BECOMING A VENDOR

Please download and complete the Heart of the City Farmers' Market New Vendor Application (download the application here). Once you have completed your application and attached all the required documents, mail the application to: 

Heart of the City Farmers' Market
New Vendor Application
1182 Market Street, Suite 412
San Francisco, CA94102  

There is no application fee. We currently only accept food vendors. See additional permitting instructions below.

SELLIng AS A CERTIFIED PRODUCER

Farmers must have a certified producer's certificate to be eligible to sell agriculture products. We also accept non-certifiable agriculture producers such as grass-fed meat and cheese. To get on our waiting list, please fill out the application above and mail it to us. Please read the market's rules and regulations carefully (included in the application packet) to ensure you can meet all requirements to sell at the market. You must have general commercial liability insurance with a policy limit of at least $1 million.

NONPROFIT TablING AT THE MARKET

If you are a non-profit or social service organization, we will provide a space for you to set up a table within our market boundaries for free. For-profit businesses are not allowed to participate. Please stop by to talk with us at the market information tent or email us at steve@hotcfarmersmarket.org to sign up. 

SELLING AS A PREPARED FOOD VENDOR

We also accept vendors who sell prepackaged and hot foods. Prepared food vendors must have a business license/permit from Department of Public Health, business registration, food handler's permit for each seller, and general commercial liability insurance with a policy limit of at least $1 million. Please research Department of Public Health (DPH) requirements before approaching us for information on how to start a new business, since we have a small staff team with limited capacity for training. Information on DPH permitting can be found here. Farmers market prepared food vendors are permitted by DPH in one of four ways, detailed below.

HOT FOOD

Hot Food (Temporary Food Facility) vendors prepare food on site at the market in a 10'x10' enclosed tent. The fee is $123 annual application fee plus $298 per quarter (subject to change) paid to the farmers market manager, then the farmers market manager pays DPH to obtain your permit for you. Do not approach DPH directly for this permit. You must pay this quarterly fee separately for every location at which you operate. You must rent a commercial kitchen space to sanitize your equipment. A fire permit might also be required.  Please submit this application to us along with your application:  TFF Permit Application

FOOD TRUCKS

Food Truck (Mobile Food Facility) vendors operate out of DPH-approved mobile food truck. The permit fee is paid once per year directly to the San Francisco Department of Public Health with a one-time application fee and will apply for all locations at which you have written permission to sell. A fire permit might also be required.

PREPACKAGED FOOD

Prepackaged and Bakery (Retail Food Vendor): These vendors prepare their food off-site in a commercial kitchen and prepackage it to sell at the farmers market. The permit fee is paid once per year directly to San Francisco Department of Public Health with a one-time application fee.  You must obtain a separate permit for every location at which you operate. Retail Food Vendors may also be required to obtain a Processed Food Registration with the California Department of Public Health.

COTTAGE FOOD VENDORS

Businesses that cook low-hazard food items in their home kitchens to sell at farmers markets, without requiring a commercial kitchen to operate. Please indicate on your application if you are a cottage food business. Click here for more information about becoming a Cottage Food Vendor in San Francisco.