Running a food business

If you have a food business, you need to have a plan or programme to manage food safety risks. Information about opening a new business can be found on the Ministry for Primary Industries website.

For advise and support visit Food Adviser Hub.

Apply to register your business

You will need to include the following things with your application:

• A completed application for registration of food business (single site or multi-site).
• A completed scope of operations.
• A copy of the site plan for each site that will be registered.
• A letter from your verification agency if this is not the Council.
• A copy of your certificate of incorporation if your business is a registered company.
• The $460.00 registration fee.

Other considerations

If you’re thinking of opening a food business, you may need to consult with other Council staff in addition to Environmental Health, such as:

Planning - Contact Council’s Planner to ensure that you can set up a food business in your chosen area. The zoning of some areas exclude commercial activity and you may need to apply for Resource Consent to operate in some areas. The Planner can also tell you if there are any parking or other planning requirements in your area.

Building - You may require Building Consent if you are building a new premises or making alterations to an existing premises. Council’s Building Control Officers will be able to advise you whether the work you intend to do requires building consent. They will also be able to provide advice on public toilet requirements for your premises. Depending on the type and volume of food you are preparing, you may also require a grease trap.

Alcohol Licensing - If you intend to sell alcohol on your premises or have patrons bring alcohol for consumption on the premises while dining, you will need to apply for the appropriate licence under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. Contact Council’s Licensing Inspector for further information.

Taking Over an Existing Food Business

Food business registrations are not transferable; this means that if you take over an existing business you will need to apply to register the food business in your name before you start operating the business.

Registration

Registered food businesses are required to renew their registration annually. See Council’s fees and charges.

Verification

Verification (audit) is a check by an approved verifier (either Council or a third party verifier) to assess the ongoing compliance of the food business with the Act, Regulations and Standards, and compliance with the businesses food control plan or national programme.

New food businesses will be verified within 6 weeks of being registered, and existing food businesses will be verified within 3 months of being registered.

The frequency of verification will depend on business type and performance, but will usually be annual.

Date and time of verification will be scheduled with the operator of the food business. The process for verification of a food business is as follows:

1. Schedule appointment for verification (approx. 2 weeks prior)
2. Entry meeting
3. Follow-up from previous verification outcomes
4. Confirmation that new or changes requirements have been actioned
5. Check compliance with any conditions of approval
6. Visual review of operations, including documentation and record checks, reality check and discussions with staff
7. Exit meeting
8. Corrective Action Requests (CARs)
9. Report (within 7 days)
10. Follow-up action

Food Control Plans

Food control plans are a risk-based measure designed for higher-risk food businesses. Food control plans set out what steps a business making or selling food needs to take to make food safe. They are used to identity risks and to show how they are being managed.

There are two types of food control plans:

• Template food control plans - based on templates issued by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
• Custom food control plans - developed by the business.

Template food control plans require the following:

• Fill out the plan using the templates available on MPIs website.
• Registration with Council
• Checks from a recognised verifier (Council)
• Following the plan to make food safe.

The majority of food businesses in the District will be subject to a template food control plan. These businesses include food service business such as restaurants, cafes, takeaways, catering or hospital kitchens; and food retailers that prepare or manufacture food (i.e. butchers, fishmongers, delis and supermarkets).

Custom food control plans require the following:

• Develop the custom plan
• Have it evaluated
• Registration with MPI
• Checks from a recognised third party verifier
• Following the plan to make food safe.

Food businesses subject to a custom food control plan include manufacturers of high-risk foods (i.e. food for vulnerable populations, fresh ready-to-eat salads and other meals, meat, poultry, fish, dairy or processed egg products).

More information about food control plans.