Running one of Ireland's catering companies means food safety is not paperwork - it is the difference between a thriving business and a closed kitchen. This guide explains exactly what HACCP means for catering companies, the hazards that matter most in your setting, and how every team member can certify fast with an online HACCP course.
Under Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 and the Irish S.I. No. 369/2006 requirements, every food business must put food safety procedures based on the HACCP principles in place - and everyone who handles food must be trained to a level appropriate to their work. For catering companies, that starts with knowledge and awareness, which is exactly what an online HACCP course delivers.
The food safety risks that matter most in catering companies
Catering company kitchens typically handle bulk-cooked dishes transported and held off-site for events. The biggest risks here are cook-chill and cook-transport temperature control, holding food for hours and off-site reheating. The picture gets sharper during a corporate lunch delivered across the city at midday, when pressure is highest and good habits are tested.
The control that pays off most is simple to say and harder to do under pressure: cool and transport within safe temperature limits, log time-and-temperature end to end and reheat once to 75C on site. HACCP training turns that into an automatic habit so the right thing happens even on the worst day.
How HACCP applies step by step
- Identify the biological, chemical, physical and allergenic hazards in your menu and process.
- Decide which steps are critical control points - for catering companies, usually cooking, chilling, hot holding and cleaning.
- Set critical limits such as a 75C cooking core, cold storage at or below 5C and hot holding at or above 63C.
- Monitor those limits with a probe thermometer and simple daily records.
- Take corrective action the moment something is out of limit, and write down what you did.
- Verify the system works and keep the records that prove due diligence to an Environmental Health Officer.
Training every food handler in your catering company
New and lower-risk staff need Level 1 induction; anyone handling high-risk open food needs Level 2. Most catering company teams complete both together online in about an hour. Read the full food handlers guide, or send owners and managers to the food business owners guide and our industry HACCP guidance.
Online training covers the knowledge and awareness the law requires and gives each person a verifiable certificate. It does not replace the hands-on, task-specific training and supervision you provide on site - the two work together.
Why certify with the online HACCP course
- FSAI-aligned, covering Level 1 and Level 2 food safety.
- About an hour to complete, fully online, on any device.
- Verifiable certificate issued the same day.
- Affordable for one person or a whole team.
- Built for Irish food law - Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 and S.I. No. 369/2006.
HACCP training for catering companies by county
Looking for local guidance? We cover catering companies in every county in Ireland:
- HACCP training for catering companies in Dublin
- HACCP training for catering companies in Cork
- HACCP training for catering companies in Galway
- HACCP training for catering companies in Limerick
- HACCP training for catering companies in Waterford
- HACCP training for catering companies in Kilkenny
- HACCP training for catering companies in Wexford
- HACCP training for catering companies in Louth
- HACCP training for catering companies in Meath
- HACCP training for catering companies in Mayo
- HACCP training for catering companies in Sligo
- HACCP training for catering companies in Kerry
- HACCP training for catering companies in Tipperary
- HACCP training for catering companies in Clare
- HACCP training for catering companies in Donegal
- HACCP training for catering companies in Westmeath
- HACCP training for catering companies in Kildare
- HACCP training for catering companies in Wicklow
- HACCP training for catering companies in Carlow
- HACCP training for catering companies in Laois
- HACCP training for catering companies in Offaly
- HACCP training for catering companies in Longford
- HACCP training for catering companies in Leitrim
- HACCP training for catering companies in Roscommon
- HACCP training for catering companies in Cavan
- HACCP training for catering companies in Monaghan
Related reading
Certify your catering company team today
Ready to go? Start the HACCP course now. It takes about an hour, the FSAI-aligned certificate is issued the same day, and you can certify a whole team at once. You can also explore the HACCP training options or read more on the HACCP blog.
Frequently asked questions
Do all staff in a catering company need HACCP training?
Yes. Anyone who prepares, cooks, serves, stores or transports food, or cleans food-contact equipment, must be trained. New and lower-risk staff need Level 1, while anyone handling high-risk food needs Level 2. Both can be completed together online.
What are the main HACCP hazards in catering companies?
In catering companies the key risks are cook-chill and cook-transport temperature control, holding food for hours and off-site reheating. The most important control is to cool and transport within safe temperature limits, log time-and-temperature end to end and reheat once to 75C on site.
How quickly can a catering company get certified?
The online HACCP course takes about an hour and the FSAI-aligned certificate is issued the same day, so a whole team can be certified before the next shift.
Is online HACCP training enough on its own?
Online training delivers the knowledge and awareness the law requires and a certificate to prove it. Your business still provides task-specific training and supervision on site. Together they meet your obligations.
