Requirements for Starting a Wholesale Bakery Business in New Jersey

Wholesale bakeries must obtain a license to operate in New Jersey. The state's Food and Drug Safety Program defines a wholesale food establishment as a business that produces, manufactures, prepares, packages, stores, handles or transports food intended for sale or distribution to any business or person other than the end consumer. Bakeries that sell their baked goods to other businesses must register as a wholesale food establishment in New Jersey.

Wholesale License

A New Jersey wholesale bakery must apply for a wholesale food establishment license before operating as a wholesaler. The state’s Food and Drug Safety Program allows wholesale food establishments to operate as soon as their license application and application fee are received. Inspections take place after the license is granted, and wholesalers must be in full operation at the time of inspection. The application fee is based on the wholesale business’s annual gross. As of November 2011, a wholesale bakery with an annual gross of $100,000 or less must pay a $150 annual fee; those with an annual gross between $100,000 and $500,000 must pay a $500 annual fee; and a bakery with an annual gross over $500,000 must pay a $1,000 annual fee. Wholesale bakeries can download a wholesale food establishment application from the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services website (see Resources).

Food Sanitation Regulations and Inspections

The New Jersey Food and Drug Safety Program inspects all wholesale food businesses to ensure that the establishment complies with the state's food sanitation regulations before issuing a license to operate. The inspection covers a variety of standards, such as water supply and plumbing, employee hygiene and health, sanitation and cleaning operations, and utensil and equipment maintenance. Bakeries must obtain a satisfactory inspection rating to receive their wholesale license. Bakery owners can obtain a list of sanitation standards and regulations at the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services website (see Resources).

Food Labeling

Wholesale bakeries must package and label their products to comply with the labeling requirements of both New Jersey and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. All packaged food must include the product’s name, the bakery’s name, a list of ingredients, the product's weight, the country of origin and a nutrition facts section. The New Jersey Food and Drug Safety Program provides wholesale food establishments with a food label guide to ensure that their labels meet federal and state standards. Bakery owners can download this guide at the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services website (see Resources).

Considerations

Whether the products of a New Jersey wholesale bakery enter interstate commerce, the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 requires that any wholesale food facility that manufactures, processes or packages food for consumption in the United States must register with the FDA. Wholesale facilities can register by phone, in writing, or online at the FDA website (see Resources).

References

• New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services: Starting a Wholesale Food Business in New Jersey
• New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services: Frequently Asked Questions
• New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services: Wholesale Food and Cosmetic Project
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Registration of Food Facilities
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Food Facilities - Registration/Cancellation by Paper (Mail or FAX) or CD-ROM

Resources

• New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services: Initial Application for License to Operate a Wholesale Food-Cosmetic Establishment
• New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services: Sanitation In Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverage Establishments
• New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services: Parts of a Food Label Guide
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Online Registration of Food Facilities