Looking to get your food safety program accreditation? In this blog, we’re going to take you through our 7 steps to getting your food safety program accreditation with Food Agent Australia. Read more below!
How to get a food safety program:
Step 1: It all starts with the enquiry. Once you’ve contacted us by phone or our online contact form, the food safety program process begins.
Step 2: Food Agent Australia will then determine whether you need an accredited food safety program or not.
Generally, food businesses that need an accredited food safety program include:
- Catering Businesses including:
- Onsite catering
- Offsite catering
- Places serving food to vulnerable people such as child centres, schools, medical centres, age care facilities, etc.
If you are an onsite catering business, however, you may not need an accredited food safety program as there is a threshold to be met (based on the number of events per year and number of guests attached each event) but we can chat through the specifics of this over the phone!
Step 3: Once Food Agent Australia determines if an accredited food safety program is needed, we book a consultation with you to go through a business briefing.
In this business briefing, Food Agent Australia goes through your entire food business including,
- Your menu
- The type of food you cook
- Your food business operation.
This consultation usually takes place via zoom or phone call making it a seamless process for you.
Step 4: Food Agent Australia starts writing the food safety program. We’d recommend allowing 2 weeks (10 business days) but we’re always happy to expedite the writing process if you’re under time constraints.
While preparing your program, we obtain the correct documentation from all your suppliers, we cross reference and make sure your food safety program has everything required by council.
Step 5: The written food safety program is given to Food Agent’s external auditor to review and make any necessary changes. Once complete, we’ll get written advice from the auditor and finalise your documentation. This is required by council to provide with your food safety program accreditation application.
Step 6: To make things super simple, Food Agent Australia submits your food safety program to council and manages the whole application process and communication on your behalf.
Food Agent Australia is proud of the fact that all our food safety programs are usually approved upon the first submission. Subject to the structural state of the premises, our food safety programs are of a 5-star standard.
But if required, we’ll liaise with Council (and you!) to incorporate any required amendments or special conditions from their end.
Step 7: Food Agent Australia books in a zoom call to conduct training for you on how to use your new food safety program and trains you on the best practices for record-keeping.
Team training can also be provided in the case that your team might struggle to conduct accurate record-keeping.
Here at Food Agent Australia, we strive to make the process of getting your accredited food safety program accreditation as simple as possible – especially when it comes to record-keeping, as it tends to be the biggest pitfall food business owners fall into in their first audit.
Ready to create your food safety program?
Contact us here at Food Agent Australia so we can help make the road to launching your food business that much easier!
