Illinois Could Shutter Local Ice Cream Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneur and Home Office Resources

Illinois Could Shutter Local Ice Cream Entrepreneurs

Previous

Contents

Next

Are you ready for another example of government run amok? This time the great state of Illinois has decided to invoke an unknown state regulation that threatens to close a successful Illinois entrepreneur's business.

Kris Swanberg is the founder of Swanberg's Nice Cream and her company has quickly become a favorite of the Chicago ice cream scene. After being laid off as a public school teacher, Swanberg pulled an ice cream maker out of storage and a new career was born.

Nice Cream is now sold at Whole Foods and various farmers markets around Chicago. Swanberg's ice cream is handmade and she, like other specialty ice cream makers, had never heard of an obscure Illinois regulation that covers such products.

Recently an official from the Illinois Department of Public Health came to her business to inform her she would have to cease operations if she did not get a "dairy license". Not only had Swanberg never heard of the license, the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, the entity that issues business licenses, apparently was not aware of it either.

To get this obscure license, Swanberg was told she would have to work out of her own space rather than producing her ice cream from the Logan Square Kitchen. In addition, her ice cream must be tested monthly for bacterial levels, her packaging would have to conform to state standards and she would have to purchase a Pasteurizer or use pre-made ice cream mix.

The Pasteurizer alone would cost over $40,000. The friendly inspector from the IDPH told Swanberg her ice cream would not pass the bacteria tests because she used fresh strawberries. The IDPH person suggested she use strawberry syrup instead. Or she could use irradiated strawberries.

Swanberg must comply to receive a "dairy license". Otherwise, she will be forced to stop selling her product. She plans to meet with other ice cream makers to try and find a plan that will allow them to produce a quality product and abide by state rules.

Government as usual!

You can talk about... Illinois Could Shutter Local Ice Cream Entrepreneurs

Tags: • farmers markets • public health • business affairs • produce • strawberries • bacteria • inspector • packaging • dairy • kitchen • consumer protection • license • health • chicago • regulation • entrepreneurs • illinois • whole foods • public school • laid off • ice cream •

• Entrepreneurial Journalism in Illinois (journalists)
• Roadblocks for Beer Entrepreneurs in North Dakota (state laws)
• Florida Entrepreneurs Roll Out Tasti Treat (heath)
• North Carolina Brewmaster Gets Creative Raising Capital (start up resources)
• More related articles for North Carolina Brewmaster Gets Creative Raising Capital

Previous

Contents

Next

• <a href="http://article-library.office1000.org">Entrepreneur and Home Office Resources</a>
• <a href="http://article-library.office1000.org/legislation">Illinois Could Shutter Local Ice Cream Entrepreneurs (legislation); Entrepreneur and Home Office Resources </a>

Privacy & DMCA Policy -- Sitemap
legislation Illinois Could Shutter Local Ice Cream Entrepreneurs