Selling FoodTe Hoko kai

How it works

You need a food registration certificate to sell food in CHB. This includes:

• restaurants, cafes and takeaway shops
• shops that sell food, like dairies, supermarkets and online stores
• food stalls and food trucks
• food manufacturers and growers, like brewers or honey producers
• transport businesses that handle food.

 To get a food registration certificate, you need to have a food control plan or national programme. These have been created by the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) and are designed to make sure the food you sell is safe for consumers. 

To work out which plan applies to you, use MPI's 'My food rules' tool here

If you are applying for a registration using a template food control plan:

Apply Here  – CHBDC can register & verify your business.

If you are applying for a National Programme You'll need to find a recognised verifier first (CHBDC cannot verify your business) You can find a list of recognised verifiers here:

• your NZ business number and a copy of your certificate of incorporation, if your business is a limited liability company
• a confirmation letter from your National Programme verifier 

Once you have a recognised verifier. Apply for your registration certificate here.  You will need to provide proof of your appointed verifier.

Contact environmental health with any questions here.

Food trucks need a food registration certificate to be able to sell food. There are also special safety requirements and rules about where you can park.

How it works

Food trucks – also known as mobile food premises – are licensed, motorised vehicles used to sell food. They often contain all the facilities required to prepare and cook food safely on-board.

Food trucks are like any other food business, and need to be registered and verified to ensure they're preparing and selling safe food.

Setting up a safe food truck

Your mobile food truck must be suitably constructed for food preparation and handling and sale activities.

You must:

• make sure all surfaces (floors, walls, ceiling, shelving and benches) are smooth, waterproof and easy to clean
• provide ventilation to maintain comfortable conditions for people working in the truck, prevent condensation and remove bad odours
• have enough space for everyone who'll be working in the truck, and to be able to clean effectively
• provide sinks and hand wash basins, with enough hot water to allow effective cleaning and hand washing
• drain wastewater to a big enough holding tank, and dispose of it into the sewerage system or through a sink attached to a grease trap
• Provide at least one rubbish bin to be situated outside your mobile food truck / temporary site for patrons to use
• comply with the following electrical/fire safety requirements:
• all food trucks connecting to power must have an up-to-date electrical Warrant of Fitness
• all electrical equipment /appliances brought on site must have a current electrical safety test tag
• all food trucks that have cooking or reheating appliances must have a fire extinguisher and/or fire blanket, and a first aid kit as part of their equipment.

If there is not enough space to prepare food, you can use an alternative preparation kitchen. You'll need to make sure this preparation kitchen is covered by your registration.  Include this information with your initial application.

If you intend to ONLY use your mobile business within Central Hawkes Bay district you can apply and be verified by CHBDC – apply through the website here. 

 If you intend to sell in OTHER districts outside of CHB you will need to find and contact a registered verifier before you apply for your registration certificate with CHBDC.  Find a registered verifier here

 Once you have chosen a verifier and received confirmation from them (by letter), you can apply for a registration through our website here. You will need to provide proof of your appointed verifier.

You'll need:

• your NZ business number and a copy of your certificate of incorporation, if your business is a limited liability company
• a confirmation letter from your chosen verifier

Where you can sell food once you are registered

Once your mobile operation is registered  and you have a verifier you can operate from private land as long as you have permission from landowners, and trading from that land fits with permitted activities in the District Plan.

If you want to trade in a public space (for example, on road reserves, or in a public park or sports field), you'll need to apply to the Council for a public trading licence found here

Contact environmental health with any questions here

How it works

Food stalls are temporary structures used to sell or give away food at events, fairs or markets.

You need to register as a food business under the food act 2014 to sell food from a food stall in CHB, unless:

• you are a charity organisation or are fundraising, and sell food fewer than 20 times a year
• you run a club, organisation or society that sometimes sells food at member events.

 Exemptions from plans or programmes – MPI 

Apply for an occasional FOOD STALL PERMIT here  

If you are selling food for profit or, more than 20 times per year, whether it be on public or private land, you’ll need to register.  Work out which plan applies to you, use MPI's 'My food rules' tool, here.

Once you know which plan applies to you, you can register your business.

If you are selling more than 20 times per year and intend to ONLY sell within Central Hawkes Bay district you can apply and be verified by CHBDC – apply through the website here. 

If you are selling more than 20 times per year and intend to sell in OTHER districts outside of CHB you will need to find and contact a registered verifier before you apply for your registration certificate with CHBDC.  Find a registered verifier here

Once you have chosen a verifier and received confirmation from them (by letter), you can apply for a registration through our website here 

You'll need:

• your NZ business number and a copy of your certificate of incorporation, if your business is a limited liability company
• a confirmation letter from your chosen verifier

Where you can sell food once you are registered

Once your food stall is registered  and you have a verifier you can operate from private land as long as you have permission from landowners, and trading from that land fits with permitted activities in the District Plan.

If you want to trade in a public space (for example, on road reserves, or in a public park or sports field), you'll need to apply to the Council for a public trading licence found here

You can only operate outside the central Hawkes Bay District if you are verified by an external verifier and you have registered.

Contact environmental health with any questions here

Market Organisers – application to operate a market

If you are the organiser of a market – please complete and submit this form here

What are the rules? Here’s a summary of what is expected: 

A market can be a great community enterprise providing a wealth of vibrancy, goods & foods to our streets.  Any market (occasional or periodic) needs to be approved & registered with council.  Out teams need to evaluate: (not limited to)

• Ease of parking for customers
• Traffic Management
• Compliance of food stalls
• Health and safety
• Rights to occupation
• District plan requirements
• Building codes
• Alcohol licensing
• Local alcohol policies
• Local bylaws

There is a fee for market organiser applications, once the application has been received you will receive an invoice. You can find the current fees and charges on our website.

All food services / food for sale for human consumption should have a registration or permit to operate a stall at a market

IT IS THE MARKET ORGANISER WHO IS RESPONSIBLE IN MAKING SURE ALL STALL HOLDERS HAVE THE CORRECT PERMIT OR REGISTRATION UNDER THE FOOD ACT 2014.  This check should form part of your process when assigning stalls to applicants.

If you are selling food to raise money, you don't need a food registration certificate as long as you operate fewer than 20 times a year

 How it works

You don't need a food registration certificate to sell food at a sausage sizzle  or other fundraiser (for example, a school fair) – as long as you operate fewer than 20 times a year.

Whilst no formal registration is required, you must inform council of your event.  Please use this this form to advise council of your fundraising event.

If you want to sell food more than 20 times a year, you'll need to apply for a food registration under the food act 2014.

Safe sausage sizzles

Sausages must be fresh, good quality and ideally pre-cooked. 

Before the event:

• Buy sausages from a reliable source, as close to the event as possible
• Store sausages in a clean fridge
• Do all preparation, including chopping onions and buttering bread
• Transport and store the sausages in chilly bins with ice packs
• Always keep food in clean covered containers to protect it from contamination by dust, animals, insects and people

During the event:

• Clearly display the name of the organisation running the sausage sizzle
• Have at least two people, preferably three, running the stall – one person should only handle money
• Food handlers must wear clean clothing, an apron, and their hair must be tied back or under a cap
• Wash hands and replace gloves often
• Do not prepare any other meat, including chicken
• Use suitable utensils, such as tongs, for handling food – do not touch the food with your hands
• Use different tongs for cooked and uncooked food
• Cook the sausages properly, so they are hot in the centre
• Serve food on single-serve serviettes or paper plates
• Do not leave large quantities of sausages in chilly bins for long periods – use a fridge as a back-up where possible

 School fairs and larger fundraising events

School fairs usually have a number of food stalls, ranging from registered trucks and stalls to whānau making food at home for the event.

It is the market organiser who is responsible for notifying council of the market and ensuring all stalls have the correct registration (if required).

Public market and large event organisers can apply for a market/event licence here

Where you can sell food

You can sell food as part of a fundraiser on any private property, as long as it is in a zone that permits commercial activities and you have the permission of the owner. i.e supermarket carparks, school grounds

If you want to trade in a public space (for example, on road reserve, or in a park or sports field), you'll need to apply to the Council for a trading licence. We generally won't allow sales on a public road or footpath.

Apply to trade in a public place here 

Contact environmental health with any questions here

How it works

A health licence is confirmation that a business is registered with Council. The Council checks that they are operating to acceptable health standards.

Once you're registered, you need to display your certificate of registration and re-register each year.

If you're taking over an existing business with a health licence

A health licence is granted to the owner of a business, not the business itself. If you're buying or leasing a business, you need to apply for a new health licence before you can start trading.

Who needs a health licence

• Campgrounds
• Hairdressers or barbers
• Funeral homes

 You also need a health licence if your business involves an "offensive trade" – this is defined in schedule 3 of the Health Act and includes things like rubbish collection, septic tank desludging and tanning hides.

Schedule 3, Health Act 1956 – legislation.govt.nz 

When you don't need to register:

You don't need a health licence to do:

• tattooing
• customary tattooing
• skin piercing
• laser hair removal
• beauty therapy

However, you still need to make sure you're following health and safety guidelines.

• Guidelines for the safe piercing of skin – Ministry of Health
• Customary tattooing guidelines for operators – Ministry of Health
• Safe use of lasers and intense light sources in health care – Standards New Zealand
• Health and hygiene guidelines for beauty professionals – New Zealand Association of Registered Beauty Professionals Inc.

How to apply

You need to complete the form and pay the fee. 

Apply here 

Apply for a licence

It's a good idea to apply well in advance of your street appeal date. Some dates are in high demand and your first choice of date is not guaranteed. 

National charities that have a designated street appeal date will be given special consideration.

 Apply here

 Terms and conditions

1. You may only collect on the day approved, between the hours of 7am and 6pm. Your organisation must not collect on any other day during the calendar year. Failure to observe this condition may result in your organisation being refused annual appeal dates.
2. Noise levels are to be kept to a reasonable level – no noise before 9am.
3. Pedestrian access is to be maintained at all times.
4. No more than three collectors at any one collection point.
5. Business entrances and fire exits must not be blocked, to comply with NZ Fire Service regulations. If your collector is asked to move along by a retailer from their doorway or off their property, they are expected to do so.
6. Collectors are to be clearly identified and display the name of the organisation and the appeal.
7. If your collectors encounter problems with street performers, phone 068678060 or move to another location.
8. Collectors are not permitted on Council parks, lawns or gardens without permission from the Council Division administering these areas.
9. All collection areas must be left clean and tidy.
10. Collectors must comply with the instructions of the NZ Police or a Council Officer.

Buskers can bring great colour and life and they're welcome in our vibrant little District.

However, to entertain in public they do need the Council's permission. There may be times when it is necessary to withhold permission, for example when other activities are underway in the downtown area.

Buskers shouldn't create a nuisance by obstructing or harassing people or by making too much noise. Buskers should also seek permission from the owners or staff of shops in the area where they plan to entertain.

Buskers can be issued with a permit for a maximum of one month only, unless prior permission has been granted. 

Prospective buskers must complete and application form and be in possession of a permit to busk. 

Apply here