How to set up a food business: a step-by-step guide

Use this guide to help you to set up your food business safely and legally. The steps below cover the main issues you will need to consider. For more detailed guidance, please view the full guidance for new food businesses from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as a set of website pages or a downloadable PDF.

Before you set up your business

Warning You must register your food business at least 28 days before you start producing or trading food

Decide what you want to produce or sell

There are a number of basic questions which will define your type of food business:

• If you want to be a food producer, manufacturer, mobile trader, hospitality or retail establishment
• If you plan to offer dining on-site, provide a take-away service, or deliver food to people's homes
• If you're going to offer wholesale, retail or online sales

Register your business

There is a central service on the GOV.UK website for registering all new food businesses. This is the quickest and most efficient way to complete your registration. As your local authority, we will receive the details of your business automatically.

You will need to provide the following information when you complete your registration:

• Your trading name
• The type of business (such as store, cafe, food manufacturer, mobile caterer, online food trader, and the type of food you will prepare or sell)
• Contact details for the business owner or operator
• The location of the business premises
• When you plan to start trading
• Your hours of operation
• If you will employ staff
• If your premises has a mains water supply
• If you'll be importing ingredients or exporting products

If you can't use the online service, you can also complete your registration:

By phone

Call Public Protection at 01225 477508, and one of our officers can complete the form with you over the phone. 

By email

Email us at public_protection@bathnes.gov.uk, for any help with completing a food registration. When we get your registration, we will send you an email confirmation. Whichever method you use to register, we will contact you by email.

Understand and comply with food safety requirements

Your food business registration confirmation will include our contact details, and links to important guidance. Please read this carefully, so you understand the legal requirements of running a food business. We strongly recommend that you make any necessary changes to your business, before your first contact or inspection from us.

Below is a brief list of things you'll need to consider.

Consider your premises

This includes things like:

• The layout and design of your food business
• The toilet facilities provided
• Separate hand wash facilities
• Verifying that your gas appliances are safe to use
• Ensuring that walls, surfaces and floors are appropriate for food preparation, and that the building is well ventilated

Read this guide from the FSA on choosing the right premises for your food business.

If you're converting a building

If you're converting a building to use it as a food business, you'll need to apply for planning permission. If your premises are in a listed building, or a conservation area, there may be complex restrictions on the work that you can do to the fabric of the building. 

You should also consult our Building Control team before starting any work. They can advise on the regulations you'll need to follow, and make sure your construction plans for the premises are safe and appropriate.

Consider your food preparation, storage and hygiene

Use this comprehensive guidance from the Food Standards Agency (FSA):

• Monitoring of any food chilling, storage and cooking temperatures and practices
• Allergen awareness, management and training
• How to avoid cross contamination 
• How you will manage waste
• Pest control and managing food safety in your supply chain
• Your cleaning schedule and products
• (If appropriate) food delivery guidance
• Whether you will be handling any foods with a higher risk of causing food poisoning if processed incorrectly

Consider licensing

There are many different types of licence or permission that you may need, to operate your business legally and safely:

National licences

• Selling food for delivery and selling online
• Importing and exporting ingredients or products
• Getting premises approval for the production of food from animal origin, and animal slaughter licensing

Visit the A to Z list of industrial licensing requirements on the GOV.UK website, if you're unsure which licences you may need. 

Local licences

• Street trading and promotional pitches
• Alcohol, temporary events and mobile catering
• Street furniture and outside dining

Consider your staff

As a business owner, you will be responsible for ensuring your staff are well trained, fit to work, and are working in a safe environment. You will need to consider things like:

• Staff food hygiene training
• Staff sickness and fitness to work
• Staff personal hygiene when working with food
• Managing the health and safety of your staff

If you need more advice

• Apply for our Food Business Advice Service
• Safer Food, Better Business guidance packs
• Additional help and support for food businesses (FSA)

Be prepared

Warning It may affect your food hygiene rating, if we inspect your business, and you do not have up-to-date, written records on your food safety and health and safety management systems

Prepare for accidents and emergencies

Use these national guides from the FSA and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE):

• Set up food safety management routines and record keeping. 
• Know how to report or respond to a food safety incident and how to recall food products.
• Keep an accident book, and know when and how to report and respond to accidents, injuries or disease at work.(RIDDOR)

Keep up to date with your legal responsibilities and industry best practice

There is both national and local guidance available to help you to stay within the law and manage your new business successfully:

• Use the Business Companion website to check that you know all of the rules and regulations which apply to food businesses.
• Use the FSA guide to running your food business as an ongoing reference for everything you need to know about operating your business.
• Contact us for bespoke food business advice via our Business Audit Services.