The first national trade association built entirely for this industry.

The cottage food industry has been growing for more than a decade — slowly, quietly, one kitchen at a time. Across the country, home bakers, jam makers, candy crafters, and small-batch food producers have been building businesses, navigating confusing laws, and figuring things out largely on their own.

NCFA was founded to change that. The National Cottage Food Alliance is the first trade association dedicated entirely to this industry at a national level.

Founded in Minnesota and organized as a trade association with 501(c)(6) nonprofit status actively in process, NCFA is built to represent the collective business interests of cottage food producers across all 50 states. Our goal isn't just to serve our members — it's to elevate the entire industry.

What we stand for

Organized to do more for the industry.

NCFA is organized as a trade association actively pursuing 501(c)(6) status — the same designation used by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and thousands of industry associations across the country. This structure allows us to:

The founding board

NCFA is led by a founding board dedicated to building an organization that truly serves the cottage food community.

Matt Rosen

Executive Director & Co-Founder

A 23-year military veteran turned cottage food entrepreneur who built Sergeant Shortbread from his home kitchen into a successful shortbread cookie business, growing from local coffee shops to shipping nationwide. The challenges he faced with pricing, marketing, and navigating the industry inspired his next chapter. Matt helped create CottageFoodieCon and co-founded the National Cottage Food Alliance with a simple belief: no cottage food producer should have to build their business alone. He is based in Eden Prairie, MN.

Lisa He

President & Co-Founder

A strategic leader with 15+ years of experience spanning regulatory affairs, product management, and digital entrepreneurship. She built Borderlands Bakery from her home kitchen into a nationally recognized brand — with appearances on Food Network and Netflix — before founding My Custom Bakes, a SaaS platform now serving thousands of cottage food entrepreneurs across the U.S. and Canada. A published author and medical device software compliance professional, Lisa brings a rare combination of technical rigor, operator credibility, and deep community roots to the Alliance. She is based in Orlando, FL.

Nicole Bendig-Lamb

Treasurer

Owner of Cake Business School, LLC and Master Cake Designer behind Snarky Sweet Cake Chick, LLC. A former Food Network competitor and author of the best-selling book Baking Your Way To The Top, Nicole is also an accountant with over a decade of public accounting experience. A cottage food baker and business coach who educates home-based food producers, her specialty is profitability, cash flow management, and regulatory compliance.

Kirsten Barott-Bebo

Secretary

Brings more than a decade of nonprofit and association management experience, with a strong background in membership engagement, governance, events, and organizational operations. She currently serves as Relationship & Events Director for the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce and has spent the last five years supporting board leadership and organizational record-keeping in secretary roles.

Be part of building something lasting.

Want to follow along as we build?

Whether you're a cottage food entrepreneur, a potential partner, or just curious about the industry — sign up for NCFA updates and be the first to know when membership and partnership opportunities open.