Retail sales of smoked meats????

[Big_John]

So... the wife and I are getting really close to retiring and I have wondered about Smoking and Curing meats to sell ... retail. We have a country store that sells a lot of locally produced veggies, pasta, meats, etc...

.... And I wonder what it would take for an individual to produce sausages, both fresh and smoked/cured for sale???

I assume this is dealing with the FDA... Anyone have experience with this? I assume there is licensing and inspections....

Is it worth it?

PS. Sometimes I wonder if all the labor is worth an additional $500 a month in profit??????

 

[SmokinEdge]

So... the wife and I are getting really close to retiring and I have wondered about Smoking and Curing meats to sell ... retail. We have a country store that sells a lot of locally produced veggies, pasta, meats, etc...

.... And I wonder what it would take for an individual to produce sausages, both fresh and smoked/cured for sale???

I assume this is dealing with the FDA... Anyone have experience with this? I assume there is licensing and inspections....

Is it worth it?

PS. Sometimes I wonder if all the labor is worth an additional $500 a month in profit??????

Most likely not. We’ve thought hard about it too. You will need a commercial kitchen with all stainless, and a USDA inspection often. Along with commercial grade refrigeration and freezer.

I make and sell all sorts of smoked meats to close friends and family under the radar. Much more than that it’s a job and a low paying job at that.

 

[SmokeRing0909]

Here in Alabama you need a permit/ license from the county health department. They will provide you with the list of requirements and yes you will be subject to monthly inspections. That is if you are preparing meats. Cold smoked foods might be different

 

[Big_John]

That's what I thought.... Thanks for the feedback.

I will keep it to friends and family.

 

[jcam222]

To make an extra 500 a month I can't imagine it's worth it. I'd think at a minimum you are looking at needing a licensed commercial kitchen , licenses, serv safe certs , insurance etc. Unless you want a full time business way to much goes into it.

 

[Straw_Sticks_Bricks]

I looked into selling smoked and/or cured meats a couple years ago when coworkers asked to buy some. My conclusion was that if you weren't doing it as a full time job then it wasn't worth the effort. The short list of things needed was a business license, health department approved kitchen, and insurance to cover the liability. I gave up there before looking into what each of those things required.

If you are looking for products to boost sales in your country store I'd look into baked goods. In my state, Missouri, they have much more lenient requirements. Also, there are lots of sourdough threads on these forums, and from what I have seen in my travels, a lack of good sourdough items for sale.

 

[dward51]

Don't forget the cost of insurance!!!! That's a must have for food production. All you need is one "incident" and that extra $500 can cost you everything even if it was not your fault.