This digital era has brought the food industry into its fold. Cloud kitchens are a product of this. Concerned with the health of the people, FSSAI has mandated the registration of virtual kitchens. Read all about it in this article.
What is Cloud Kitchen?
A cloud kitchen is a revolutionary food business. Also known as a ghost, or a dark kitchen, it is a commercial kitchen where food is prepared only for takeout or delivery.
You order food from the restaurant’s or a food aggregator’s application or website, your order is then prepared at a ghost kitchen and delivered directly to your house.
During the pandemic, this business took a surge when food aggregators like Zomato and Swiggy took advantage of the social distancing order, picking up food from the dark kitchens and delivering it to the customer’s doorstep.
Online delivery of food has been available in the market for a long time, so what is so new about cloud kitchens? While traditional food delivery was made from restaurants serving dine-in as well as home delivery, cloud kitchens do not host dine-in at all.
Why Ghost Kitchens?
- Low investment: Everyone now wants to start a business of their own. If you love cooking, wouldn’t you opt for a restaurant business? But the brick-and-mortar restaurants require a good interior, ambiance, tables, and chairs, and humble staff. Cloud kitchens need none of these.
- Change in consumer behavior: Ever since the pandemic began, everything has moved online. This ‘in-house period’ has made people feel comfortable ordering food at home, rather than visiting a physical restaurant.
- No proper location needed: No need to worry about parking spaces or any good-looking area. Though you must keep your kitchen sanitized. And you would want to choose a location based on the demographics targeted, and the kind of food you wish to sell.
Some Necessary Compliance:
There are other certifications you must get to run your business smoothly. Legal compliances are a necessity for the credibility of your food business. The following are other certifications you should obtain:
- GST registration
- Fire Certificate
- Municipal wellbeing exchange licenses.
How to Get FSSAI Certification?
The apex body, FSSAI regulates the food industry for the safe health of the country’s population. It mandates registration/licensing of all Food Business Operators (FBOs) including the cloud kitchen.
Depending on your annual turnover, you need to opt for one of the following:
- FSSAI registration for business with an annual turnover of less than ₹12 Lakh. It would cost you ₹100 per annum.
- State license for business with an annual turnover between ₹12 Lakh to ₹20 Crore. Charges would be ₹2000 per annum.
- Central license for business with an annual turnover above ₹20 Crore. You will have to pay ₹7500 per annum.
What is the Process to Apply for an FSSAI Certification?
Now you can register your cloud kitchen, or get an FSSAI certificate online from the comfort of your home. The following steps will guide you.
- Visit the FoSCoS Registration portal and fill out the online application
- Select the type of food business you belong to.
- Submit the mandatory self-attested documents.
- Make the online payment.
- On proper submission, the FSSAI will verify all your details, and provide you with the registration/license certified by the statutory authority.
Note: You need to renew the registration or license every year, failing which may get your certificate canceled.
Conclusion
FSSAI certification is the most necessary thing you must attain if you are into the food business. You need to be cautious while you are applying for a registration or license. An improper or incomplete application can be rejected by the FSSAI: https://www.fssai.gov.in/
You might want to seek the help of professionals in such a case. The professionals at Vakilsearch help you get your food business certified within a short period and also provide answers to all your queries.
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