Colorado

1. Can you sell charcuterie boards from home in Colorado?

No.

Colorado’s Cottage Foods Act only allows non-potentially hazardous (non-TCS) foods — i.e., foods that do not require refrigeration for safety. CDPHE+1

The CDPHE list of ineligible cottage foods explicitly includes:

• “Any meat product… poultry, fish, shellfish” and these are also prohibited as ingredients or toppings CDPHE
• Any food that requires refrigeration or specialized process for safety CDPHE+1

Since charcuterie boards typically include refrigerated cheese + cured meats + cut produce/dips, they are TCS and not allowed under cottage rules. CDPHE+1

Translation: In Colorado, you can’t legally sell classic meat-and-cheese boards, grazing cups, or refrigerated boxes made in your home kitchen.

2. What is allowed from home in Colorado (useful for early brand building)

If you want a home-based start, you must stay in the shelf-stable lane. Colorado allows cottage foods like:

• dry spices / seasoning blends
• dehydrated fruits/veggies
• nuts, seeds
• honey, jams/jellies/fruit butter
• baked goods that don’t need refrigeration
• pickled fruits/vegetables with safe pH
• whole eggs (limited amount) CDPHE+1

Charcuterie-adjacent products you could sell from home:

• cracker packs, breadsticks (shelf-stable)
• spice mixes / dry rubs
• candied nuts
• jam or honey pairings
• “build-your-own board kits” without meats, cheeses, or refrigerated dips

Colorado cottage food requirements:

• Food safety training is required (CSU Extension or comparable course). Institute for Justice+1
• Label every item with producer info, ingredients/allergens, and the required home-kitchen disclaimer. CDPHE+1
• Direct-to-consumer only (no selling to restaurants, grocery stores, or for resale). CMG GardenNotes+1
• No pre-inspection needed for cottage foods. Institute for Justice
• Sales cap: about $10,000 per product per year (not total business). Institute for Justice+1

3. What you need to sell real charcuterie in Colorado

To sell boards with meat/cheese, you need to operate as a licensed retail food establishment or caterer.

You’ll need:

1.   An approved commercial kitchen

o   commissary/shared kitchen

o   leased restaurant kitchen (off hours)

o   your own facility that passes plan review

Colorado food code bars operating a food establishment out of a private home for TCS foods. El Paso County Assets

2.   Retail Food Establishment or Catering Permit

o   Issued by your Local Public Health Agency (LPHA) in most counties, or CDPHE in a small set of counties. CDPHE

o   Includes application + fees, plan review (if needed), pre-opening inspection, and routine inspections. CDPHE+1

3.   Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM)

o   Colorado’s updated food code requires most establishments to have a CFPM as the person-in-charge starting March 1, 2025. Jefferson County+1

4.   Inspected sourcing for meats and dairy

o   Use commercially purchased USDA-inspected meats and regulated/pasteurized cheeses.

o   If you ever want to cure, smoke, dry, or vacuum-package meats yourself, that becomes a higher-risk “special process” needing additional approvals/controls. CDPHE+1

4. Colorado startup lanes (pick your path)

Lane A — Home-based, legal now

Sell only non-TCS cottage foods: shelf-stable add-ons + kits.

You’ll do:

• CSU food safety training
• cottage labels + disclaimer
• direct sales only
• stay under $10k per product/year
• CDPHE+1

Lane B — Full charcuterie boards & grazing tables

You’ll do:

• commercial kitchen agreement
• LPHA/CDPHE retail or catering permit
• inspections
• CFPM certification
• cold-chain + sanitation SOPs
• CDPHE+2Jefferson County+2