Hello everyone!


After talking with the Food Authorities for my side hustle they told me they have to come to evaluate the kitchen (which is perfect) and that when they do that they will also need a operational concept or need a risk assessment (apparently most than anything the risk assessment of the product).

Now... I tried google and the Consulting firms were... lets just say that not the ones for this... Does anyone know any Consulting firm for this?


As usual, many thanks in advance for your help guys!



Cheers!
Martin

To be more specific, they ask me for a "Risikobewertung von Produkte"

There are several threads regarding food businesses on the forum.

Here is one
https://www.englishforum.ch/permits-...itzerland.html

Maybe you could contact those that have gone through the process and ask if they could give you some pointers.

Good luck!

Thanks Sigh!

As an update for whoever is following this, we found one company in germany that does this... for 1300 Euros... per day... and it would take a couple of weeks... jesus christ....

Really wondering how legal are those who sell the jams and so on the street or at the fairs and so... i honestly don't believe that they have paid those insane amount of cash...

Not sure why you would need a consultant.
Contact the forum members who have started their food business here in Switzerland.
I am sure they would be happy share information with you.

I think you're right, and doubt very much that they've paid such fees. That level of expense would make sense only if one were to be launching a huge operation, starting at zero and intending to blast and dominate the market.

For the rest, starting out small, to test the waters, as it were, and hope that it'll work out and even support them, I think they probably ask the organisors of the fair for the rules. And then they probably get referred to the cantonal rules for Lebensmittelkontrolle, such as, for example:

St. Gallen: https://www.sg.ch/gesundheit-soziale...sbetriebe.html
Luzern: https://lebensmittelkontrolle.lu.ch/...en_Raeumen.pdf
Zürich: https://www.zh.ch/de/gesundheit/lebensmittel.html

Then, for the aspects that are not to do with food hygiene, they work out their rough bookkeeping, and then attend a workshop at Startups https://www.startups.ch/, or similar, to see whether they've remembered to deal with all the numbers, and understood how the Swiss laws for small businesses work.

Hello Martin

I have read a bit about what you want to do. This is my experience with starting a small, home food business in Switzerland. It's more of less identical to the laws in the UK. If you read the UK government documents pertaining to your product, or what you would like to do, you'll get a pretty good idea of what the Swiss will expect. It's not that difficult and not that expensive. I am not an expert but from what I know you need to clearly document what goes into your product, how you make it. Then request that samples be tested by your Kanton food and safety board. You will pay for the tests but it won't be expensive. Those folks selling Jams on the roadside, e.g. farmers have to go through hoops too. Special rules for selling at markets, roadside, from your home etc. But if English is easier for you I really suggest the UK info. Or the EU laws also in English. I have spent months reading them all and reading all the Swiss federal and Kanton documents. They are all more or less the same. Lots and lots of helpful UK websites written simply for people like you to get the answers they need. My 2 cents worth 😁

Hello again

https://www.food.gov.uk

written in simple language for everyone to understand

Good luck

😁👍