Last Updated on Feb 17, 2020 by James W
In this age of the entrepreneur, more and more chefs are taking their culinary creations to a larger market. Although they got their start as the head chef in a 5-Star restaurant, they want more out of life than running a kitchen for someone else.
Many will, indeed, start their own eating establishments, but others want to take their best dishes to a larger market. If you are interested in starting a food production business in the UK, here are the bare-bone basics you must consider.
1. Rules and Regulations
Even before discussing how and where you will be preparing your food stuff for mass production, it’s important to learn about all the licences and registrations you will need. You can find information on all the various authorities you need to register to on the Startups UK website, however, the important regulations you must meet in England are:
- Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 for food hygiene
- The Food Hygiene Regulations 2006 – England, with similar regulations for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
- The Food Safety Act 1990
Be aware that any business dealing with the preparation and/or serving of edibles is carefully monitored by the authorities. This is for obvious reasons, so meeting these regulations is critical.
2. Finding Suitable Premises
You may have heard stories of famous chefs who started from home, but did they really? Many worked in restaurants prior to striking out on their own, and if there is one thing they will all tell you, it would be that you really need a commercial kitchen if you intend to produce mass amounts of food.
Bear in mind that your kitchen will be inspected and monitored by the proper authorities and as such, there are restrictions you may not be prepared for. Children and animals having access to the prep areas are just two restrictions you may not be prepared to meet from home.
3. Specialised Equipment for the Food Industry
Another key issue for startups in the UK, or anywhere for that matter, would be the specialised equipment needed for their business. Large capacity refrigerators, freezers and coolers are imperative for holding foods at proper temperatures and stored as required by date and location within the cooler.
Even so, you are not limited to the refrigerators and freezers that are mass produced, because companies like www.fridgefreezerdirect.co.uk can produce a bespoke unit for you. Both hot and cold foods must be held at specific temperatures and for finite amounts of time, so do make sure you have the right equipment for the foods you will be mass producing.
Those are just a few of the basics when starting a food production business. Obviously, you will need a brand, marketing, and distribution to get your business off to a good start. Don’t forget to write a solid business plan if you will need financial help or funding.
Unless you’ve saved a tidy sum, you will need financial backing of some sort. Having said all the above, the one thing you can look forward to is that food production is a huge industry and with the right products, you can operate a highly profitable venture. Everyone needs to eat, and with the right tools and your culinary artistry, there is no reason not to succeed!
