Plain-English answers to food safety questions

In New South Wales, retail food businesses — cafes, restaurants, retail bakeries — must notify the NSW Food Authority before operating. Non-retail food businesses such as food manufacturers, wholesalers, egg producers, and dairy processors must apply for a licence directly with the NSW Food Authority.

We guide you through classifying your business, preparing the necessary documentation, and submitting compliance-ready applications to prevent launch delays.

A NSW Food Authority audit assesses compliance across three core areas:

• Structural requirements: Kitchen surfaces, handwashing facilities, and ventilation.
• Operational processes: Safe food temperatures, clean storage, and allergen separation.
• Record-keeping: Daily temperature sheets, sanitising logs, and supplier approvals.

Our pre-audit gap assessments are designed to catch and fix physical or documentation gaps before an inspector arrives.

Under Standard 3.2.2A of the Food Standards Code, most food service businesses that process and sell ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous foods must appoint at least one trained Food Safety Supervisor.

The FSS does not need to be physically present at all times, but must be reasonably available to supervise food handling operations and maintain the food safety program. We help you select, train, and document the right person for the role.

Third-party food safety audits assess your HACCP program, documented procedures, supplier verification, and staff competency. Whether it's a council audit, a retailer requirement, or a compliance assessment, the foundation is the same: solid documentation, clear SOPs, and evidence that your team understands food safety.

We help you prepare by identifying gaps, strengthening documentation, and ensuring your team is audit-ready.

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is a systematic approach to identifying and managing food safety hazards in food production. In NSW, Class 2 food businesses — which includes most cafes, restaurants, caterers, and food manufacturers — are legally required to maintain a documented Food Safety Program based on HACCP principles under Standard 3.2.1 of the Food Standards Code.