Food approval success for Niche and Bespoke
About the businesses
Niche and Bespoke is a thriving business owned by entrepreneur Dan Robinson. He is blazing a trail in VIP executive aviation catering offering bespoke airline cuisine at the highest level for the most discerning clients.
The Challenge
Private aviation catering on board
Niche and Bespoke originally the fine dining division of Robinsons Catering moved into it’s own dedicated central production kitchen in 2019. Following an uncertain start in the middle of a global pandemic the business has experienced rapid growth.
Dan Robinson, the CEO and his highly trained team of chefs are passionate about delivering excellence to their customers. Dan decided that he needed some expert food safety advice and support to improve their existing food safety systems to ensure compliance and to achieve the establishment food approval required for the business from the local authority.
The Benefits
Building lasting business relationships with food businesses
Food businesses that prepare, handle or produce products of animal origin may need establishment approval either from the Food Standards Agency (slaughter houses, cutting plants etc.) or the local authority where the premises is located (cold stores, meat products, fishery products etc.)
Food safety consultants can fill the gap in food safety knowledge and expertise for local authority approved establishments to ensure that food safety systems and procedures are robust and comprehensive. The approval application process is more in depth than a simple food registration and includes HACCP documentation, labelling of food, traceability, allergens and micro testing which all require expertise in which there may be a knowledge deficit in the business.
Food Safety Logic consultants have extensive and diverse environmental health experience, their expertise is based upon inspecting, regulating and enforcing food safety where necessary including in local authority approved premises. Their knowledge of food safety law is current as they have to keep up to date with continuous professional development and are supported by professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.
Environmental Health professionals are highly trained and are experts in their field. They can offer a much needed lifeline to food businesses who may need local authority approval but don’t know where to start.
“At FSL we are more than just a consultancy-we are an extension of your team. We understand that ensuring the safety of your food is of utmost importance to you. ”
The Solution
Helen Groves, Owner and Principal Environmental Health Consultant
Food Safety Logic consultants visited Niche and Bespoke to understand their business operations. They reviewed and updated their existing food safety documentation with bespoke HACCP plans that reflected the food being produced including cook+chill airline meals, frozen airline meals and ready to eat meals and snacks to be served onboard the aircraft.
Niche and Bespoke required approval for products of animal origin and our food safety consultant worked closely with the local EHOs to help them achieve this. It makes sense as EHOs all speak the same language and we understand what is required to deliver complex pieces of work such as this.
Detailed documents on pest control, waste management, maintenance, water and micro testing etc. were created. This documentation is reviewed by the local enforcing authority to ensure these procedures are in place and the business is compliant prior to being awarded approval. information for the approval was presented in an easy to understand format to ensure the process was trouble free for Dan and the local authority EHOs.
“Approval is required for certain food establishments that handle products of animal origin, such as meat, fish, egg, dairy products, and processed products of animal origin, which supply other establishments.”
The Result
Niche and Bespoke have been given their approval including an approval number which must be displayed on the labels of products of animal origin that they make and is available on the FSA website.
They are due to move to new much larger premises adjacent to Birmingham airport to accommodate increased volume and new contracts, so there are exciting times ahead……..for both Dan Robinson, his team and Food Safety Logic.
“Food Safety Logic have helped us implant even more rigorous systems which ensures our food safety procedures have never been better”
