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Hi,
I’m Looking to start a food business, and to begin trading from a catering vehicle at events e.g Festivals.
- I wanted to know all the legal requirements I would need to full-fill, from licences to insurance?
- Does any one have experience in this field who has any advice?
All the best,
Toussaint
The requirements are going to vary significantly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction depending on how hostile they are to the food truck industry. In a metro area, the difference can be significant from one side of the street to the other.
I am assuming that if you want to do the food truck thing at events you will need the permission from the events organizers and most likely have to pay something or some portion of your sales to the event organizers. I would imagine with food you would also have to pass some form of inspection but I don't know if you would have to do that for each event location or if it can be transferred with one inspection.
You're going to get the best advice on rules with your local jurisdiction.
Food trucks are generally regulated at the municipal level (city, town, village). If the truck is used outside an incorporated municipality, then there may be regulations at the county level that govern the truck. Regulations are very inconsistent, so a truck that meets the requirements of one city may not meet the requirements of another city. For example, until recently the suburb of Chicago that I live in only allowed food trucks operated by the owners or agents of existing Evanston brick-and-mortar food establishments.
Most cities not only require inspections (like any restaurant or other facility preparing food) but also limit the locations where the trucks may park, their hours of operation, and what types of food preparation may occur on the truck. No one can generalize what you need to do. Getting a permit for one city does not give you the right to drive the truck to another city to follow a festival.
I hope this helps.