Fresh Provision Shop Licence

Shops that sell fresh, chilled or frozen beef, mutton, pork, reptiles (including live snakes), fish (including live fish) or poultry must hold a fresh provision shop licence.

For example, a frozen-meat shop that buys in stock and resells frozen or fresh meat as it is needs this licence. A shop with a fresh provision shop licence may only retail stock it buys in, as it is; any processing before sale needs a different type of licence.

Trust or Company Service Provider licence TC007926

Government fees — fresh provision shop

Specified food categories sold	Issue or renewal / year
1 category	3,600
2 categories	7,200
3 categories	10,800
4 or more categories	14,400

All amounts in HK dollars. The six specified categories are beef, mutton, pork, reptiles (including live reptiles), fish (including live fish), and poultry (including live poultry). These are government charges, separate from our consultancy fee.

Shop specifications

A smooth, tightly jointed hardwood bench or a smooth hardwood chopping block must be provided for cutting fresh meat.
Every cold store must have a thermometer.
One or more grease traps must be fitted between the drain trap and the main sewer.

Special requirements and restrictions

A refrigerator of suitable capacity and in good working order must be provided for storing fresh meat.
Approved building types: shopping centres, shops designated for restaurant use in housing estates, non-industrial commercial buildings / commercial-residential buildings.

Other food licences

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Fresh provision shop licence questions

If I repack frozen meat after it arrives, is that still a fresh provision shop licence?

No. Repacking counts as further processing, so the right licence to apply for is a food factory licence.

What if I want to process and sell frozen meat (cooking, cutting, processing)?

We suggest applying for a food factory licence (Food Factory Licence). The rules say a fresh provision shop licence can only buy and resell as is, so in this case you can choose a food factory licence and apply for an endorsement for the types of fresh provisions you need. But remember: if you need open-flame cooking and seating for customers, you must apply for a general restaurant licence (General Restaurant Licence) instead; if you only need seating, you can choose a light refreshment restaurant licence (Light Refreshment Restaurant Licence).

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