Procedure to Start a Food Business in India

Planning to start a food business in India, then you need to follow few steps or say, procedure to start a new venture of food in India. The first and the most important license is the licence from Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI), heard this name before? Yes, obviously. FSSAI is dealt by the Ministry of Family Health & Welfare, Government of India. FSSAI provides licences for the safety and standardization of food items made and sold in India, without this no shop owner or retailer will stock your products.

FSSAI LICENCE

Basically, the work of FSSAI is to set scientific standard for articles of food, to regulate their manufacturing, storage, import and export, etc. It is mandatory for every company or any start-up related to food business to be licenced by FSSAI. Though there are few additional licences with this that you need to start your food business in India, but this is one of the most important licences that you would need.

This is an initiative by Government of India, to ensure that the food produced, sold, or imported shall meet the standards of food authority, thereby, avoiding problems such as adulteration and inferior qualities of food.

The FSSAI Licence is divided into three categories:

• FSSAI Licenses for single-state businesses with annual turnover of up to 12 lakhs.
• FSSAI Licenses for single-state hotels, restaurants, and medium sized food manufacturers with annual turnover of rupees 12 lakhs to rupees 20 crores.
• FSSAI central Licence for an enterprise with turnover of about 20 crores.

If your plan is to open an outlet in various cities or states in India, then you need a central FSSAI licence for your registered office and state licences for individual units. If you have warehouses in different states, you will be required to get a separate licence for each facility.

WHO REQUIRES AN FSSAI REGISTRATION

Any enterprise, company or start-up involved in importing, packaging, storing or distributing food items will need to get licenced by FSSAI.

Few steps to get FSSAI licence in India:

FILL THE APPLICATION FORM

Fill the application form mentioned in The Food Safety and Standards, Regulations 2011. First you need to check the type of licence you require from the concerned person, and then fill the form.

FORM SHOULD BE SEND TO THE AUTHORITY

Attach the following requirements with the application form and then send it to the concerned authority (Licencing Authority):

• Self – attested declaration
• Copies of documents provided in the declaration.
• Fees prescribed in the declaration
• Business name
• List of food categories
• Food analysis report
• Raw material source

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

If the authority requires any additional information or if the information turns out to be incomplete, you will be informed in writing within 15 days of your application.

Then, you will be asked to provide the remaining information within 30 days of the intimation, or else your application will be rejected and you will not get any licencing from the authority.

APPLICATION NUMBER

When the complete application will be received by the authority, including the additional information (if required), then the application number is issued. This number must be used for all future preference. After the issuance of application number, you can expect the license within 60 days of the issuance.

INSPECTION REPORT

As soon as Application ID has been issued, the authority may direct an officer to inspect the premises in which you will open your business.

After the inspection, the officer may issue a notice to you guiding you on necessary steps to be taken or the changes required.

You need to carry out required changes and alterations within 30 days or time limit given by the officer.

LICENCE APPROVAL

Within 30 days from the inspection report, excluding the time taken by you to finish the do’s and don’ts ordered by inspection officer, the concerned licencing authority may either grant the application or reject the application. However, according to the rules, before rejecting your application you will be given a chance to be heard, and if still the authority wants to reject your application, the reason for rejection shall be recorded in writing.

Author: This blog is written by Ms. Ayushi Mishra, a passionate blogger & intern at  Aapka Consultant.

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