Food management

If your event includes food vendors or catering, you're responsible for managing their safe participation in compliance with relevant regulations. 

Before confirming your food vendors, take these steps:

1. Work with your Event Concierge to determine how many and what types of food vendors can be accommodated at your event site based on available space, utilities and safety requirements, as well as the applicable mobile food fees.
2. Ask vendors to submit an Expression of Interest that includes:
   1. current Food Registration Certificate (required for all food businesses)
   2. menu and type of food they'll offer (for example, pre-packaged, cooked on-site)
   3. dimensions and structure of their setup (for example, food van, marquee, cart)
   4. their requirements for utilities including power, water and waste disposal.
3. Check that food stalls and vendors, whether selling or sampling, are registered with Food Trader (an online platform used by local councils in Victoria to manage food safety compliance) and have submitted the necessary food safety details. 

Utilities and services

As the event organiser, you're responsible for providing these utilities and services for food vendors:

• Power. Identify where on-site power is available and match it to vendor requirements. If necessary, arrange for additional power sources like generators and distribution boards.
• Water. Provide access to potable (drinkable) water for food vendors. Mark potable and non-potable outlets clearly.
• Gas. If vendors use LPG for cooking or heating, ensure that the appropriate gas safety measures are in place. Visit our Gas safety page for details.
• Waste management. Ensure your Waste Plan and Toilets Plan includes vendor-generated waste, particularly for organic materials, oil and other waste types that require special disposal.

We strongly recommend that you appoint a Food Safety Supervisor to oversee vendor operations, coordinate power and water access and ensure food safety measures are adhered to during the event.

Food vendor site plan requirements

For each food vendor setup, your site plan should clearly show locations of:

• Power source and cabling. Indicate where power will be supplied, along with cabling routes and any necessary safety precautions.
• Cool rooms or fridges to store food at the correct temperature to meet food safety standards.
• Fire extinguishers and fire blankets. Vendors must have fire safety equipment based on the nature of their food preparation and cooking methods.
• Waste bins and oil disposal.
• Gas bottles and generators.
• Hand washing and dishwashing stations. These should be separate from toilet facilities and easily accessible to vendors.
• Cooktops, ovens or bain-maries.
• Barriers between hot equipment and public areas.

Key points for food management

• Food safety training 
  Food vendors should provide proof that their staff have completed appropriate food safety training. Some vendors may need to complete a food safety course if they haven't already, particularly for those handling perishable or high-risk food items.
• Insurance 
  Before the event date, food vendors must provide proof of Public Liability Insurance to show that they are covered for food safety and any incidents that may arise during the event.
• Food sampling guidelines
  Vendors must follow proper safety protocols for food handling and storage if they will be offering free samples or tastings. Include food sampling guidelines in your Risk Management Plan.
• Health and safety compliance 
  Vendors must follow proper food handling, storage and waste disposal practices and have a clean workspace to prevent cross-contamination. 

Sustainability requirements

Vendors should use compostable or recyclable packaging and avoid single-use plastics.

Event organisers should provide appropriate waste streams (for example, composting and recycling bins) to support vendors in managing waste responsibly.