Whether you open up a mobile catering business such as a food van or ice cream van, or are looking at more of a fixed site such as Restuarant, Cafe or Fish and Chip Shop, the Food Hygiene Ratings will apply to you, and the better your level of hygiene, the more confident customers will be when they approach your business.
Not only that but having great food safety standards will mean you are less likely to need to rely on your insurance to settle any claims, meaning you will save money on premiums. But what are the basics when it comes to getting those coveted 5 stars that show you are great place to eat (and bag those top reviews)?
The food hygiene ratings system used in England and Wales doesn’t assess the quality of your food, your customer service, or the comfort of your premises – those are up to you. Instead, it focuses on several key aspects of food preparation, especially how food is stored and handled. To achieve a 5-star rating, you must demonstrate high standards of cleanliness, proper food safety management, and effective staff training. This includes keeping accurate records and ensuring stock is properly rotated.
When you’re inspected, it will be by a food safety officer from your local authority, they will look at three key elements:
- How hygienically the food is handled – how it is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored
- The physical condition of the business –including cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation, pest control and other facilities
- How the business manages ways of keeping food safe, looking at processes, training and systems to ensure good hygiene is maintained.
To get a food hygiene rating of 5, your business needs to meet each of these demands extremely well and demonstrate that you’ll be able to do so consistently in the future. This should be your aim, as you’ll want to make sure that your business is as safe for you and your customers as it can possibly be.
You’ll never know when you are likely to be inspected, although each local authority plans a programme of inspections every year. Inspectors will arrive without an appointment and for that reason, complying with the standards each and every day is a sensible aim for your business, as losing a level in your rating can damage your reputation and your profits.
While meeting food hygiene standards is crucial for keeping customers safe and happy, it also plays a key role in protecting your business more broadly. Strong hygiene practices reduce the risk of incidents that could lead to costly claims for incidents such as food poisoning and contamination, helping you avoid the stress of making a claim and potentially keeping your catering insurance premiums lower in the long run. Investing in cleanliness, training, and safety isn’t just about ticking boxes for a good rating; it’s a smart, preventative measure that supports the long-term success and insurability of your business.
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