Deana Martin’s journey into the world of cottage food didn’t begin with a generations-old recipe or a lifelong passion for baking. Instead, it started as a passing joke. “I wanted my own sauce line,” says Martin.
With a background in design and marketing, Martin has always been drawn to storytelling. Her developing cottage food business, Koldfyre, is a nod to both the Nordic roots of Minnesota and a sense of contrast: hot and cold, sweet and savory, bold and subtle.
A turning point came during a trip to Calgary, where she tasted a peach-based sauce with a subtle pepper kick. That moment reshaped her understanding of spice, realizing spice doesn’t have to overwhelm but instead it can add depth, balance, and complexity. From then on, her goal was to develop a product line that highlights rich, approachable pepper flavors rather than intense heat.
Cottage foods in Minnesota
Allowed:
- High-acid jams and jellies
- Acidified vegetables (pickles)
- Baked goods
- Dried fruits and vegetables
- Bottled sauces
- Fermented foods
Not allowed:
- Cheesecake
- Fresh-cut fruits and vegetables
- Cooked pasta
- Fresh-squeezed juice
- Meat products (e.g., beef jerky)
- Non-acidified canned vegetables (e.g., canned green beans)
This is not an extensive list, and allowed foods must still meet food safety requirements.
Finding what works
She is still in the experimentation phase and is yet to officially open for business. Not every idea sticks and she’s okay with that. An early blueberry barbecue sauce, while technically successful, didn’t align with her vision. Rather than forcing it, she pivoted. Since then, she has explored fermentation techniques and played around with developing hot honey, pepper jelly and mustard recipes.
Beyond sauces, she is also branching into baked goods. She’s started developing two granola recipes that reflect her Koldfyre theme: a sweet maple cinnamon blend alongside a more earthy version featuring roasted almonds and cacao nibs.
She’s also begun experimenting with macarons, starting simple with vanilla as she gets the hang of them. She recently experimented with a chocolate cupcake topped with basil buttercream, inspiring the possibilities of blending savory and sweet in unexpected ways.
Balancing creativity with reality
As she experiments, Deana is also thinking carefully about the realities of running a food business. Questions of production time, shelf-life and burnout are always top of mind, especially when working with fermentation, which requires patience and careful planning.
She plans to apply to local farmers markets but hasn’t yet finalized which products she’ll offer, making the application process a challenge as many require a list of offerings.
In the meantime, she is exploring sales through social media and small pop-up sales from her home. Pre-order pickups are particularly appealing, allowing her to better manage inventory while minimizing food waste.
A foundation in food safety
Even before launching her business, Deana took proactive steps to understand the science behind safe food production. In the fall of 2025, she attended an in-person Tier 2 cottage food training in St. Cloud, seeking a deeper understanding of both regulations and best practices.
She found particular value in learning about concepts like pH and water activity, both tools in ensuring food safety. Deana currently uses a pH meter to test the safety of her sauces. Once her recipes are finalized, she plans to send samples to a lab for official testing.
Advice for others
As she reflects on her journey as a beginner, she emphasizes that it’s okay to start without having everything figured out. For example, despite her marketing background, she has intentionally held off on finalizing her branding so she can prioritize developing and perfecting her product line. Additionally, she encourages others to be unique and approach the process in their own way and try new ideas that fit within cottage food law.
Tier 2 training: In-person or online
A Tier 2 training is required for cottage food producers who sell more than $7,665 annually. However, the training is open to all cottage food producers who wish to attend an advanced food safety training.
Interested in an in-person Tier 2 training in your area? Reach out to Autumn Stoll at [email protected].
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