New Zealand is a developer and one of the most attractive investment destinations in the southern hemisphere zone. It provides the comfort of a stable democracy with freedom in the economy, ranked # 4. If we study the history of Auckland city, we would know that till the year 2010, Auckland city was the most populous city in New Zealand and in the year 2009, the annual survey conducted by human resource consultancy giant Mercer, also rated “Auckland city” as the fourth best place in the residential world. With these decorative prospects earned by the city, it would be beneficial to start a café business.
New Zealand’s food and beverage sector are booming for various reasons. Considering the fact that New Zealand has a temperate climate, hence its food and beverage industry has lots of capability and it has very well demonstrated the same. Being the world’s largest exporter of dairy products and lamb, and won the major exporters of beef, fruits namely kiwi, apples, sea food and wine too, this country have a flourishing processed food industry with market presence in Asia and Australia. With this kind of prospering business, it is estimated that New Zealand’s food and beverage exports would triple in the coming 15 years.
Steps to start a Café business
- Firstly, in order to sell food, i.e. via a café outlet, the business has to be registered. There are basically two methods to get it registered :
- One has to operate from a place that has been registered under the Food Hygiene Regulations Act, 1974.
- This premise has to be inspected by the local territorial authority for that area.
- Another way out is to make a Food Safety Program (FSP) duly registered and also audited by an independent auditor.
- These registration requirements can be waived off only when food that is being sold is for charity purpose.
- In order to get the registration formalities concluded faster, one can prepare a business plan with full details and minute nuances and also identify the place where the café outlet will be operated from.
- A detailed sketch/design of café store with specifications such as where the sinks will be placed, hand wash basin, cookers, chilled storage, ventilation, drainage & water supply location, etc. All these minutes detailing will certainly give a clarity to the local council officer about the manner in which café will be operated. Looking at these plans will also help the local environment officer to advise him on how better other locations/space may be used and finally get the outlet registered.
- In case you are acquiring another business/outlet, then it is suggested to get the outlet registered in your name. You will have to check with the local environment officer if the existing registration is appropriate for planned business. The requirements would vary in case the existing business is a “dairy” store and you now intend to make it a café outlet. This information can be gathered from “Memorandum report”
easily available at local council offices.
- It would be safe to check from local council if any legal notice are issued and outstanding for the premises. This is particularly important as in the case without gathering knowledge if one acquires the premises then you will have to complete those impending formalities in order to get clearance. Any kind of changes proposed to the existing business has to be specified clearly to the environmental officer for onward discussion and requested registration.
- Apart from aforementioned clearances, there are other controls also that are to be understood from the local officer. The local officer shall provide those details, namely planning related controls, license in order to sell liquor, permit taken from the building in order to operate as Café. The Local Officer shall explain other bylaws namely the training of sanitation & hygiene and requirements in case trading is done from street etc.
- In case the premises from where one intends to start a café business, is already an approved under Food Safety Program then one did not require to be registered by the local council. Instead an independent auditor would come for inspection. A Food Safety Program is a plan in which there is a detailed plan for managing food safety. It will have specifications right from food items that can cause a hazard, how to minimize these hazards, etc. There are standard code of conduct of how to deal with issues that may arise during day to day dealing and how best it can be addressed as per food safety programme.
- It is mandatory to apply once in a year to check if your food café is still registered with a local council. Through the date of expiry of registration once can know if you are still existing in the business or not. The details of the registration document must be scanned for its correctness and expiry details. It should be placed on cafes where customers can see it.
- Getting café business details uploaded on important online websites for promotion, namely Zomato etc. carrying full information, i.e. right from Cuisines they serve, Establishment Type namely Café etc., Opening hours, Major Highlights like No Home Delivery/Home Delivery, Takeaway available, Seating available, Winer and Beer only etc., Cost, Reviews and loads of pictures to excite visitors.
