Start a Catering Business in Ireland

The catering sector in Ireland was valued at EUR 6,37 billion in 2015, while the projections for 2018 are showing that this industry will reach EUR 6,9 billion. Businessmen who want to set up a business in Ireland as a catering company should know that the Irish citizens are interested in menus which offer quality products, made out of fresh ingredients. 

 

A large proportion of the Irish consumers is also interested in purchasing premium coffee from catering businesses and they also believe that food transparency has to be provided by such companies, in order to increase consumer confidence. The term refers to products sold from sustainable production chains and it also refers to the provenience of the ingredients, as well as to other related characteristics. A catering business operating in Ireland is required to respect a set of regulations concerning food safety and our team of Irish lawyers can assist with information on this matter. 

 

 

A company that provides catering services will need to be registered following the standard procedure available for all types of Irish companies. However, in this case, it is also necessary to register with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), as prescribed by the Regulation (EC) No 825/2004. More importantly, FSAI has to be notified whenever various changes occur in the company (such as changing the business address or the types of foods handled by the company). 

 

If the company will meet the required criteria, it will receive approval for operating on the Irish market. Our team of lawyers in Ireland can inform businessmen on the main aspects that should be respected in this case. 

 

 

All catering businesses have to respect the I.S. 340:2007, a standard for food safety, which is comprised of the following sections: 

 

• registration of a food business;

• food traceability, recall and labelling;

• maintenance of the cold chain units;

• food hygiene requirements;

• application of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Principles. 

 

Businessmen can contact our law firm in Ireland for further details on the food safety standards available for catering operators.