Food Businesses

The City of Kwinana Environment and Health Services team aims for the community to have a safe food supply. Throughout the year, Environmental Health Officers conduct routine inspections, routine food sampling, investigate food complaints, food recalls and food poisoning outbreaks. It’s important that proprietors of all food businesses comply with the relevant Food Safety Standards: 

• Food Act ​2008​
• Food Regulati​on 2009
• Food Standards C​ode​
• Guide to the Design, Construction and Fit-out of a Food Business​
• Guide to the Operation of a Food Business​​​​​​​

Registering a Food Business

All food businesses within the City must notify the City of Kwinana in writing if they conduct, or plan to conduct a food business. See Application for Notification/Registration of Food Business Forms. 

OFFENCE: Failure to notify or register under the Act may incur a fine of $10,000 for an individual and $50,000 for a body corporate.

Taking over an existing food business or selling your food business

If you’re starting or taking over a food business, you must complete the relevant notification/registration forms. If you’re purchasing an existing food business, you may wish to lodge a property enquiry request or request an Authorised Officer conduct a pre-purchase inspection (fees apply). This will ensure you’re aware of any outstanding orders and requirements for the premises and the timelines that have been set for completion. 

Application for Notification/Registration of Food Business Forms

Please ensure you obtain the relevant planning and building approvals before submitting your application.

• Application - Notification/registration of a fixed food business​​
• Application - Notification/registration of mobile or temporary food business and trading in public places
• Application - Notification/registration of a residential food business​​
• Application - Food Business - Schedule of Fees

Submit the relevant application forms with supporting information by email to: health@kwinana.wa.gov.au 

Selling or closing your food business

Please complete the Food Business Cancellation Form​. You must give notification required under Section 113 (1) of the Act within seven days after the relevant change takes place or may incur penalties of a fine of $20,000 for an individual or a fine of $100,000 for a body corporate.

Constructing a new food business, renovating or changing activities in a food business

Ensure you have obtained the relevant planning and building approvals, before you apply for Environmental Health approval.

There are two stages within the health approval:

1. Food Business assessment of plans and specifications. Submit an Application to construct or alter of a food business with supporting plans. (Note: This application maybe lodged at the same time as the building permit application)
2. Registration of food business. Submit an Application for Notification or registration of a fixed food business​​ with supporting documentations.

Submit the relevant application forms with supporting information by email to: health@kwinana.wa.gov.au 

Where food preparation or storage is undertaken in a home or another location outside the City, you will need to obtain approval as a home food business or demonstrate approval is given by another Local Government.

If you plan to change the risk of activities being undertaken in your food business, e.g. change from a low risk cake shop to a medium risk takeaway shop selling cooked meals, you will be required to obtain a new food business registration certificate. Please submit a new notification/registration form with detailed plans and pay the relevant fees.

Some food businesses with complex or high-risk food production may require approval from the Department of Health or food safety plans or programs. These include but not limited to game meat processing, abattoirs, wholesale meat supplier, uncooked fermented meat processor, daily processors. The table provided clarifies the Enforcement agency responsibilities for WA food businesses and applicable regulatory requirements

Child care centres and aged care centres are also required to submit food safety programs for verification by an Authorised Officer prior to operation. See Regulatory Food Safety Auditing Requirements for Food Businesses.

Speak to an Environmental Health Officer on 9439 0475 or email health@kwinana.wa.gov.au to clarify any requirements.

Mobile food businesses

Check the address where the food van is to be garaged. If this isn’t within the City then you need to contact the relevant local government.

There are two stages within the health approval:

1. Food Business Fit Out Assessment - Application to construct or alter a food business with detailed fit-out plans and pay the relevant fees.
2. Registration of food business - Application - Notification/registration of mobile or temporary food business and trading in public places.  

Submit the relevant application forms with supporting information by email to: health@kwinana.wa.gov.au.

See checklist for starting a mobile food business for more information. 

Permit to trade

If you wish to trade within the City, you must hold a valid food business notification/registration with a Local Government before you complete the Application Form for Trading in Public Place for Temporary or Mobile Food Businesses with existing registration or notification.

Mobile and temporary food businesses are required to comply with the City of Kwinana Mobile Food Business Trading Policy, Operational Guidelines and the City of Kwinana Activities in Thoroughfares and Public Places and Trading Local Law.

There are three options for trader’s permits:

1. Trade at an approved event or market – check with the organiser first to see if they will accept you as a vendor at their event or market
2. Trade as an itinerant vendor (e.g. ice cream van around residential streets)
3. Trade in the designated trading areas 

Please see list of approved designated trading areas.

Some locations are approved for healthier food vendors only. Healthier food vendors will be assessed against the Healthier Vendor Self-Assessment Checklist developed by the South Metropolitan Health Service Health Promotion Unit and meet two essential criteria including:

• not to display full sugar drinks; and
• include at least one healthier food option on their menu

Submit the relevant application forms with supporting information by email to: health@kwinana.wa.gov.au 

Mobile food vendors with an approved permit are encouraged to become a regular hirer through SpacetoCo. This will enable the Designated Trading Location to be reserved ahead of trading. Please refer to Guideline on How to Reserve a Designated Trading Location.

Food business fees

You will be advised of the relevant fees by an Environmental Health Officer as part of the application process. For full list of fees that may apply, see:

• Application - Food Business - Schedule of Fees
• Application - Trading in Public Places - Schedule of Fees
   

Home food business (manufacturing, storage or packaging)

Some home food business may require planning approval.

Certain food businesses may operate from a residential house such as:

• Food storage or repackaging
• Online sales of prepackaged low risk foods
• Low risk foods manufacturing e.g. manufacturing jams, cookies, low risk cakes, breads and confectionary

Complete an application for notification/registration of a residential food business and submit with detailed plans and specifications as well as other relevant supporting information to the City’s Environmental Health Services via email to: health@kwinana.wa.gov.au

The supporting information for residential food business application may include:

• Detailed recipes
• Detailed manufacturing process details with the temperature and time for each cooking step
• Food storage and food transport information
• Product shelf life determination
• Packaging materials
• Product labelling
• Proof of knowledge and skills in food safety e.g. food safety certificate
• Your food recall procedure

• You may be required to provide further information to prove that your food products are safe and suitable for consumption. This can include:

• Microbiological, pH and water activity testing results by an accredited laboratory
• Demonstrate that the potability of water supply through microbiological and/or chemical water testing results by an accredited laboratory (if not using scheme water)

For more information on home food businesses see the City's guide to starting a home food business and/or the checklist for starting a home food business. 

Community and charitable temporary food stalls (e.g. Sausage sizzles)

Application can be submitted through our SmartyGrants Online Portal.

For a temporary food stall set up and requirements, please see guidelines for temporary food stalls.

F​ood safety and hygiene 

The City supports Environmental Health Australia's FoodSafe Food Handler Training Program. This in-house training program brings food hygiene and safety information to businesses through training and the implementation of record keeping. It is highly recommended that businesses complete this program to ensure they are meeting the obligations to produce safe food. ​

Complete the FoodSafe Food Handler Training Program through FoodSafe Online.

Use the City's unique discount voucher "FSKWINA344" on the payment page to receive FoodSafe Online free of charge.

Public event cooking

Tips on how to ensure the healthy production or sale of food as a part of a public event for groups and 'bring a plate' activities (not for sale). For more information please contact us​ to speak to an Environmental Health Officer. 

• Cooking for groups
• Allergy Awareness

Further information

Please contact the City’s Environmental Health Services on 9439 0475 or health@kwinana.wa.gov.au for further information.