Luton Borough Council

Home bakers start up advice

There are a number of factors to consider when setting up a home baking business.

You must contact the Food and Safety team if you go ahead with your planned business as it is a legal requirement to register with us. An officer may call you in the coming week to clarify the type of business you intend to start. Follow this link for an explanation of our role in regulating your business. Note that for home caterers we will always pre-arrange visits.
Follow this link for information on starting up a food business
Follow this link for information which covers the basics of food hygiene
Allergen awareness is important when selling food to the final consumer
If the products you are making do not contain fresh dairy products, e.g. fresh cream or cream cheese, we would class you as a low risk business. If this is not the case you would have to demonstrate how you are maintaining the cold chain from purchasing through storage, preparation and service/delivery. You would then be classed as higher risk. The nature of your business in this respect would determine how often you are inspected by us.
It is a legal requirement to have a written food safety management system. A free system called Safer Food Better Business is available. This has been designed for caterers by caterers. You can type onto this version of the pack and print it off once completed. If you prefer you can print the relevant sections of the pack and fill it in by hand.
In the UK, food handlers don't have to hold a food hygiene certificate to prepare or sell food. But food business operators must ensure that food handlers receive the appropriate supervision and training in food hygiene. This must be in-line with the area staff work in and to enable them to handle food safely. You may want to look at online food hygiene training providers. Level 2 is recommended for anyone involved in the preparation and handling of foods. Level 3 is recommended for Supervisors and Food Business Operators
If you intend to supply to retailers guidance on labelling is available. This issue may need further exploration with an officer of the Food and Safety team once you move closer to actually trading. A new Regulation came into effect on 13 December 2011 but you do not need to comply with most of its requirements until 13 December 2014. In future you will also need to provide nutritional information on your packaging, but this requirement does not apply until 13 December 2016
Similarly you will need a traceability system; this is the guidance from the FSA on your requirements- again this might be best discussed at a later date.
Business support is available from our economic development team