AskHACCP: Opening a Café, Cured Meat Production, Local Butchery, Market, or Retail Store

What Licenses You Actually Need

Thinking about launching a butcher shop, café, market, or retail store? Whether you are producing cured meats for a café menu, opening a local butchery, or adding a meat counter to your market, licensing is one of the first real decisions you will face. The regulatory map includes federal, state, and local layers, and getting the proper license mix from the start will save time, money, and costly redesigns.

Step #1: Who Regulates You?

Retail only within your state If you are selling directly to the end consumer within one state, you will likely be regulated by your state’s department of agriculture or state/local health department. Many states operate their own meat and poultry inspection programs for intrastate commerce.

Wholesale or interstate If you sell to other businesses or ship across state lines, you fall under the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) for meat and poultry.

Custom exempt and poultry exemptions Custom exempt meat is not for sale and must be returned to the owner of the animal. Poultry exemptions exist but have strict limits. Neither is a substitute for official inspection if you plan to wholesale or sell across state lines.

Common Licenses and Permits You May Need for a Café, Cured Meat Production, Local Butchery, Market, or Retail Store

Depending on your sales model and activities, you may need one or more of the following licenses and permits:

• Food Processing or Food Establishment License: Required in most states if you prepare, process, or package food for sale. Covers activities like cutting, grinding, seasoning, curing, fermenting, smoking, cooking, and reduced oxygen packaging (ROP).

• Retail Food Store or Food Service License: Needed for markets, cafés, or butcheries selling directly to consumers. These are often issued by state or local health departments.

• USDA Grant of Inspection: Required for wholesale or interstate sales of meat and poultry products. Requires a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan and daily inspection.

• ROP Variance: Needed if you use vacuum sealing or other reduced oxygen packaging methods. Requires a validated HACCP plan.

• Local Health Department Permit: Common for on-site dining or food service operations.

• Zoning and Building Approvals: Before construction or remodeling, confirm your space is zoned for your intended use.

Processing vs. Retail: Where the Line Is...

If you only sell sealed, labeled products from an approved, inspected source, you may fall under retail regulations. Once you alter that product, you are likely considered a processor. Activities that usually trigger processing requirements:

• Grinding or mixing

• Seasoning, curing, fermenting, or smoking

• Cooking for shelf life or ready-to-eat service

• Using ROP or vacuum packaging for extended shelf life

ROP and Variance Expectations

Reduced oxygen packaging requires strict controls for food safety. A variance request will usually include:

• A written HACCP plan

• Validated parameters for time and temperature

• Detailed logs for refrigeration, sealing, and shelf life

• Staff training documentation

Facility and Flow Planning

Before approval, regulators will review your facility for compliance. Expect to document:

• Durable, cleanable surfaces

• Dedicated handwashing sinks

• Separation of raw and ready-to-eat areas

• Refrigeration capacity for both peak load and cooling steps

• Calibrated thermometers, scales, and pH or aw meters as applicable

• Sanitation SSOPs, allergen control, mop and handwashing sinks, and pest management procedures

• ROP station controls and label management

Labeling Basics

Labeling rules differ under USDA and FDA, but plan early to avoid costly reprints. Key elements include:

• Product name and safe handling statements where required

• Ingredient list with sub-ingredients as needed

• Allergen declaration for the nine major allergens, including sesame

• Net weight, business name and address, and lot coding

• Nutrition Facts when not exempt

• Process Authority letters or scheduled processes where applicable
  

Common Startup Models

Café with cured or cooked meats: Food establishment license, local food service permit, HACCP and ROP variance if applicable, process authority support.

Local butchery with fresh meat case and menu items: Food establishment license, retail food store permit if required, local health permit for food service, and possible ROP variance.

Wholesale or interstate cured meat or fresh meat products: USDA Grant of Inspection with a complete HACCP system.

Red Flag Checklist: Avoid These Costly Mistakes

These are common pitfalls that can delay licensing or trigger costly redesigns.

• Starting construction before confirming zoning and licensing requirements

• Buying ROP equipment without having a variance or HACCP in place

• Designing without raw/ready-to-eat separation

• Skipping labeling review before printing

• Assuming local permits cover state or federal requirements

• Using an exempt product for retail sale

• Forgetting to plan for adequate refrigeration and cooling capacity

AskHACCP: Top 6 Licensing Questions We Hear

Q1: If I’m only slicing meat or cheese to order, do I need a processing license? If you are only slicing product from an inspected, sealed package and handing it directly to the customer for immediate consumption, you are usually considered retail. The moment you repackage, vacuum seal, or prepare items for later sale, you are entering processing territory and may need a processing license and written procedures.

Q2: Can I start using ROP equipment before my variance is approved? No. Most states require your variance and HACCP plan to be approved before you operate ROP equipment. Using it without approval can result in enforcement action, product destruction, or loss of your license.

Q3: Do I need both state and federal inspection? Not at the same time. You will either be under your state’s inspection program or the USDA FSIS, depending on whether you sell only within your state or across state lines. Some states have no meat inspection program, so any meat processing for sale automatically falls under the USDA FSIS.

Q4: If I add café seating to my butchery or market, do I need a separate license? Often yes. Many states require a separate food service permit for on-site dining, even if you already have a processing or retail license. This can include specific requirements for restrooms, handwashing, and food handling.

Q5: Can I wholesale baked goods or other foods if I already have a meat license? Not necessarily. Non-meat foods like baked goods, sauces, or dairy products may fall under different regulatory bodies and licensing requirements. You may need separate approval, depending on your state and product category.

Q6: If my products are only sold frozen, does that change my licensing needs? No. Licensing is based on the type of food and how it is processed, not just its storage temperature. Frozen products still require the same licenses, HACCP, and labeling as refrigerated or shelf-stable versions.

Get Help Before You Build

Sequence matters. Define your sales channels, map your processes, and prepare your labeling and HACCP framework before ordering equipment or starting construction. This will keep you inspection-ready and prevent costly redesigns.

AskHACCP

Every operation is different. If you are unsure whether your plan crosses into processing territory, if you are considering ROP, or if you need a quick pre-build compliance check, the AskHACCP Hotline offers fast, targeted guidance to help you make the right decisions before you invest time and money.

We can:

• Identify licenses and permits for your exact model

• Review license and permit submissions before they are filed

• Discuss your HACCP plan or ROP variance requirements

• Review layouts, zoning, and SOPs before inspection

• Provide quick reviews of labeling and documentation to align with your processes
  

We focus on catching compliance gaps early, so you can move forward with confidence. Do not wait until inspection day to find a problem you could have solved in the planning stage.

Need Help? 

Contact the AskHACCP Hotline: info@agriforaging.com  Visit our website: https://www.agriforaging.com/ask-haccp Call: (845) 481-0820