Starting a food business from home

Start with your local authority

If you sell, cook, store, handle, prepare or distribute food, you may be running a food business. This can include regular sales from home, through social media or on an ordering website.

The Food Standards Agency says new food businesses should register with the local authority at least 28 days before trading. Use the official registration service and ask your local authority if you are unsure which rules apply to your business.

• Describe where food will be prepared and stored.
• Explain the types of food you plan to sell.
• Keep the details of the person responsible for the business up to date.
• Check whether any separate permission, licence or approval applies to what you plan to do.

Prepare your home and working area

A local-authority officer may visit your home to check whether the preparation area and your food-safety procedures are suitable. Think about the full journey of the food, from receiving ingredients to storage, preparation, packing and collection or delivery.

Keep food areas clean and in good repair. Make it easy to wash hands, clean equipment, control pests and keep raw food away from ready-to-eat food. Pets and normal household activity must not put food at risk while the business is operating.

Build a food-safety routine

Food businesses need a system for managing food safety. The FSA’s Safer Food, Better Business packs are designed for many small businesses in England and Wales. Northern Ireland and Scotland have their own official guidance.

• Record how you clean, cook, chill and prevent cross-contamination.
• Keep supplier and ingredient information so food can be traced.
• Train anyone who handles food for the tasks they perform.
• Review your process whenever a recipe, supplier or way of selling changes.

Give clear allergen information

Know which regulated allergens are present in every item you sell. Keep recipes and ingredient records accurate, check substitutions, and control cross-contamination. If you sell for delivery or takeaway, allergen information must be available before the customer completes the purchase and again when the food is delivered.

Plan online sales and delivery

Your online menu should describe the food, quantity, price and relevant allergen information clearly. Packaging and transport must protect food from contamination and keep chilled, frozen or hot food safe for the journey.

CookSocket helps eligible Hosts publish a Listing, Menu and available services. The Host remains responsible for registration, food safety, allergens, accurate Listing information and any other rules that apply to the business.

A simple opening checklist

• Confirm whether the activity is a food business.
• Register with the correct local authority in time.
• Check home-business permissions, insurance, tax and any licences that may apply.
• Prepare the premises and a written food-safety system.
• Create accurate recipes and allergen records.
• Test safe packing, collection and delivery procedures.
• Keep checking official guidance after the business opens.