Six Required Elements on Every Label
Georgia requires labeling on all cottage food products without exception. Labels must appear on the product itself — not just on outer packaging that might be removed before consumption. The requirements combine Georgia-specific rules under HB 398 with standard federal FDA labeling requirements that apply to all packaged food.
Example Label — Georgia Peach Jam
— or —
GDA ID: GA-CF-00123
Product Name
The label must include the common or usual name of the food. If your product has a brand name, the common food name must also appear — "Peach State Jam" alone is not sufficient; "Peach State Jam — Georgia Peach Preserves" gives both the brand name and the food identity.
Use language buyers recognize. "Artisan Fruit Spread" as a standalone product name creates ambiguity. "Peach Jam" or "Strawberry Preserves" is clearer and more compliant.
Ingredients List
List all ingredients in descending order by weight — the ingredient present in the largest amount comes first, the smallest last. This is a federal FDA requirement that Georgia cottage food law incorporates by reference.
Each ingredient must be listed by its common name. Compound ingredients (like chocolate chips) must either be broken down into their sub-ingredients or listed as a compound ingredient with sub-ingredients in parentheses.
pecans, cinnamon, baking soda, salt
For products where the ingredient is the product name — for example, a single-variety fruit jam — FDA allows a simplified listing when the principal ingredient is obvious from the product name. When in doubt, list fully.
Allergen Statement
A "Contains:" allergen statement is required on all Georgia cottage food labels. The statement must appear immediately after the ingredients list and must identify every major allergen present — including allergens that appear in compound ingredients (for example, milk in sodium caseinate).
The U.S. has nine major food allergens that must be declared:
Contains: Wheat, Milk
Net Weight or Net Volume
The net quantity of contents must appear on the label — how much food is in the package. For solid or semi-solid foods (jam, cookies, granola), state the weight. For liquid products (flavored vinegar), state the volume.
Per federal requirements, net quantity should appear in both metric and U.S. customary units when both are practical. For a jar of jam: Net Wt 8 oz (227g). For a bag of cookies: Net Wt 6 oz (170g).
Name & Address (or GDA Identifier)
Your label must include the name of your cottage food operation and either your home address or your GDA-issued identifier number. The address option is simpler — just your name and home address. The identifier number option requires a one-time free registration with GDA but keeps your home address off your labels permanently.
If you sell through retail stores under HB 398's new provisions, note that the store must display your product in a clearly labeled cottage food section — so buyers are informed at the point of sale that it came from a residential kitchen. Your label's name and address or ID number provides product traceability.
Required Disclaimer Statement
Every Georgia cottage food label must include a specific disclaimer statement that informs buyers the product was made in a home kitchen not subject to state food safety inspections. This is a mandatory, non-negotiable element — no label is compliant without it.
The disclaimer must:
- Appear in 10-point font or larger
- Use a color that clearly contrasts with the label background (e.g., dark text on light background or white text on dark background)
- Be legible and prominent — not buried in fine print
- Appear on the label of the product itself
Nutrition Facts & Health Claims (Conditional)
Most cottage food sellers are not required to include a full FDA Nutrition Facts panel — a small business exemption exists for low-volume producers. However, if you make any nutritional claim on your label or marketing ("low sugar," "high protein," "good source of fiber"), you must comply with FDA's full nutrition labeling rules for that claim.
The safest approach for most cottage food sellers: make no nutrition claims, include no Nutrition Facts panel, and let the ingredient list speak for itself. The moment you make a nutrient-related claim, you take on significant additional labeling obligations.
Additional Rules for Retail & Restaurant Sales
Under HB 398, Georgia cottage food operators can now sell to grocery stores, restaurants, and convenience stores. When you sell through a third-party vendor, additional disclosure obligations apply to the retailer — but your product labels still need to meet all the standard requirements above.
🏪 Retailer Display Requirements Under HB 398
When a grocery store, restaurant, or convenience store sells your cottage food products, they must display those products in a separate section clearly labeled to indicate the items are cottage food products made in residential kitchens that are not subject to state inspection.
This is the retailer's obligation, not yours — but you should confirm when approaching retail partners that they understand and will comply with this requirement. Local governments may also have passed ordinances prohibiting retail cottage food sales in their jurisdiction — verify before approaching stores.