Designing a Compliant Cannabis Kitchen Layout

Recommended Square Footage

• Small operation: 200–600 sq ft
• Medium: 600–2,000 sq ft
• Large-scale: 2,000–15,000 sq ft

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Kitchen Workflow Zones

• Receiving & storage
• Pre-processing
• Infusion
• Cooking & mixing
• Depositing/molding
• Cooling & blast chilling
• Finishing & packaging
• Washing & sanitation
• Secure cannabis storage
• Finished goods staging

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Layout Principles

• Flow from clean to dirty
• Minimize backtracking
• Smooth, non-porous surfaces
• Dedicated handwashing
• Clear separation between cannabis-active and non-active ingredients

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Example Layout Types

• Small-batch gummy kitchen
• Chocolate room layout
• Multiproduct production floor

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Sample Layout 1: Small-Batch Gummy Kitchen (~500 sq ft)

Best for: Startups, pilot kitchens, R&D, small brands.

Space assumption:
Approx. 20' x 25' (500 sq ft) rectangle, single production room with a small entry/service corridor.

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1. High-Level Flow (Left → Right)

Door / Receiving → Dry & Cold Storage → Pre-Processing → Cooking & Infusion → Depositing → Blast Chilling → Packaging → Dirty Dish / Sanitation

This follows your principles:

• One-way flow
• Minimal backtracking
• Clear separation between raw and finished product

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2. Zone-by-Zone Description

Zone A – Receiving & Storage (near entrance)
Location: Immediately inside the entry door along one short wall.
Equipment:

• 1 pallet jack / cart parking area
• 2–3 NSF shelving units (dry ingredients, packaging)
• 1 reach-in refrigerator
• 1 reach-in freezer

Purpose:
Receive sugar, gelatin/pectin, citric acid, flavors, THC actives (in locked container), packaging.

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Zone B – Pre-Processing & Scale-Up Table
Location: Just past storage, along the same wall.
Equipment:

• 1 stainless prep table with undershelf
• Ingredient bins and food boxes
• Scales (bulk + bench)

Purpose:
Weighing sugar, gelatin, citric acid, flavors, and distillate before cooking.
Pre-measuring batches to speed up cooking cycle.

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Zone C – Cooking & Infusion (Hot Side)
Location: Center of the room, along the opposite wall from storage.
Equipment:

• 1 countertop or small steam-jacketed kettle
• 1 or 2 induction burners
• 1 small convection oven (optional for decarb or R&D baking)
• Overhead Type II hood (if required by code)

Purpose:
Cook gummy syrup base and incorporate infused oil.
Maintain controlled temperatures for homogenization.

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Zone D – Mixing & Homogenization
Location: Adjacent to cooking equipment, slightly offset to maintain safe distance from hot zone.
Equipment:

• 1 planetary mixer (10–20 qt)
• 1 immersion blender

Purpose:
Homogenize cannabinoid oil into syrup for even dosing.
Final mix before depositing.

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Zone E – Depositing / Molding Line
Location: Center of the room or in a “peninsula” extending from mixing area.
Equipment:

• 1–2 stainless tables
• Silicone gummy molds on sheet pans or trays
• Small manual or semi-automatic depositor (optional)

Purpose:
Pour or deposit syrup into molds.
Minimal movement from mixing to depositing to avoid temperature drop.

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Zone F – Cooling & Blast Chilling
Location: Short walk from depositing, along the back wall.
Equipment:

• 1 countertop or undercounter blast chiller
• Rolling racks or speed racks for tray stacking

Purpose:
Rapid set of gummies for better texture and microbiological safety.

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Zone G – Finishing & Packaging
Location: Near exit door, opposite side from receiving to maintain one-way flow.
Equipment:

• 1 stainless packaging table
• Heat sealer
• Label printer
• Scale for final package weight checks

Purpose:
De-pan gummies, dust/coating (if used), weigh, and bag/box.
Apply compliant labels with THC symbols, warnings, and batch codes.

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Zone H – Washing & Sanitation (Dirty Side)
Location: In a rear corner, physically separated from packaging by at least one table or low wall.
Equipment:

• 3-compartment sink
• Hand sink
• Shelving for drying molds and utensils

Purpose:
Wash molds, pitchers, utensils at the end of each shift.
Keep “dirty” functions away from finished product.

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Zone I – Secure Cannabis Storage
Location: Along a shorter wall or in a small secure closet accessible only to authorized staff.
Equipment:

• Locking cabinet or cage for THC distillate, isolate, and high-value actives

Purpose:
Meet cannabis security rules and keep actives separate from bulk ingredients.

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3. How It Looks in Simple Flow

You can display this on the site as a simple text “map”:

Door → Receiving & Storage → Pre-Processing → Cooking / Infusion → Mixing → Depositing → Blast Chilling → Packaging → Exit

Dirty dishes peel off to the side into Washing & Sanitation, and THC actives stay in a secure locking cabinet.

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Sample Layout 2: Multiproduct Production Floor (~1,800 sq ft)

Best for: Mid-size operators making gummies, chocolates, and baked edibles in one facility.

Space assumption:
Roughly 30' x 60' (1,800 sq ft) rectangle with:

• Receiving door on one short side
• Exit/shipping dock on the opposite side
• Separate small Chocolate Room for climate control

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1. High-Level Flow (Left → Right)

Receiving → Dry/Cold Storage → Pre-Processing → Hot Kitchen (Cooking & Mixing) → Product “Branches”:

• Gummy Line → Chilling → Packaging
• Chocolate Room → Cooling → Packaging
• Baked Goods Line → Cooling → Packaging

All converge near a shared Packaging Zone and Finished Goods Staging, with Washing/Sanitation tucked along the back “dirty” aisle.

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2. Zone-by-Zone Description

Zone A – Receiving & Bulk Storage (5–10% of floor)
Near loading dock/door.
Equipment:

• Pallet area
• Bulk ingredient shelving
• Walk-in cooler + walk-in freezer

Purpose:
Receive all ingredients & packaging; first stop in the process.

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Zone B – Central Pre-Processing Hub
Immediately adjacent to storage, central to all production lines.
Equipment:

• Long stainless tables
• Ingredient bins
• Scales + label printer

Purpose:
Pre-weigh ingredients for gummies, chocolate, and baked items.
Build batch kits and carts for each production line.

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Zone C – Hot Kitchen Core (Shared for Gummies & Baked Goods)
Central band across the room.
Equipment:

• 1–2 combi ovens
• 1–2 convection ovens
• 1–2 steam-jacketed kettles (for gummies/syrups)
• Ranges / induction burners
• Type I/II hood with UL 300 suppression

Purpose:
Decarb (if in this room), cook gummies, bake brownies/cookies, prep syrups and fillings.

Layout Principle:
Ovens and kettles along the wall under hoods; prep tables in front.

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Zone D – Gummy Line (Branch 1)
Extends from kettles toward one side of the floor.
Equipment:

• 20–40 qt planetary mixer
• Depositor or manual filling tables
• Tray/sheet pan line

Flow:
Hot Kitchen → Gummy Mixing → Depositing → Speed racks.

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Zone E – Gummy Cooling & Blast Chilling
Shared cooling area near Gummy Line and Baking Line.
Equipment:

• 1 roll-in blast chiller
• Walk-in cooler (if not shared with storage)
• Speed racks

Purpose:
Rapidly set gummies and cool baked goods to safe temps.

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Zone F – Baked Goods Line (Branch 2)
Parallel lane to Gummy Line, sharing the Hot Kitchen zone.
Equipment:

• Convection ovens
• Racks for baked pans
• Cooling tables

Flow:
Hot Kitchen → Baking → Cooling racks → Packaging.

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Zone G – Dedicated Chocolate Room (Branch 3)
Small enclosed room (e.g., 10' x 15') off the main floor with separate HVAC.

Environment:

• ~65–70°F
• Controlled humidity

Equipment:

• Chocolate melters/tempering machines
• Dipping/enrobing station or up to a small enrober
• Cooling rack or mini cooling tunnel

Flow:
Pre-measured chocolate + actives from Pre-Processing → Chocolate Room → Cooling → Packaging area.

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Zone H – Shared Finishing & Packaging Zone
Located toward the “clean” side of the facility, closer to the exit/shipping.
Equipment:

• Packaging tables
• Scales
• Labeling machines / printers
• Heat sealers
• Carton forming area

Flow:

• Gummies from Blast Chilling
• Baked goods from Cooling
• Chocolates from Chocolate Room
  → All converge here for final packing.

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Zone I – Finished Goods Staging & Shipping
Near exit/shipping door.
Equipment:

• Pallet racking or shelving for packed cases
• Area for outgoing orders

Purpose:
Hold finished, labeled, tested products prior to shipment.

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Zone J – Washing & Sanitation “Dirty Aisle”
Along rear/back wall, away from Packaging & Chocolate Room.
Equipment:

• 3-compartment sinks
• High-temp dishmachine
• Mop sink
• Chemical storage

Layout:
Accessed via back-of-house aisles from Gummy, Baking, and Chocolate lines so dirty equipment never passes through clean packaging zones.

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Zone K – Secure Cannabis Storage & QA/Office
Separate secure room or caged area near the center/back of the facility but not on main production paths.
Equipment:

• Locking cage or vault for THC distillate, isolate, oils
• Small desks for QA and batch record review (either inside or adjacent office)

Purpose:
Maintain regulatory security and keep sensitive materials under strict access control.

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3. How It Looks Conceptually

Left (Receiving)
Receiving & Bulk Storage → Central Pre-Processing

Center (Production)
Shared Hot Kitchen →

• Gummy Line → Blast Chiller
• Baked Line → Cooling
• Chocolate Room (separate climate-controlled room)

Right (Clean Side)
Shared Packaging → Finished Goods Staging → Shipping

Back Wall
Washing & Sanitation + Secure Cannabis Storage

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Not sure where to start?

Aldevra’s kitchen design team can translate your menu and production targets into a code-compliant layout—whether you’re building a 500 sq ft gummy lab or a 10,000 sq ft multiproduct facility

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Request a layout design from Aldevra’s kitchen experts.