Have you received a letter from Registrar Corp. Threatening your business unless you pay them $195 to renew your FDA food registration?

It’s a scam. Throw it away. And no matter what you do, don’t give them your bank account information!

First, an FDA registration is free.

Second, the only things these folks would do is to register you and print out a fancy certificate. For $195. Pshaw.

Third, not all wineries need to register — only production facilities, which means only producing wineries. If you’re custom crush? No registration.

And in fact, please do not register if you’re a wholesaler (custom crush client) — it might signal to an overzealous attorney (think about that fellow in Illinois) that you’re holding yourself as exceeding the bounds of your permit (a wholesaler winery can only sell wine, not blend or produce wine).

But for the producing wineries out there, you will need to renew your FDA registration, between October 1 and December 31. Check back in with the FDA on or after October 1 to renew (or newly register) your facility.
http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FoodFacilityRegistration/ucm2006831.htm

I think you can handle it yourself — it’s a user-friendly registration system — but if you are busy with crush and punch-downs, I’m always happy to help!