Wholesale Food Establishments

Because food manufacturers vary so much, there is not one specific list of equipment or requirements that apply to all establishments. However, there are some basic guidelines: 

• All equipment must be intended for commercial use.
• There must be adequate mechanical refrigeration and/or freezer space.
• Floors, walls, and ceilings in food preparation areas must be smooth, durable, non-absorbent, and easily cleanable.
• The establishment must have sanitizer for food-contact surfaces, such as quaternary ammonium or bleach.
• Type 1 or 2 hoods may be required over cooking equipment.
• At least one hand sink is required. Hand sinks are required in food preparation, service, and dishwashing areas.
• A dedicated air-gapped prep sink may be required for washing produce, thawing, or rinsing food.
• A 3-compartment sink is required if any warewashing is needed, even if a dishwasher is provided.
• A mop sink for wastewater disposal is required.
• The water supply and wastewater system must be approved. This may require a septic review or water supply review.
• A bathroom must be available for employees.
• At least one Certified Food Protection Manager is required per establishment. This requirement may be waived if alternate training is more appliable.

Food manufacturing requires two separate applications, one with Missoula Public Health and one with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS).

1.  Create a defined plan for your wholesale operation and gather all required documents. Review the Plan Review Application, the list of required documents, and the resources on the Montana Wholesale Food Establishment webpage.

NOTE: Steps 2 and 3 can be done at the same time

2.  Complete the DPHHS Wholesale Food Review Form process and label review form. This is a free review. Complete and follow the form's submittal instructions. Depending on your wholesale product, DPHHS may require review from the Department of Livestock or the Department of Agriculture.

3.  Submit your plan review packet to Missoula Public Health and pay the plan review fee. The base review fee is $285. Additional fees may apply if your plan review includes reviews for septic systems or private wells.

Remember that Missoula Public Health is just one agency that has regulations that apply to food manufacturers. There may be building permits, liquor licenses, zoning restrictions, business licensing, and other regulations you are required to follow.

To avoid expensive mistakes or delays, do not start building, remodeling, or purchasing equipment until you have approval from Missoula Public Health and other applicable agencies.

4.  Respond to questions and comments from your reviewer. Once your plans are approved, your reviewer will email your approval letter to you. We can only approve your plans once DPHHS has also approved the process and label review form (step 2).

5.  Schedule a pre-operational health inspection. After you receive your approval letter and you project is complete, contact your reviewer to conduct a pre-operational health inspection. This inspection should take place after all other required inspections have been passed (building, plumbing, etc.)

At the end of a successful inspection, your reviewer will issue your health license and collect the annual licensing fee. An additional inspection and fee will be required if work is not completed at time of inspection.

As a licensed manufacturer, you can provide free samples of your product to the public without any additional permitting in some circumstances. Below is basic guidance for sampling events, but please Contact Us for guidance specific to your plans:

• Notify Missoula Public Health in advance of your sampling event.
• No food preparation can take place at the sampling events.
• You may add foods to your product as long as it does not pose a food safety risk. For example, if you are a salsa manufacturer, you may serve your products on a chip. Any added foods cannot be homemade.
• You may need a temporary handwashing station.
• No bare-hand contact of food is allowed.
• Utensils, sample cups, and any other food-contact items must either be single-use or wash-rinse-sanitized prior to use.
• If the food is not shelf-stable, food must either be discarded after 4 hours (time-control) or kept refrigerated/hot-held (temperature-control).

Please note that if your product requires refrigeration for safety, you cannot sell your product directly at the sampling event without additional permitting.

Some food manufacturers operate out of commissary kitchens. A commissary kitchen is a licensed kitchen that a manufacturer uses. Some kitchens advertise themselves as commissary kitchens, but any licensed food establishment can be used as a commissary kitchen if it has the appropriate equipment and space. You must have a system to make sure your food and preparation is kept separate from other kitchen users, such as a designated time slot or space. Even though the commissary kitchen itself is licensed, the food manufacturer must get their own wholesale license since they are a separate operation.

Wholesale licenses are tied to the establishment’s location and owner. Licenses cannot be transferred. If either the location or the owner changes, a new wholesale license is required, and plan review must be submitted to Missoula Public Health. See “How to get a new manufacturer license” above for step-by-step guides of this process.

Licenses expire December 31st every year. To avoid late fees and license deactivation, you must pay for your license renewal on or before December 31st. License fees for renewals are collected directly by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Safety (DPHHS). Follow the instructions on the Montana DPHHS website to pay for your renewal: Montana DPHHS License Renewal

Phone numbers, email addresses, and your mailing address can be updated directly on the Montana DPHHS website: Montana DPHHS Update License Contact Information

Please note that a change in ownership or establishment address requires a new plan review and license and cannot simply be updated. 

A wholesale warehouse license only allows you to store commercially packaged items. If you want to process, repackage, or bottle foods or beverages you need a wholesale manufacturing license (see above).

In general, a warehouse must have:

• A mop sink to dispose of wastewater.
• Adequate mechanical refrigeration and/or freezer space.
• Pest control procedures.
• A bathroom available for employees
• Shelving and other equipment to maintain food 6 inches or more off the ground.

1.  Create a defined plan for your warehouse and gather all required documents. Review the Plan Review Application, the list of required documents.

2.  Submit your plan review packet to Missoula Public Health and pay the plan review fee. The base review fee is $285. Additional fees may apply if your plan review includes reviews for septic systems or private wells.

Remember that Missoula Public Health is just one agency that has regulations that apply to warehouses. There may be building permits, liquor licenses, zoning restrictions, business licensing, and other regulations you are required to follow.

To avoid expensive mistakes or delays, do not start building, remodeling, or purchasing equipment until you have approval from Missoula Public Health and other applicable agencies.

3.  Respond to questions and comments from your reviewer. Once your plans are approved, your reviewer will email your approval letter to you. Our goal is to complete reviews within 30-60 days of submittal.

4.  Schedule a pre-operational health inspection. After you receive your approval letter and you project is complete, contact your reviewer to conduct a pre-operational health inspection. This inspection should take place after all other required inspections have been passed (building, plumbing, etc.)

At the end of a successful inspection, your reviewer will issue your health license and collect the annual licensing fee. An additional inspection and fee will be required if work is not completed at time of inspection.

Wholesale licenses are tied to the establishment’s location and owner. Licenses cannot be transferred. If either the location or the owner changes, a new wholesale license is required, and plan review must be submitted to Missoula Public Health. See “How to get a new warehouse license” above for step-by-step guides of this process.

Licenses expire December 31st every year. To avoid late fees and license deactivation, you must pay for your license renewal on or before December 31st. License fees for renewals are collected directly by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Safety (DPHHS). Follow the instructions on the Montana DPHHS website to pay for your renewal: Montana DPHHS License Renewal

Phone numbers, email addresses, and your mailing address can be updated directly on the Montana DPHHS website: Montana DPHHS Update License Contact Information

Please note that a change in ownership or establishment address requires a new plan review and license and cannot simply be updated. 

·         2013 FDA Food Code

·         MCA Title 50, Chapter 50

·         ARM Title 37, Chapter 110, Subchapter 2

·         Missoula City-County Health Code, Regulation 4