Starting a catering business is now easier than ever

Good news for those looking to start a restaurant, café, snack bar or other catering business. At the end of last year, the State Food and Veterinary Service (SFVS) updated a procedure, whereby the on-site inspection of food handling conditions before launching an activity will no longer be performed. Businesses seeking to legitimise their catering business will now be able to register in a period of time that is two times shorter than before (up to 5 business days), and will also have to submit fewer documents than were previously required. The activities of the new location will then be inspected without prior notice after it has started operating.

“The simplified requirements for caterers allow permits and licences to be obtained more quickly. Reduced administrative burdens are an important impetus for start-ups. The faster registration of their activities will allow the catering industry to pay more attention to the quality of the services they offer. In addition, the new regulations will oblige entrepreneurs to remain vigilant and to continuously do a good job after launching their activity, because after a new café or restaurant is already registered, the business will undergo an inspection without prior notice,” said the representatives of UAB Audores, a company selling professional food production equipment.

The documents required to be submitted to the SFVS by businessmen looking to start a catering business are as follows: an application according to the fixed form, a description of the food handling process including data on the self-monitoring system implemented by the company, a copy of the document certifying access to the place of food processing, and a plan of the food handling premises with a layout of the equipment.