Launching any small business is a minefield.
Get your strategy, location, or profit and loss projections wrong, and your dream may be over before it’s begun. Soberingly, around one in five small businesses fail in just their first year.
If you’re a small food business, getting it right may prove even more challenging.
Not only do you have to grapple with the generic business basics, but you’ve also got a responsibility to protect your customers. You need robust food hygiene and safety measures in place.
I’ve known many passionate foodies park their dream of getting their products out in the world because the paperwork appears impenetrable, and they just don’t know where to start.
Here are my top five tips to help small food businesses get off the starting blocks:
- Don’t fear the local authority food safety team
Yes, they’re there to protect the public from those businesses that show a blatant disregard for their customers’ safety. But the sum total of the food safety team’s work isn’t the prosecutions you read about in the local paper. They’re also there to help advise you on your responsibilities and how to meet them. The sooner you engage them, the quicker you’ll be ready to launch, confident that you’ve done what you need to.
Suppose your food business is unique or goes beyond the norm; you may need additional help interpreting what the rules mean for you and implementing them. That’s where a food safety consultant like me comes in.
- You don’t have to buy new
The £££s quickly rack up when you’re starting a business. A simple way to reduce costs is to buy equipment second-hand. Auctions and online sites often sell good quality fittings and appliances at a fraction of the cost of new, from vacuum sealers to hand-washing sinks.
- Build relationships
Everything runs more smoothly when you have the right people around you. Your trusted network may include the local butcher who supplies your meat and helps you meet your food traceability responsibilities. You may also have the ear of the maintenance contractor or pest controller who are there in just a few hours to sort your issue. Spend time cultivating these relationships.
And you may want to add a food safety consultant to your list – somebody who can be that critical friend when you need them or there at the end of the phone any time you have a question.
- Get an expert in risk assessment
As Donald Rumsfeld famously (and confusingly!) said about the Iraq war, ‘there are known knowns… and known unknowns’. The same is true in food safety. You may be able to identify some risks you need to mitigate, but you’ll probably be aware that you’ve not captured them all. For instance, you may have thought about cross-contamination and allergens, but what about the positioning of electrical sockets and your responsibilities for lone workers?
A food safety consultant can help ensure that no (relevant) stone is left unturned. And a good one will keep it simple, not over-complicating it or getting you to do unnecessary things. After all, you’ve got enough to be thinking about!
- Take your responsibilities seriously
You’re chomping at the bit to get your food business going. You’re thinking that you’ll do the food safety basics and pick the rest up as you go along. This would be a big mistake.
Poor scores on the doors or a viral social media post accusing you of food poisoning can put the brakes on your business before you really begin. People are generally not tolerant of failure. Give them reasons to talk about you in a good way.
I help small food businesses understand their specific risks and food safety responsibilities. I look to find solutions that are proportionate and as simple as possible.
Let me take the weight off your shoulders, so you can focus on what you do best!
If you have any questions or are interested in working with me, get in touch!
