A first step for food founders

Your food business startup checklist

Not sure what to investigate first? Use this checklist to organize the questions that shape your plan. Requirements and guidance can vary by location, business type, product, and how you prepare and sell food, so confirm what applies to your setup with the relevant authorities.

Work through what applies to you

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Describe your business

Decide what you plan to sell and how customers can buy it.
Write down where food will be prepared, stored, transported, and sold or served.

Gather location- and product-specific questions

List permit, zoning, and approval questions to verify with the local and state authorities relevant to your setup.
Ask the relevant food-safety authority what guidance applies to your products, preparation process, and sales locations.

Sketch out the work

Outline your likely customers, product or menu, pricing, startup costs, and day-to-day operations.
If you plan to sell at events, ask each organizer about vendor requirements, setup, service timing, and what to bring.

Keep track of what you learn

Note who you contacted, what they advised, when you confirmed it, and what still needs follow-up.

This checklist helps you organize questions; it does not determine which rules apply to your business.

Keep moving at your own pace

Catering Launch Kit
A paid, print-ready workbook for catering planning.
Food business planning worksheet
A general planning worksheet for food businesses, including food trucks.
Event operations resources
Find the checklist and catering workbook prompts for event operations.
Home-based food business resources
The index has general resources; no type-specific guide is published yet.