Food Business & Food Safety

If you are intending to set up a market or festival stall for the sale of unpackaged food you will need to apply for a food licence to operate a temporary food stall, unless you are exempt from the requirement of a food licence.

To apply for a temporary food stall licence you are required to complete and submit an application form for a temporary food premises licence with the relevant fee.

Council's Environmental Health Officers will assess this application and will issue a licence if satisfied with the design of the food stall, facilities and equipment, food safety and hygiene practices to be used.

In some cases an Officer will require you to set-up the stall to be inspected beofre commencement. 

A temporary food licence issued by the Cassowary Coast Regional Council does not cover the licensee to operate in other Council regions.  This will be outlined in the conditions of the licence.

Council's Environmental Services Section licenses a range of home-based food activities to allow people to sell goods at festivals and markets. The preparation of the following foods is acceptable: chutneys, jams, cakes, biscuits and other similar snack food.  The fee for this category of food business (Category 4) has been set substantially lower than for other food business licences.  Any person wishing to carry out preparation of any other type of food from their home kitchen will need to contact a Council Environmental Health Officer.

To apply for a home-based food licence you are required to submit an application for a food business licence with the appropriate application fee (Category 4).  A plan of the kitchen is required to be submitted with the application.  Prior to issuing a food licence, a Council Environmental Health Officer will arrange an inspection of the kitchen to assess its suitability for the preparation of food for sale.  After the inspection the licence will either be granted or a notice will be issued outlining any outstanding requirements to be addressed to meet compliance.

Mobile food businesses include vehicles, trailers and boats which are operating as food businesses.

To apply for a food licence for a mobile food business, you are required to complete a mobile food application and submit the form below with the appropriate application fees and a plan drawn to scale of the layout of the premises including fixtures and fittings.

If you intend to set up a vending business on Council controlled areas or land you will need to apply for a “Stationary Vending or Mobile Roadside Vending (formally Itinerant Vending)” permit. There are very limited locations available for using Local Government areas for vending, other than at markets or events so please refer to the Stationary Vending & Mobile Roadside Vending Guidelines for further information

Food Businesses

Businesses involved with the sale of unpackaged food are required to hold a food licence with Council.  The following exceptions apply:

• Production of primary produce i.e. abattoir or dairy farm.
• The processing or sale of fisheries resources.
• Food businesses conducted by the State or a government owned corporation.
• Tuck shops operated by a parents and citizens association at a State School.
• Handling of food at a person's home that is intended to be given away to a non-profit organisation for sale by the organisation e.g. cakes made for fund-raising parents and citizens association at a school fete.
• Sale of unpackaged snack food that is not potentially hazardous food i.e. corn chips, potato chips, confectionery, nuts, dried or glazed nuts, biscuits and cakes (however the business where the biscuits and cakes are made needs to be licensed).
• Sale of whole fruit or vegetables.
• Sale of drinks other than fruit or vegetable juice processed at the place of sale i.e. tea, coffee, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks.
• Sale of ice including flavoured ice.
• Provision of meals by a non-profit organisation if the meals consists only of fruit, cereal, toast or similar food or the consumer of the meal helps prepare it.
• Sale of unpackaged food, not considered to be a meal, by a non-profit organisation i.e. BBQ sausage sizzle.
• Provision of meals by a non-profit organisation that are prepared by an entity other than the organisation and are stored and heated or otherwise prepared by the organisation in accordance with directions of the meal's manufacturer.

To carry out dining activities council-controlled footpaths, a Footpath Dining Application must be completed and submitted with a plan of the proposed area, outlining the location and equipment to be used.

All licensed food businesses in Queensland must have a food safety supervisor.  The food safety supervisor needs to have completed relevant units of competency applicable to the food business sector they work in.  Training must be completed through a Registered Training Organisation.

Legal obligations and responsibilities of the Food Business Licensee are outlined in the Food Act 2006.

It is recommended that all staff complete the 'Im Alert' training provided by Council to demonstrate a level of food safety knowledge for all staff.

The following food businesses need food safety programs:

• Food businesses whose primary activity is on-site catering.
• Food businesses that carry out on-site catering activities for 12 or more events in 12 months for 200 or more people.
• Off-site caterers – businesses involved in the preparation of food for sale (including serving, reheating etc.) at premises other than the principal place of business.
• Food businesses selling food to vulnerable population groups including private nursing homes, childcare centres, Meals On Wheels etc.

A Food Safety Program Auditor will need to audit the business and issue a notice of written advice

The Food Safety Program and the letter of written advice must be submitted to Council for accreditation with Form 3 - Application for Accreditation of a Food Safety Program and the relevant fee.

It is recommended that an application for the food business licence to be submitted at the same time. 

If Council is satisfied with the content of the Food Safety Program it will issue a notice of accreditation.

The Cassowary Coast regional Council takes food hygiene within our region very seriously.  All food businesses have obligations and Council is assisting food businesses to meet these obligations by providing free access to this exciting new training tool.

There is  a high demand for training within the food sector.  This training will assist food handlers in developing the required skills and knowledge to ensure food is handled in a safe and hygenic manner.

The program is easy to follow, includes an entertaining presentation as well as interactive quizzes and the ability to view Chinese text and captions.  A training acknowledgement form can be printed upon completion and kept as a part of your staff records.

To commence, click on the I'M ALERT button below.

Read more information about I'M ALERT Food Safety.