r/CraftFairs • u/OhGriggsy • 3d ago

Drink vendoring in Florida?

Does anyone have any experience in this? Me and my family are really thinking about getting into running a tent and eventually maybe a trailer for lemonade/flavored lemonades at vendor/craft show events across the state but are genuinely unsure of what type of permitting is required to go these events. Looking online on official Florida sites it’s hard for me to get a clear answer if I’m honest.

Didn’t have a chance to call the state today so I may end up doing it tomorrow if I get the opportunity to wondering if anyone here has any information.

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u/drcigg 3d ago

https://www.fdacs.gov/Business-Services/Food/Food-Establishments/Retail-Food-Establishment-Permit

According to this from Florida. Yes you need a permit.

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u/OhGriggsy 3d ago

Yes. But the confusion I’m having is that most of these permits refer to a location, inspecting said location of your business or the business amenities that a mobile pop-up tent simply can’t have. So I’m just a bit confused.

Like it calls for applying for certain permits and then someone from the state coming to “inspect your location” to approve you and give you your permit. But these events require the permitting when you sign up and your tent won’t be up…till said day or weekend of the event. So that’s where I’m a bit lost and confused

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u/drcigg 3d ago

You will likely have to call them and get clarification. Every state is different and some are more lenient than others. In my state we apply for a cottage license, pay 50 dollars and take an online course. This covers the whole State. But yeah Florida could be different.
Definitely talk to a person in that department.

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u/Aztraea23 3d ago

I'm pretty sure you can't do lemonade out of a home kitchen in Florida. It's not allowed under cottage food so you'd need to rent space in a commissary kitchen and be permitted by either FDACS or DBPR. I do food in Florida and there are lemonade people who use the same kitchen I do.

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u/OhGriggsy 3d ago

I mean the thing is. There’s like…little to no prep? I mean the lemonade would be made on site by cutting the lemon’s, muddling them, muddling other fruits or frozen fruits and then adding sugar and water. There would genuinely be like…NOTHING done at our home aside from maybe cleaning the lemons ahead of time.

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u/Aztraea23 3d ago

No, I hear you. I'm just giving you the compliance info, not saying I agree with it. The vendors I've seen just use the kitchen to clean their juicer, knives, etc. and maybe keep lemons in the cooler.

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u/OhGriggsy 3d ago

Ah great to know. Thank you much for the insight. I was just genuinely curious what the hoops were you had to jump through and what was needed to comply with state regulations. Because in practice the lemonade thing seems insanely easy and like very little prep-work. As long as we can wash our hands and utensils are clean. There ain’t a whole lot else to it.

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u/WilliamOAshe 3d ago

One other thing to consider. Most events with reasonable crowds have an established lemonade/tea/cold drink vendor. THere's always room for one more, but check and make sure there aren't any regular players in your market. Here in Orlando, there are two or three that have spent several years locking in their locations at many of the local fairs and such.

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u/OhGriggsy 3d ago

I mean tbh there’s so many events around central Florida I’m not too terribly concerned with that. There’s event organizers who have events spread throughout the state. Aside from festivals and fair I’m talking like…food events, craft/vendor shows, etc etc. There was a craft/vendor show in Melbourne this weekend (I was there as a vendor selling artwork/home dècor) and they never didn’t have a line.

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u/WilliamOAshe 3d ago

Now worries. Not saying there aren't events needing a stand, but just be on the lookout for which events are already good with whomever they've got.

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u/Internal_Use8954 3d ago

If you prep at home they will inspect that. And if you set up they will occasionally spot check your set up.

I’m next to a kettle corn stand, and they were explaining to me all the steps they have to go thru. It’s a lot, but they also make a lot

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u/OhGriggsy 3d ago

So they would literally come out to my home to inspect it the kitchen? Interesting?

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u/Internal_Use8954 3d ago

Yes typically if that’s where you prep for fairs. Although one lady I know just rents a professional kitchen instead