Posted by alastad

And do you need to pay to set up a stand? My roommate makes homemade spaghetti sauce and we plan on canning it and selling it at the Strip.

Contact Joe Witzel at the Allegheny County Health Dept. As bluecare mentioned, you will need a commercial kitchen and a SafeServ certification at a minimum to begin production for commercial consumption, and in your case, some kind of a co-packing environment. If you're not distributing outside your stand, labeling might not be a huge issue.

For kitchens, you can check out La Dorita in Sharpsburg, or Republic Food Enterprises down in Republic. There are also a number of churches and community centers with kitchens that will meet ACHD requirements.

As far as a stand goes, you'd need to negotiate with whatever business you plan on being in front of. I'm not sure if you'll need an actual vendor's license, but you would be expected to provide insurance, same as a vendor at a farmer's market would.