Opening a can of worms?

[Bruce L]

I have our maple butter in a couple of local stores,am considering putting it in a larger chain store in a bigger city. Just wondering if I am going to be inviting inspectors in to check and see that I don't make the maple butter in a restaurant style kitchen. I looked at the syrup in the store,it had a c.f.i.a number clearly marked on the label. Thoughts? Thanks

[ennismaple]

Bruce - as long as you are selling Ontario made syrup in Ontario, CFIA registration isn't necessary as far as I know. You may attract an OMAFRA inspector but having your products in any store or at farmer's markets may get their attention. We get a call from them about once every 5 years. They want to buy a 500mL bottle and it's normally some 20 year old university student who comes to get it. That's how they get syrup for the lead sampling, grading conformance and density tests that are presented at the OMSPA winter meetings.

If you can sell more value added products I say go for it!

[Maple Man 85]

Regardless you're opening yourself up to liability the more places you sell. The first question is do you have proper liability insurance to sell (incase something happens including a recall plan) and second if you're selling to a store I've had customers ask to see my commercial kitchen license. Stores don't want to be liable for selling a product that comes from a non-licensed facility. Just my two cent...

[maple flats]

I can't address other states or Canada's regs. but in New York State a law was just passed that allows producers to make and sell maple cream or butter without a certified commercial kitchen. However if sold to other states it still requires one to have a certified commercial kitchen. In either case, liability insurance is vital, and a method of tracking batches produced.

[DrTimPerkins]

Also important to check the local regulations. In some areas you can add preservative to maple cream....in other places (including Vermont), you cannot.