A curated market inside the ZU for home kitchen producers. You make it. We give it a home.
Apply for a spaceZU Gallery is at 48 W Main Street in Cortez. Wine bar, art gallery, photography studio, live music venue. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 4pm to 9pm. Our attendees are hungry and in a good mood and looking for something local.
We don't have a commercial kitchen. We don't need one. Colorado's Cottage Foods Act lets home kitchen producers sell directly to consumers, and ZU Farm Stand gives that a place to happen.
Producers rent a space, bring their labeled products, set their own prices, and collect payment directly from customers. We provide the space, the foot traffic, and the audience. You keep your revenue.
Your products are available for purchase even when the ZU is closed for a private event. The Farm Stand stays accessible to guests no matter what is happening in the space. All Farm Stand spaces are within view of the ZU's security camera so your products and cash box are never unwatched.
ZU Farm Stand is not a farmers market and it's not trying to be. The Cortez Farmers Market, local farm stands, and home-based food businesses are doing important work in this community and we support all of it. Here's how it started. We wanted something good for our guests to eat and we don't have a kitchen. The Cottage Foods Act gave us a way to make that happen while also giving local producers another place to sell. Saturday mornings at the market and Tuesday through Saturday evenings at the ZU are completely different audiences at completely different moments in the week. There is room for all of it.
Under Colorado's current Cottage Foods Act, home kitchen producers can sell a wide range of non-refrigerated goods directly to consumers. There is no limit on how many different products you can offer.
Not sure if your product qualifies? Contact CDPHE at cdphe_mfgfd@state.co.us or reach out to us at meet@zugallery.com and we'll help point you in the right direction.
Tell us what you make and confirm you meet the basic requirements. We'll follow up within a week.
Space rental is $25/month, flat. You pay the ZU for the space. That's the only transaction between us. You're welcome to bring your own display fixture. It just needs to be movable so we can accommodate our different event layouts.
Stock your space with properly labeled goods. You're responsible for how it looks and how your products are presented. Make it yours. Your Venmo QR code or cash box needs to be clearly marked so customers know exactly how to pay you.
ZU Farm Stand customers browse and pay you directly via Venmo, cash, or whatever method you set up. The ZU is not part of the food transaction.
Every dollar from your food sales is yours. We make our money on the space rental, not a cut of your sales.
The Colorado Cottage Foods Act has straightforward requirements. Here's what you need to bring to ZU Farm Stand.
ServSafe Food Handler certification or completion of the CSU Extension Cottage Food Safety course. Need one? The ServSafe online course takes a few hours and costs around $15-25. CSU Extension offers in-person classes statewide.
Every product must be individually labeled with: product name, your name and home address, ingredients list, allergen information, and the required Colorado Cottage Foods Act disclaimer stating the product was made in a home kitchen not subject to state licensure or inspection.
Products must be made in your primary home kitchen or a licensed commercial or shared kitchen. No production in unlicensed commercial spaces.
The Colorado Cottage Foods Act applies to Colorado residents producing food in Colorado for sale within Colorado.
Your space is inside the ZU, open Tuesday through Saturday 4pm to 9pm, and accessible to guests even during private events. All Farm Stand spaces are within view of the ZU's security camera for your peace of mind. Bring your own movable fixture, merchandise your space your way, set up your own payment method. Your products, your presentation, your revenue.
No. The Farm Stand runs on an honor system. The ZU is open Tuesday through Saturday 4pm to 9pm, and your products stay accessible to guests even when the ZU is closed for a private event. You set up your own Venmo QR code or cash box so customers pay you directly. No ZU staff involved. All Farm Stand spaces are within view of the ZU's security camera, which gives your cash box and products an extra layer of security.
Yes, and we encourage it. Your fixture needs to be movable so we can shift things around for different event layouts. Rolling carts, folding shelving, wooden crates, that kind of thing. Nothing bolted down or permanently installed. How you display your products is entirely up to you.
The ZU does not purchase your products and resell them. You rent a space, set your prices, and customers pay you directly. The ZU's only role in the transaction is providing the physical space.
Not at this time. ZU Farm Stand operates under the existing Colorado Cottage Foods Act, which covers shelf-stable non-refrigerated goods. Colorado legislation expanding cottage food to include refrigerated and temperature-controlled items is moving through the state legislature. We'll update this page when that changes.
Email CDPHE at cdphe_mfgfd@state.co.us to confirm your product is eligible. You can also reach us at meet@zugallery.com and we'll help point you in the right direction.
As many as you want, as long as they're shelf-stable and meet the Cottage Foods Act requirements. No limit on variety for non-refrigerated goods.
Possibly, yes. If you operate out of a licensed commercial kitchen you're working under a different framework entirely -- a Retail Food Establishment license through Montezuma County, not the Cottage Foods Act. That opens up hot food, refrigerated items, and a lot more flexibility. A manned station is a different conversation from a Farm Stand space. Reach out to us at meet@zugallery.com and we'll talk through what that could look like.
Fill out the form below and we'll be in touch within a week. We'd love to have you as one of our founding producers.
ZU Farm Stand operates under the Colorado Cottage Foods Act (CRS 25-4-1614). Producers are responsible for compliance with all applicable regulations.