HACCP consultant for food businesses in London & Kent
A HACCP plan your team can actually run.
We write, review and fix HACCP plans for food manufacturers, central kitchens, caterers and restaurant groups. Every plan is built from your real process on the floor, not a template, so it stands up to an auditor or an environmental health officer.
- HACCP plans for
- Manufacturers, central kitchens and caterers
- Built to
- Codex HACCP principles (2020 revision)
- Accepted for
- EHO inspections, SALSA and BRCGS
What our HACCP consultancy covers
UK food law requires every food business to have food safety procedures based on HACCP principles. How much you need depends on what you make and who you sell to.
New HACCP plans
For manufacturers, new production lines, central kitchens and caterers that have outgrown Safer Food Better Business.
- Scope and HACCP team
- Who is on the team, what they need to know, and which products and processes the plan covers.
- Product descriptions
- Recipes, ingredients, packaging, shelf life, storage, intended use and vulnerable consumers.
- Flow diagrams
- Every step from goods in to dispatch, checked on the floor with your team, including rework and waste.
- Hazard analysis
- Biological, chemical, physical, allergen and radiological hazards at each step, scored for likelihood and severity.
- CCPs and critical limits
- Critical control points with limits you can measure, such as core cooking temperatures, chilling times and metal detection.
- Monitoring and corrective action
- Simple records that tell staff what to check, how often, and exactly what to do when a limit is missed.
HACCP reviews and fixes
For businesses that already have a plan but are not sure it would survive an audit or inspection.
- Annual HACCP review
- A full review every year, and whenever a product, process, supplier or piece of equipment changes.
- Validation
- Evidence that your critical limits actually control the hazard, from guidance, scientific data or your own trials.
- Verification
- Record checks, internal audits, calibration and testing that prove the plan is working day to day.
- Prerequisite programmes
- Cleaning, pest control, maintenance, training, allergen control and supplier approval, which the HACCP plan depends on.
- After an audit or inspection
- Closing HACCP non-conformities with proper root-cause analysis, not just a new form.
- HACCP training
- Training on site for your HACCP team and the staff who monitor CCPs, based on your own plan.
The 7 HACCP principles
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point. The Codex principles, revised in 2020, are the international reference that UK inspectors and certification bodies work from.
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Hazard analysis
Identify the hazards at each step and the control measures for them.
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Critical control points
Decide which steps are essential to prevent, remove or reduce a significant hazard.
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Critical limits
Set validated limits, such as a core temperature of 70 °C for 2 minutes, that separate safe from unsafe.
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Monitoring
Check each CCP often enough to spot a loss of control in time.
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Corrective action
Say in advance what happens to the product and the process when a limit is missed.
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Validation and verification
Prove the plan works before you rely on it, then keep checking that it does.
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Documents and records
Keep records in proportion to the size and nature of your business.
When people call a HACCP consultant
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You are starting to manufacture or supply other businesses.
We build a HACCP plan that fits your products and is ready for the questions your first customer will ask.
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The EHO said your HACCP is not good enough.
We work through the report, fix the plan and the records behind it, and give you evidence to show at the revisit.
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You have outgrown Safer Food Better Business.
Central kitchens, cook-chill, vacuum packing and sous vide usually need a full HACCP plan. We build it from what you already do.
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A SALSA or BRCGS audit is coming up.
We check your plan clause by clause against the standard and fix the gaps that lead to major non-conformities.
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You have a new product, line or site.
We update the flow diagrams and hazard analysis, and validate any new critical limits before production starts.
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Nobody on site really understands the plan.
We rewrite it in plain English and train the people who run it, so it survives staff changes.
Questions
Something else? Ask us directly.
Is HACCP a legal requirement in the UK?
Yes. Every food business must put in place, implement and maintain food safety procedures based on HACCP principles. Small caterers and retailers can usually meet this with Safer Food Better Business. Manufacturers and more complex kitchens normally need a full HACCP plan.
How long does it take to write a HACCP plan?
For a restaurant group or small manufacturer, two to six weeks is typical, depending on the number of products and processes and how quickly your team can join the site sessions. We give you a fixed quote and a date before we start.
Do you just send a template?
No. We walk the process with your team, confirm the flow diagrams on the floor and write the plan around your products, equipment and staff. A template that doesn't match your site is one of the most common reasons for audit findings.
What is the difference between validation and verification?
Validation proves, before you rely on it, that a control measure and its critical limit will control the hazard. Verification checks, on an ongoing basis, that the plan is being followed and is working, for example through record reviews, internal audits and testing.
How often should a HACCP plan be reviewed?
At least once a year, and whenever something changes: a new product, recipe, supplier, piece of equipment or process, or after a complaint, incident or audit finding. SALSA and BRCGS both expect to see the review recorded.
Do you provide HACCP training?
Yes. We train your HACCP team and the staff who monitor critical control points, at your site and based on your own plan. If you need an accredited certificate, tell us on the call and we will tell you the options.
Need a HACCP plan you can rely on?
Tell us what you make and what prompted the call. The first call is free, and the quote is fixed.