Sale of Food at Events or Markets

Find information on selling food at events including fairs, markets, sausage sizzles and fundraising stalls, as well as relevant application forms.

Event and Market Organisers

As an event organiser, you have a responsibility to ensure any food vendors at your event are registered and complying with food safety regulations. Food vendors must always display a copy of their current registration certificate at the event.

You'll need to provide our Compliance team with a list of people selling food at your event, and their contact details, at least 20 working days before the event. We will then work directly with any food operators that need approval and inform you of the status of these prior to your event. Please see our Application Process Guide for more information.

Mobile Food Businesses

Mobile food businesses (including mobile stalls) must be registered to sell food and display a current copy of their registration certificate while they are trading.

If you have a mobile food business that is registered outside of the Horowhenua District you will need to apply for a permit to trade at events within the District.

Head the the Mobile Food Businesses page to apply for a permit to trade.

Apply for a Mobile Food Business Permit to Trade

Selling Food for Fundraising

The Food Act 2014 includes a specific exemption that allows for selling food for fundraising without the need to be a registered food business, provided certain conditions are met. If you sell food for fundraising in the Horowhenua District at events, markets or from a stall you will still need to complete an application for a permit.

Permits will only be issued to people / organisations who meet the following criteria:

• a person or group of persons who are trading in food for the sole purpose of raising money for a charitable, benevolent, philanthropic, or cultural purpose; and
• the fundraising activity is carried out on no more than 20 occasions in any calendar year; and
• the person or group of persons does not sell food online or though social media, eg Facebook.

Apply online for a Permit to Sell Food for Fundraising

Application for Permit to Sell Food for Fundraising (Print Version)(PDF, 88KB)

Selling food for profit without being a registered food business

If you are neither selling food for fundraising nor a registered food business, and intend to sell food at an event, market, or from a stall in the Horowhenua District, you will be required to submit a permit application. Permits will only be issued to people who meet the following criteria:

Online Application for a Permit to Sell Food.

Application for Permit to Sell Food (Print Version)(PDF, 91KB) 

Completed Application Forms

Once completed, your printed application form(s) can be:

• scanned and emailed to recordsprocessing@horowhenua.govt.nz; or
• posted to Horowhenua District Council, Private Bag 4002, Levin 5540; or
• delivered to Horowhenua District Council's Customer Service Centre at 126 Oxford Street, Levin; or
• faxed to (06) 366 0983.

If you have any queries, please contact Council's Environmental Health Officer on 06 366 0999 or email enquiries@horowhenua.govt.nz

Helpful Guides

You may also wish to view the following guides on the Ministry for Primary Industries website:

• Food safety tips for selling food at occasional events
• Food safety tips for event organisers
• Hot tips for a safe and successful sausage sizzle