Chili Roasters

Definition: Chili roasting operations are facilities which cook whole chilis in a large rotating roaster. The chilis are then placed in a bag and sold directly to a customer. These establishments are usually temporary stands which operate on the roadside or in conjunction with a temporary event.

Food Safety: The chilis must be washed with potable water prior to roasting, the roaster must be maintained and kept in a clean condition and good hygienic practices must be used when handling the chilis at all times.

According to S.C. Johnson, maker of Ziploc® Brand Storage Bags, products are tested extensively for safety. Ziploc® Bags are made from polyethylene plastic resin, and have never contained bisphenol A (BPA). The sandwich bags, freezer bags, and containers have a softening temperature, or melting point, of 230°F/110°C. Roasted chilis placed into plastic bags must be below 230°F/110°C to prevent leaching from the plastic bag. Bags are labeled #4 for recycling, where plastic recycling is available. For more information on roasting chilis please see Processing Chili Peppers Fact Sheet.

Distribution Method (Expand All | Collapse All)

You are selling your product at a farmers’ market, CSA, roadside stand, or other direct to consumer outlet

Licensing: If you are selling roasted chilis that you have roasted using products you have grown, you will need a Retail Food Establishment License, issued by your county health department. If you sell at farmers’ markets or other direct to consumer outlets in different counties, you should check with the health department in each county where you sell your product direct to consumers. Whether you roast the chilis off-site and then sell them on-site or whether you both roast and sell on-site, you will need a Retail Food Establishment License.
If you are selling roasted chilis you have roasted using raw chilis you purchased from another Colorado producer or from a wholesaler, you will also need a Farm Product Dealers License.

Labeling: If you are selling wrapped chilis you will need to follow the general labeling requirements. If you are selling unwrapped chilis no label is required.

Sales Tax Liability: General sales tax information.

Weights and Measures: If you choose to sell your product by weight, you must follow the Colorado weights and measures requirements. If you choose to sell roasted chilis by count they do not fall under regulations in this category.

You are selling your product to a store, restaurant, food cart, K-12 school, university, hospital, or other retail food establishment

Licensing: To sell roasted chilis that you have roasted and grown, you must first register with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) as a wholesale food manufacturing facility. Once you have registered your food manufacturing business, you may be inspected by CDPHE.  You should first contact the Division of Environmental Health and Sustainability at (303) 692-3620 for further information and visit their page on wholesale food program information and requirements.

To sell chilis that you have roasted using products you have grown, you must follow the Wholesale Food Regulations for selling processed goods. If you are selling roasted chiles using unprocessed farm products purchased from another Colorado producer or wholesaler, you will also need a Farm Product Dealers License.

Note that if you are selling at farmer’s market and as a wholesaler, you will need a to obtain a retail food establishment license and register as a wholesale food manufacturer.

Labeling: General labeling requirements.

Sales Tax Liability: General sales tax information.

Weights and Measures: If you are selling your product by weight, you must follow the Colorado weights and measures requirements. If you are selling your product by some other measure, such as count,  there are no regulations in this category.