OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Omaha metro neighbors are turning their love for baking into home-based businesses. Nebraska's cottage food industry brought in over $1 million in 2023.
- A law change in 2019 expanded Nebraska’s cottage food laws to allow direct home sales, porch pick-ups, and online orders within state lines.
- We spoke to two cottage bakers in the Omaha metro who share their passion for baking and how their business has been helpful to support their families.
- These bakers say the experience has allowed them to make new friendships and do something worthwhile for their community.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
From sourdough to sweets, more neighbors in the Omaha metro are turning their love for baking into businesses they run right from home.
These bakers are known as cottage food producers. With more than 3,900 registered in Nebraska, the trend is growing. The University of Nebraska Lincoln's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources found that the cottage bakery industry brought in over $1 million in revenue in 2023.
A law change in 2019 expanded Nebraska’s cottage food laws to allow direct home sales, porch pick-ups, and online orders within state lines. This allowed more people who baked as a hobby to turn it into a business.
Whitney Draheim is a stay-at-home mom who started her own cottage bakery, Crave the Crumb, last month.
"My passion has always been in food and the joy that I can bring to others with my baking and cooking ability. And so it just naturally made sense," Draheim said.
For Draheim, the bakery is about more than fulfilling a passion; it provides supplemental income.
"We have 4 kids under 8, so we are busy, and there will be college funds and vehicles and things that need to be funded," Draheim said.
Jackie Coffey started her cottage bakery, Jackie's Cinnfully Delicious Desserts, in 2024. She also found the supplemental income to be a plus for her family.
"It keeps us afloat. We're able to take vacations and it's helping us make memories with our child," Coffey said.
Coffey takes her homemade goods to local farmers markets.
"It's on wheels, so I can load it up and take it to markets," Coffey said.
Coffey said it is easier than ever to reach new customers.
"So social media has been like the main source because without that, I'm not able to do anything," Coffey said.
These bakers say the experience has allowed them to make new friendships and do something worthwhile for their community.
"It really goes to show how much you don't really know your neighbors until you bring them a loaf of bread and say, hey, look what I made you," Draheim said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
