How to label homemade popcorn for sale
Kettle corn and caramel corn are market staples, but the coating brings ingredients and allergens the plain kernel never had. Here is what a popcorn bag needs.
What your popcorn label needs
- ✓Product name. The common name of the food, so a buyer knows what it is.
- ✓Net quantity. Popcorn is sold by net weight, for example 6 oz.
- ✓Ingredient list. Every ingredient, listed heaviest-first by weight.
- ✓Allergen statement. A “Contains” line for any of the nine major allergens in your recipe.
- ✓Business name and address. Who made the food and where they can be reached.
- ✓Home-kitchen disclaimer. The cottage food sentence your state requires you to print.
Allergens to watch in popcorn
In popcorn, the allergens to watch are usually milk, and sometimes soy or tree nuts, depending on your butter, coating, and mix-ins. Your “Contains” line should reflect what is actually in your recipe, not a generic list.
Nutripane reads the allergens from your ingredients automatically, so the Contains line matches your recipe.
Do you need a Nutrition Facts panel for popcorn?
Flavored popcorn is usually exempt from the Nutrition Facts panel as a cottage food, unless you make a nutrition claim or sell wholesale.
Nutripane builds the Nutrition Facts panel and the ingredient, allergen, and disclaimer label from your recipe, so you are ready whether you need the panel or not.
One thing sellers miss on popcorn
Caramel and kettle coatings have their own sub-ingredients such as sugar, butter, and corn syrup. List them, and declare the butter as milk.
Questions
How do I label homemade popcorn for sale?
Bag it with the product name, net weight, a full ingredient list including the coating's sub-ingredients, an allergen Contains line, your business name and address, and your state's home-kitchen disclaimer. A panel is usually optional for cottage food.
Is caramel popcorn a cottage food?
In many states, yes, because it is shelf-stable. Confirm with your state's cottage food program, and make sure the label declares the dairy in the caramel and any nuts you add.
Where to sell your popcorn
Where you sell decides whether you need a full Nutrition Facts panel. Here is what each channel expects.
Guides to get you started
Labeling another food?
This page is general information, not legal advice. Food labeling and cottage food rules vary by state and county and change over time. Confirm current requirements with your state's cottage food program before you sell. See your state's rules or another product.