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Registering your food business

If you are opening a cafe, restaurant, takeaway or similar food business in a fixed location, in a mobile shop or from a stall, you will likely need to register your business with council or with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)

Who needs a registration

As a general guide, any cafe, restaurant, takeaway, dairy, mobile shop, market stall or similar food business that prepares, packs, stores and handles food needs to be registered and operate under either a Food Control Plan or a National Programme.

Examples of food premises that require a registration include (but are not limited to):

  • Restaurants, cafes & takeaway premises
  • Fruit and& vegetable shops
  • Bakeries
  • Grocery shops and dairies
  • Mobile shops
  • Market stalls
  • Early childcare education services

For more information on the type of registration you need please use the Ministry for Primary Industries Food Safety Rules tool

Guidelines for registering a food business

Taking over an existing food business

Before you purchase an existing food business that is currently registered under the Food Hygiene Regulations 1974, Template Food Control Plan or National Programme you must contact council and speak to a licensing officer.

Food Control Plans and National Programmes are non-transferable and therefore where a new owner takes over an existing food business they will either need to apply for a new Food Control Plan or National Programme depending on the scope of their business.

If you make structural alternations to an existing food premise such as plumbing works, installing new ventilation hoods etc. you must also speak to a building inspector as structural works may require a building consent.

Further Information

For further information, please download council's "Setting up a Food Business" guide or contact a licensing offer at council on 07 348 4199.

Application forms

Related information

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