Welcome to the legal labyrinth that is kombucha!
Some resources to consider looking into to determine what your state requires:
- Department of Agriculture
- Health Department
- Secretary of State (if you are creating a business)
I would do some research on your state's Cottage Food laws. I am from Minnesota and so I am allowed to produce kombucha out of my home and sell finished product since kombucha is considered an inherently safe food (pH < 4.60) in this state. I should clarify - by sell I mean sell directly to individuals, I MUST be the point of sale, meaning I am not yet allowed to sell to a grocery store for example. That would require a commercial kitchen or production facility.
I'll copy your questions from above and answer as best I can.
Is this something that has to be inspected by the FDA?
Depends on your distribution, if you cross state lines - maybe. But if it is just local, I don't believe the FDA would get involved, I believe it would fall on local state inspectors
What kind of volume of product would you need to get started?
So you are asking how much you would need to produce to get started? It all depends, how much are you capable of producing per month? What format are you going to sell your product in? Where are you going to be selling your product?
What supplies would I need to start mass production?
Lots and lots of fermenters! Or one really big one. This goes back to the volume that you plan to produce. Perhaps a packaging line? Or you can bottle everything by hand. I honestly don't know for certain as I am still working to scale up to this level myself.
How would I access the nutrition facts on a label? and Do I need a nutrition facts label?
You could submit your finished product to a lab for nutritional analysis. There are online nutritional label generators if you google it. Depending on where you sell your product, this is not necessarily required but consumers will appreciate the transparency.
Could I sell at a farmers market without needing a licence?
Yes and no. Depends on your state laws. As I said before, in Minnesota I can sell at farmer's markets with a Cottage Food permit.
How long is the shelf life on my product?
How long before your kombucha spoils? Never. It will not go bad if handled and bottled correctly. The real answer - maybe a couple months, your flavors are going to break down and disappear looooooong before the product "goes bad". 6 months seems standard for most in-market kombuchas.
I am researching all of these topics myself to turn my passion into a business. Please reach out if you have any further questions, it is very helpful for me to talk through these questions as well.