Food businesses

If you're planning to operate a food business (eg food manufacturing, restaurants and cafes, takeaways, and some temporary food stalls), you'll need to apply for a Notice of Registration from us.

This ensures that food is prepared in a clean environment and using quality products, preventing any risk to public health from contamination, poor hygiene, poor preparation, and unsanitary storage and serving.

Notices of Registration are non-transferable. If you want to take over an existing food business, you will need to complete a new application for registration. 

MPI requirement – Food Control Plans and National Programmes

Depending on what food you make you will need to either operate under a Food Control Plan or National Programme.

A Food Control Plan sets out what steps a business making or selling higher-risk foods needs to take to make safe food. It is used to identify risks and show how they're being managed. It means customers will know food is safe – and it can help to create a successful food business.

Lower and medium-risk businesses follow a National Programme. This means businesses do don't need to use written Food Control Plans, but must register the business, meet food safety standards, keep some records, and get verified.

For more information about the template Food Control Plans or National Programmes you can either view the Food Act 2014 or visit the Ministry for Primary Industries Website.

Verification

The law requires that Council verify businesses registered under an MPI template Food Control Plan unless the business chooses to operate in more than one council district and/or predominantly wholesale their food.

Food businesses operating under a National Programmes may choose their own verifier. You will need a letter from your verifier to attach to your application. A list of recognised verification (or audit) agencies can be found on the Ministry for Primary Industries Website.

Before you apply

Before you apply, you need to know where your food activity or business fits within the Food Act Rules (i.e., Food Control Plan, or National Programme).  MPI has a digital tool called ‘My Food Rules’ tool to help, which you can access here.

Information required to complete this application includes:

  • Whether you will be operating under a Food Control Plan or National Programme
  • For those operating under a National Programme – a confirming letter from your verifier
  • If any of the businesses covered in this application are operated by a registered company, you will need to provide the 'NZBN' number. See www.companies.govt.nz
  • Registration information for every address covered in this application
  • Resource consent number if applicable, to check compatibility with Council’s District Plan
  • Building consent number if applicable, to check for Building Act requirements

Payment and processing

Fees vary.  You can check which fees apply to you here.

Once we have received your application, we will invoice you the appropriate fee.

Once your payment has been received, your application will be processed.

Once registered, you will receive a Notice of Registration.

For those operating under a Food Control Plan, you will be visited by an Environmental Health Officer who will carry out an on-site verification.  Once your site has been verified, we will invoice you a verification fee. 

You will continue to receive periodic invoices from Council, for:

  • Annual registrations (renewing your Notice of Registration)
  • For those operating under a Food Control Plan, we will invoice you each time your site requires verification

How to apply

You can apply to:

  • Register a food business
  • Change a food business registration
  • Renew a food business registration
  • Surrender a business registration or suspend operations

To apply, applicants should visit the ‘Do it online’ page on our website.  Click on the ‘Alcohol, food, and health business’ tile where you’ll be taken to first login to or set up and online account before progressing with the application.

Please note that Council staff cannot view any applications which have not yet been ‘submitted’.

Surrendering a food business registration or suspending operations

To surrender your food business registration or suspend operations, you should complete the relevant form. You should visit the ‘Do it online’ page on our website.  Click on the ‘Alcohol, food, and health business’ tile.

Find out more

Food Act 2014 

Ministry for Primary Industries Website

Contact Environmental Health Officers

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