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How to sell food online

Short answer

Check your state's cottage food law first: it decides what you can make at home, whether you can sell online and how orders reach buyers. Then take orders on your own site or a pre-order tool like Hotplate, with pickup or delivery. Selling across state lines brings FDA rules into play, so check those before shipping.

Two ways to sell, and which is yours

Sell through a pre-order platform

Hotplate runs drops: customers order and pay during a set window, you make exactly what's ordered, and they pick up at the time and place you choose. It's built for chefs, bakers and pop-ups, but buyers order from Hotplate's page, not yours.

Best for

Home bakers and pop-ups selling weekly batches locally.

Sell your own brand from your site

A site on your domain shows your menu, allergens, pickup spots and the label statement your state requires, and keeps every customer's email for the next bake. Replo builds it on your brand, and its checkout takes one-time payments for simple items like a box of cookies.

Best for

Food sellers with regulars, catering clients or a market following.

Where to sell food and what each platform charges

Fees for selling food
Your own site (Replo checkout)Your Replo plan2.9% + $0.30 card processingReplo checkout runs on Stripe, and Replo's docs list no extra per-sale fee.
HotplateNo monthly fee or setup cost2.9% + $0.30 processing; buyers pay Hotplate's feeCustomers pay Hotplate's 5% + $0.55 at checkout unless you choose to cover it.
Etsy$0.20 a listing6.5% + 3% + $0.25 processingOffsite Ads take 15% of sales they bring in, or 12% once you pass $10,000 a year.

Pre-order tools and marketplaces take a cut but bring order windows and buyers. Your own site keeps more of each box once regulars know where to order.

What you keep on a $24 box of cookies

Each platform's fees on one $24 sale, before shipping, taxes, monthly plans and any ads you choose to buy.

  1. Your own site (Replo checkout)$23.00 kept, $1.00 in fees
  2. Hotplate$23.00 kept, $1.00 in fees
  3. Etsy$21.27 kept, $2.73 in fees

Product pages brands run ads to

Real product pages that brands are sending Meta ads to right now, captured from Replo's ad library, and one thing on each worth copying.

  • Béquet caramel sauce page with a large jar photo, a short headline, two buttons and trust icons

    Béquet Confections

    Sea Salt Caramel Sauce

    37 Meta ads linked here

    The ad link opens a landing-style view of the product page: one headline, two buttons, then four trust icons.

    See the page
  • Louisville Jerky page for plant-based meat sticks with pack sizes, a subscribe box and delivery frequency buttons

    Louisville Vegan Jerky Co.

    Road Stick

    25 Meta ads linked here

    Pack size buttons (5, 10, 15) sit above a subscribe box preset to every 2 weeks, with one-time purchase below.

    See the page
  • Clio bundle builder page with a banner of yogurt bars, flavor filters and a bundle size picker

    Clio

    Build Your Bundle

    18 Meta ads linked here

    A sticky bundle box lets shoppers pick 4, 5 or 6 boxes while they add flavors from the grid beside it.

    See the page

Launch checklist

  • Read your state's cottage food page, since online sales, shipping and allowed foods differ by state.
  • In Texas, an online cottage food order must be delivered in person by you, an employee or a household member.
  • Post your full label information on your website before taking payment, as Texas requires for online orders.
  • Label each item with your business name, the food's name, major allergens and your state's home-kitchen statement.
  • Finish a food handler course; Texas requires basic food safety training for every cottage food operator.
  • Set an order cutoff and pickup windows so you bake exactly what sold and nothing goes to waste.

Build your food business site

Replo builds a site on your brand with your menu, allergen notes, pickup details and checkout for simple one-time orders.

The prompt Replo starts from

Build a website for my home bakery, [business name], in [city]. Include a homepage with this week's menu and prices, a page for each item with ingredients and major allergens, our cottage food label statement, a pickup and delivery section, an about page, reviews, and a custom cake request form that asks for date, servings and flavor.
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Frequently asked questions

Can I make food at home and sell it online?
Yes, in many states, under cottage food laws, but the rules vary. Texas, for example, allows online cottage food sales only when the operator, an employee or a household member delivers the food in person. Check your own state's cottage food page before you list anything.
Do you need FDA approval to sell food online?
No. FDA says a private residence isn't a food facility and doesn't have to register with it. FDA does regulate food sold in interstate commerce, though, and your state and local health department set the rules for home kitchens.
Do I need an LLC to sell food?
No. You can sell as a sole proprietor, which the SBA describes as easy to form, but your personal assets aren't separate from the business. An LLC protects you from personal liability in most cases, which matters more once you sell food to strangers.
What is the easiest food to sell from home?
It depends on your state's list. Texas now allows any cottage food except meat and poultry, seafood, ice, low-acid canned goods, CBD or THC products and raw milk. Foods that need refrigeration come with extra label rules, so shelf-stable bakes are simpler.

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