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Selling home baking in New Brunswick
Home-prepared low-risk foods can be sold at qualifying public markets.
The lay of the land
- ✓NB's current guidelines (March 2026) say it plainly: preparing non-potentially-hazardous foods in a home kitchen for sale only at a public market needs no licence, no fee, no application. A “public market” means 3+ vendors selling regularly together — farmers' markets and flea markets count.
- ✓The venue restriction is strict: market vendors are expressly not permitted to deliver, cater, or have customers pick up at their home. Orders may be submitted and picked up at the market stall — which is exactly the pre-order pattern, relocated.
- ✓There is a licensed path for a wider menu: with a (free) public-market food premises licence, a regional medical officer of health can approve your home kitchen for certain higher-risk foods — capped at 3 or fewer market days a week.
- ✓Licensed Class 4 vendors need someone present with a recognized food-handling certificate. Exempt low-risk vendors don't.
- ✓Running an OurCakewalk storefront in NB: pre-orders picked up at your market stall are expressly contemplated; porch pickup at home is not. Confirm your exact setup with a public health inspector.
Usually fine from a home kitchen
- ✓At public markets only — breads and rolls
- ✓Cakes, muffins, cookies
- ✓Fruit pies and tarts (no cream or meat fillings)
- ✓Hard candy and fudge
- ✓Honey, maple products, apple sauce
- ✓Traditional fruit jams and jellies; vinegar pickles and relish
- ✓Anything else a public health inspector deems non-potentially hazardous
Usually needs an inspected kitchen
- ✕Anything sold outside a public market — that's the rule, not the food
- ✕Cream-filled pastries and pies; meat-filled pies
- ✕Raw-milk products
- ✕Home-canned low-acid foods, bottled or smoked fish and meat
- ✕Jerky (a licensed Class 5 process)
These are general categories. Confirm your specific products with the authority listed below.
The rules, by name
Food Premises Regulation 2009-138 (under the Public Health Act)
The licensing regulation — its s. 3 exemptions and licence classes (3, 4, 5) are what the market rules are built on.
“New Brunswick Guidelines for Food Premises at Public Markets” (Dept. of Health, March 2026)
The current rulebook, and unusually clear — the home-baking exemption, the food list, and the no-home-pickup rule are all in here. Search the exact title.
What goes on your label
- ✓NB doesn't prescribe a special home-food label, but the market guidelines expect food-grade containers and proper labelling — so do it properly:
- ✓The food's common name, a full ingredient list, allergens called out.
- ✓Your name and contact details, plus a made-on date.
- ✓Unpasteurized juice or cider must be labelled “UNPASTEURIZED” — a rare NB-specific must.
Who to contact
A public health inspector with Health Protection Services — and your market's manager, who handles the market's own registration. One email describing your menu and your market settles it.
Copy-paste starter for your email:
“Hi, I'm planning to sell [items] made in my home kitchen at [public market]. Can you confirm these are considered non-potentially-hazardous, whether I need a licence, and whether customers may pre-order for pickup at my market stall? Thank you.”
Quick answers
Do I need a licence to sell my bread at the farmers' market?
No — non-hazardous foods baked at home and sold only at a public market are exempt. No fee, no application, no inspection of your kitchen.
Can customers pre-order online and pick up at my stall?
Yes — the guidelines say customers may submit and pick up orders at the public market location. What's prohibited is pickup or delivery at your home.
So porch pickup is out?
In NB, yes — the exemption is locked to public markets, and the guidelines expressly rule out home pickup and delivery for market vendors. Your storefront works as a menu plus market-pickup scheduler here.
What if I want to sell cream-filled pastries?
There's a real path: a free public-market food premises licence, your home kitchen approved by the regional medical officer of health, approved foods listed on your licence, and no more than 3 market days a week. Apply at least 7 days ahead.
Is food-safety training required?
Only for licensed Class 4 vendors (one certified person present at all times). Exempt low-risk vendors don't need it — taking a recognized course anyway never hurt anyone's stall.
Official sources
Last reviewed August 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at hello@ourcakewalk.com and we'll fix it.
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