Food Business Start-Up Advice
Important food safety and registration advice for people setting up a new food business.
All food businesses MUST be registered
Before you start trading, if you intend to open a business which sells food directly to the public, or to other businesses, then your own business must be registered with Basildon Council's Environmental Health Services. This requirement includes mobile food businesses, home caterers, home cake makers and the like. For details see:
- Registration - Food Businesses
- Further information is available from the Food standards Agency (opens new window)
Business to business food suppliers may need official approval
Before it starts trading, a business premises that plans to manufacture or handle food products of animal origin for sale to other businesses may need to get official approval from Basildon Council's Environmental Health Services. To obtain approval you will need to meet certain standards, relating to both structure and hygiene. For details see:
Meeting food safety requirements
We always encourage people starting a new food business to check out the advice on the Food Stardards Agency Website (opens new window) at an early stage;
- to see whether the premises you have in mind are suitable for use as a food business
- to establish what if any work you might need to do to comply with food safety requirements
- to establish what if any work might be needed to prevent accidents to staff and the pubic. (opens new window)
If you need further advice from one of our officers please contact us.
Planning rights and building control approval
Before you take on new premises, it is worth checking that you have all the necessary Planning rights and Building Control approvals for the premises to be used as a food business - if you do not, you may find that you are unable to operate a food business from your new premises. For further information see:
Mobile food business regulations
If you are planning to start a mobile food business which will be based anywhere in Basildon Borough, or trading anywhere within Basildon Borough, then you must follow all the regulations that apply to mobile food businesses. For details see:
Food hygiene training
You also need to consider food hygiene safety training for yourself, your managers, supervisors and other staff.
We can help with training. Our food hygiene courses are available locally on a regular basis for all types of staff at all levels. For details see:
Home caterers and home cake makers etc.
If you are planning to start a food business from home the following downloadable documents will give you some useful advice. See: