Different Types of Food License for Restaurants

All the restaurants who deal in the food industry have to obtain the FSSAI license in India.  There is an online application available for obtaining the Food license which is mandatory for all the restaurants involved in the food business. Let us inform you the areas of business where getting the FSSAI license is compulsory are food businesses (Manufacturing, processing, Catering, Hotel, transporter, Packaging, Storage, Distribution, Export/Import, and retail sales).

FSSAI basically regulates all the food businesses operating in India. It makes sure that all the restaurants in India must follow the rules and regulations laid out by the Food Authority. FSSAI is an independent body under the ministry of health and family welfare, Government of India.

Food license has a 14-digit unique registration number that has to be printed on every food product offered by the restaurants. Before issuing the food license certificates to restaurants, FSSAI authority inspects the restaurant premises, check every product you offer and see are they following the FSSAI guidelines or not.

If you are looking for the FSSAI license for your restaurant, you just need to contact swarit advisors and rest will be taken care of by us. We have a team of professionally trained members to want advisors who have been helping clients to get their FSSAI license for their restaurants for years. We, at swarit advisors, consider our clients as a part of our family and make sure that they receive what they are looking for.

What are the types of FSSAI License for Restaurants?

There are mainly four types of FSSAI license that a restaurant owner can obtain, which depends on the annual turnover of the food business.

1.Basic FSSAI License

You can obtain the basic license by filling the online application of Food license for the restaurant. It is obtained by the restaurant owners whose annual earnings are below Rs. 12 lakhs

2.FSSAI state license

FSSAI State license is obtained by the food businesses which generates the turnover between 12 lakhs and 20 crores.

3.FSSAI central license

FSSAI Central license is mostly obtained by the food businesses involved in manufacturing or trading or storage whose annual turnover is more than Rs. 20 crores

4.FSSAI license for importer/Exporter

If you have a restaurant or a food business in India, who are looking to import or export food product then the food business operator must have the central FSSAI license to operate the business.

What is the Procedure of filing the application of Food License for Restaurants?

STEP1: Contact swart advisors

The first step requires you to send us a request at our swarit advisor’s web portal. Once we receive your request, our team will share a Form A; where you just need to attach the KYC documents of the Food business owner and the kind of activity your business is involved in

STEP2: Submission of Declaration

The second step would be to submit the declaration and list of food items your business deals in

STEP3: Making a Challan

The next step is to submit the challan through an online medium or via bank counter deposit

STEP4: Inspection

Designated food inspectors will make a visit to your restaurant premises to inspect every aspect of your food business or manufacturing process

STEP5: FSSAI consultant

There are FSSAI license consultants who make frequent visits to your restaurant to follow up with the FSSAI department to clarify the objections and questions raised by the food department

STEP6: Issuing of FSSAI license

Our team will respond to all the re-submissions from FSSAI department. Upon a thorough investigation of the restaurant, FSSAI will issue a food license if they find your food business adhere to guidelines of FSSAI.

What are the Documents Required for the Food License for Restaurants?

Documents Required for the basic FSSAI Registration

Below is the list of documents that has to be submitted for the basic FSSAI registration-

1. You need to submit the Aadhar card of the Business owner.
2. Scan copy of PAN.
3. Scan copy of the signature.
4. Scanned copy of the photographs.
5. You have to provide detail regarding business activity.
6. Declaration regarding the business place in Form A.

Documents required for the state FSSAI license

First, you need to submit all the documents mentioned in the basic FSSAI registration then below is the list of additional documents that have to be submitted to the FSSAI department.

1. Business registration certificate – COI/GST/partnership deed
2. List of all the plants and machinery set that you use for your food business
3. Photographs of machinery
4. ID proof of the person who is responsible for the FSSAI compliance

Documents required for the Central FSSAI License for the Manufacturing

1. For obtaining the FSSAI central license you need to submit the documents same as of state FSSAI license
2. The audited balance sheet has to be submitted by the food manufacturers for filing the application of central FSSAI license

Documents required for FSSAI Central License for Importer and Exporter

1. KYC documents of the directors/ partners owners
2. Few certificates of business registration- COI, AOA, MOA/partnership deed
3. A Complete list of all the food products that food business is planning to import or export
4. GST registration certificate
5. You have to submit the IEC code in case you are planning to apply for the Export/Import

Few things to keep in Mind While applying for FSSAI License

Our team at swarit advisors helps clients to get their food license day in and day out. So they are some queries and questions that our clients keep on asking regarding the FSSAI license. And it is completely okay to ask because FSSAI license requires the help of a professional.

Overseas business

One of our clients operating a restaurant business and was looking to expand its business overseas. He asked us whether he requires the import/Export code or not?

Let us inform you that if you have a food business and are looking to import items from foreign countries then have to file the application for Import/ Export code (IEC code) and after that, you should apply for FSSAI central license. Swarit advisors will help you get your Export and Import license within 3 to 7 days.

Who requires FSSAI License?

People assume most of the times that if they are making and serving a food license for restaurants and hotels do then they do not require any food license to operate their business.

Food license is required by all the food business operators and even by the businesses which are involved in the manufacturing, Re-packing, trading, wholesale, supplying, transporting, importing, and exporting of food items.

Startups

There are lots of upcoming startups in every area of business including food businesses. So people get confused about whether their food startup needs a food license to operate a business or not?

For all the food startups it is necessary to get an FSSAI license to run their food business.

Also, Read: How to Tie up Food Business Online with Swiggy?

Type of FSSAI License your Food Business Needs

Once a client called regarding the inquiry of food license for the restaurant and he wanted to know the difference between FSSAI state license and FSSAI central license and who can file the application for FSSAI state license and FSSAI central license?

If you are planning to apply for the FSSAI license and are struck at the question which type of FSSAI license you should apply for, then let us inform you that it depends on the kind and nature of food business you operate and the annual earnings of your food business.

We have also discussed the categorization of FSSAI license earlier in this blog.

Multiple stores

One of the most commonly asked questions by our clients is that if they get an FSSAI license, would they be able to operate multiple stores?

If you have a food business and planning or already operating multiple stores then you have to apply for the FSSAI license separately for every store that you operate.

FSSAI license for different food Products

There is a misconception around the people that if you are operating a restaurant or other kind of business then they just need to apply for one FSSAI license for their business regardless of the types of product they sell or serve.

It may happen that your food business deals in different categories of product such as milk, dairy, meat products etc. And you look at the guidelines laid out by the FSSAI authority; it says that there are different compliances for different products to adhere. So you may need more than one Food license for the product categories your food business deals with; manufacturing, distributing or selling.

Catering Business

Now a day catering is a flourishing business and a lot of people are getting into it, even so, the question is, do these business operators require an FSSAI license and if  they require a

Caterers do require a food license for restaurants and they must apply for the FSSAI state license no matter what the turnover of the catering business is.

Latest news from FSSAI Authority

According to the latest report published in the Economic times, there has been an increase in the import of Nepalese tea in the Indian tea markets. The Nepalese tea is not seen to be of the quality and standards in accordance with the FSSAI guidelines.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is keeping a track of quality and standard of the tea coming to India from Nepal.

Darjeeling tea planters led by Sanjay Bansal, chairman, Ambootia group, raised an issue that tea from Nepal is not in adherence with the compliance sketched out by the FSSAI authority^[1]. The tea from Nepal has already found shelf space in the market. This has also affected the mood of Darjeeling planter who has been able to make its presence in the market by years of hard work. And they are expecting FSSAI authority of India to take actions against the Nepalese tea and curb its entry to India.

After carrying out the checks on the Nepalese tea it is found that tea doesn’t have the maximum residue limits (MRLs) for chemicals like dicofol, ethion, fenazaquin, glyphosate, and others in accordance with the limits described by the FSSAI authority.

Swarit Advisors Role

Swarit advisors are one of the prominent license provider and an FSSAI consultant in India. If you are looking for a food license for a restaurant then you just need to either give us a call or fill our inquiry form.

One of our team members from Swarit Advisors will connect with you and take a note of all the details regarding your food business. And make sure that you receive your Food License for Restaurants within a stipulated period of time.

Also, Read: What are the Licenses Required to Open a Cafe?