Home-based food businesses can be a low-risk opportunity for food producers. It offers a way to enter the industry in a low-cost trial, before purchasing or renting a shop or as a small-scale operator.
As a home-based food business, you manufacture and/or prepare food from a residential premises to sell.
The meaning of ‘sell’ is very broad and can include things like:
- retail sale
- catering
- market stall
- bed & breakfast
- child care services where food is provided
- food given away for advertising or fundraising purposes
All food business need to notify their operation with Council. This includes those based in a domestic environment. Notification is through a Food Business Notification Form in accordance with the Food Act 2001 and Food Safety Standards.
There are no costs associated with notifying your food business.
Food businesses are subject to routine inspections, generally every 12 months. These do incur a fee.
Routine inspections and all follow up inspections where non-compliances are identified:
- Premises with 20 or less full time food handlers - $140 (GST not applicable)
- Fees prescribed by South Australian Food Regulations 2017 and are subject to change.
Read our Home Based Food Business Brochure. This will tell you what you need to know when running a home food business.
You may need development approval. Please check the PlanSA website to find out if you need approval (click +Show more options for the Home Activity field).
For further information contact our Development Team on 8408 1111.
Review the Home Based Food Business Brochure. Determine which risk category your business fits into.
Complete a Food Business Notification Form.
Once Council has received your notification form, you'll receive a Certificate of Notification and a Food Safety Information Kit.
Our Environmental Health Team will then contact you to arrange an inspection of your business.
Depending on the scale of your home business you may require Development Approval. For further information contact our Development Team on 8408 1111.
Food businesses often discharge waste water that needs to be declared with SA Water. Please see the SA Water Trade Waste for more information.
New to starting a business? See SA Government - planning a new business for some guidance on where to start and some basic requirements.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand provides helpful links to the Food Safety Standards, labelling requirements, nutrition panel information, and much more.
Food businesses are required to ensure that all staff have adequate food handling skills and knowledge.
To help, we're offering a free online food safety training with the I'M A.L.E.R.T program. The program has a series of presentations and interactive tasks about Food Safety Standards. You can complete all sections, or only those relevant to your business.
The entire training takes less than 2 hours to complete.
To get started, visit I'M A.L.E.R.T training.
Need technical help? Food Safety Training assistance is available.
Need help?
Environmental Health Team
8408 1111
council@charlessturt.sa.gov.au