FAQ

Q. My staff need food hygiene training, but I haven’t got the qualifications or the time to train them, and I certainly can’t afford to close my business so they can attend a training course elsewhere. How can CaterSafe help?

A. We offer on-the-job training. We will come to you and train your staff in their actual working environment, so that all training is relevant and job-specific, and your staff aren’t absent when you need them most.

Q. Is HACCP mandatory for all food businesses, even a small business like mine?

A.Yes it is. HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is a legal requirement for all food businesses. You must have a food safety management system based on the principals of HACCP. Under current legislation, a “food business” is defined as an organization, whether for profit or not, public or private, that either prepares, processes, manufactures, packages, stores, transports, distributes handles, sells or supplies food. We offer technical advice (including a written, Food Safety Management System and HACCP Manual, specific to your business) and training so that your business implements and complies with these requirements in a way that is appropriate for you.

Q. I own a small business and I’m not sure that I would be able to afford your fees. How much do you charge?

A. If you’re very sensitive about cash-flow, then you probably can’t afford to close your business for even a day in order to rectify problems identified by your local Environmental Health Officer.

An initial consultation with CaterSafe is normally free and without obligation. We work with you to ensure the money you spend on our advice is an investment which adds value to your business. We don’t believe in a ‘one size fits all’ approach or in using a “sledge hammer to crack a nut”. Our fees are dependent on the size and complexity of your business. Clients will always receive details of our fees in writing prior to CaterSafe undertaking any work on their behalf.

Q: How much do your retainer packages cost?

A: Our retainer packages vary in price, depending on your specific needs and the size of your business and scale of your operations. Our packages start from as little as £40 per month which is an affordable and cost effective solution.

Q: Isn’t e-learning the way forward? What’s the benefit of sitting a ‘classroom’ based training course?

A: Whilst we offer a suite of our own high quality, accredited e-leaning courses (which are some of the best available on the market), our team of trainers are also fully qualified and experienced teachers, who have professional and widespread experience within education.

We have found that most candidates understand and retain information on our taught courses, much better, and therefore are more likely to apply the knowledge gained. This is why as a company, in most instances, we would advocate a ‘face-to-face’ taught course over an e-learning equivalent.

Whilst e-learning does have many benefits and can be an effective and convenient way to train, especially if time-constraints are an issue. However, a frequently encountered problem, in our experience, is the tendency for some learners to view e-learning as merely a means to an end; a quick and easy way to gain a “certificate” without expending much in the way of effort or cost.

We believe that in most cases (particularly at higher levels), deeper learning tends to take place when it has been delivered in a lively and passionate way, as well as learners benefiting greatly from the interaction with peers and tutors alike.

We aim to send your staff away from our courses, enthused; with a new vision in how to apply what they have learnt to their day-to-day duties, thus adding value to your business.

As a company, we base the way we teach on integrity and excellence. We believe imparting to our learners knowledge, which in turn effects behaviour, – rather than just ‘facts to pass a test’.