Selling food out of a temporary or mobile food premises

If you own or operate a temporary or mobile food business, it's important to make sure you have all the right equipment, permits and are following the correct protocols to not only protect your customers but also your business from fines.

Do I Have a Temporary or Mobile Food Premises?

Mobile food premises are vehicles such as vans, trailers or carts from which food is sold.
Temporary food premises are:

• A stall, tent or other structure that is not permanently fixed to a site, and from which food is sold or handled for sale, such as at a market or festival; OR 
• A permanent structure that is not owned or leased by the food handlers using it; and from which food is sold or handled for sale on an occasional basis only.

If the temporary set up is not in a fixed kitchen, special care must be taken to keep food safe. This involves protecting the food from sunlight, dust, insects and handling by customers.

Before you trade

There's a few things you need to do before getting out into the Borough selling your goods.

Make sure you're registered with Foodtrader

FoodTrader is for the use of temporary and mobile food businesses or community groups in managing their food safety obligations. In Victoria, all organisations or individuals that prepare, sell or serve food are regulated by local councils under the Food Act 1984 (Food Act).

All food traders are required to apply for registration or notification under the Food Act. This applies to:

• fixed premises food businesses, such as cafes and restaurants, and
• businesses or community groups that operate temporary or mobile food premises, such as food trucks, water carters or vending machines.

FoodTrader provides an online account for businesses or community groups to manage the registration or notification of temporary or mobile food premises.

Sign up here.

Brush up on your food safety

DoFoodSafely is a free, non-accredited, online learning program provided by the Department of Health Victoria designed to enable you to understand how to safely work with, and handle, food in commercial settings. Read through the easy to digest (no pun intended) modules, undertake the assessment quiz and gain your DoFoodSafely Certificate of Completion – a certificate that is well-respected by the food industry across Australia.

Check out DoFoodSafely here.

Check the Temporary Food Premises Guidelines

The Temporary Food Premises Guidelines are designed to be used by both operators and local Council and outline the minimum requirements for the construction and operation of temporary food premises, as well as the health and hygiene standards of food handlers.

It's important to read these guidelines and ensure your business is compliant in all areas.

Read the guidelines here.

At any time, we're here to give you the right information and help where we can to avoid you making costly mistakes. You can call us on (03) 5258 1377, or email us at info@queenscliffe.vic.gov.au