In this guide · 8 sections
- 01Does a central kitchen need an SFA licence?
- 02SFA licence fees and the application process
- 03What to show on your website
- 04Labels and allergen information on product pages
- 05Setting up B2B ordering and delivery slots
- 06Off-the-shelf store or custom order app?
- 07Do it yourself or get help?
- 08Frequently asked questions
Short answer
Central kitchens and food factories that supply other outlets or businesses need SFA's Licence to Operate a Food Processing Establishment: S$147.20 to apply, plus an annual fee of S$180 to S$600 for most non-meat plants (S$260 for meat and fish). Show the licence and product details online.
Does a central kitchen need an SFA licence?
Yes, if it supplies anyone other than walk-in consumers. SFA's page on businesses that need a food manufacturing licence says food retail businesses may only sell to consumers. Businesses that sell or supply food to their other outlets or to other food businesses are considered food processing establishments, such as a central kitchen, and need a Licence to Operate a Food Processing Establishment.
| Your operation | What SFA requires |
|---|---|
| Restaurant or cafe selling only to diners | Food retail licence, not a processing licence |
| Central kitchen supplying your own outlets | Licence to Operate a Food Processing Establishment |
| Factory supplying wholesalers, retailers or caterers | Licence to Operate a Food Processing Establishment |
| Repacking food (breaking the primary packaging) | Licence to Operate a Food Processing Establishment |
| Coldstore for meat and seafood, storage only | Licence to Operate a Coldstore |
| Dry or non-meat storage warehouse | Registration encouraged, free, valid one year |
SFA lists flour confectionery factories, central kitchens, dairy plants, noodle and pasta makers, food repacking plants and surimi factories as examples. Only one licence is needed per premises, and SFA says a processing or coldstore licence lets you sell to businesses and to consumers.
SFA licence fees and the application process
SFA's application process and fees page lists these annual licences. The application fee covers evaluation of layout plans and process flow charts and a joint site inspection.
- Application fee (any processing licence)Paid on GoBusiness when promptedS$147.20
- Other processed food, below 200 m2S$180 a year
- Other processed food, 200 to 750 m2S$360 a year
- Other processed food, above 750 m2S$600 a year
- Meat and fish processing establishmentS$260 a year
- Hermetically sealed, heat-treated meat or fish productsS$840 a year
SFA fees as listed in October 2026. Licences are valid for one year.
Check you meet SFA's requirements
Read the licensing conditions, including one-directional flow from raw materials to finished products to prevent cross-contamination.
Log in to GoBusiness with Corppass
Applications are made through the GoBusiness portal using your company's Corppass.
Submit layout plan, process flow and product particulars
SFA provides a product particulars template and sample documents.
Get in-principle approval, then renovate
SFA aims to review within 30 working days once the application is complete. The in-principle approval is valid for three years.
Pass the final inspection and pay the licence fee
Bring your cleaning and sanitation programme, pest control contract, lease and Food Hygiene Officer particulars. The licence is issued on GoBusiness after payment.
What to show on your website
Trade buyers, especially caterers, hotels and supermarkets, check suppliers before they order. A clear website saves them asking the same questions by phone.
Food manufacturer website essentials
Only claim what you can prove. Statements like "halal", "organic" or "no added sugar" have their own rules. SFA's labelling page points to its Guide to Food Labelling and Advertisements and notes that nutrition and health claims have been regulated by MOH and the Health Promotion Board since 2 May 2024.
Labels and allergen information on product pages
SFA's labelling guidelines for importers and manufacturers say all prepacked food for sale in Singapore must meet the labelling requirements of the Food Regulations. Food that is not prepacked, such as food supplied to other food businesses as ingredients for further processing, is outside those labelling rules, but SFA says businesses should still provide label-type information, such as allergens, on request.
For a central kitchen supplying bulk trays to its own outlets, that means your outlets need allergen information to answer diners' questions. For a factory selling retail packs, the website product page should match the physical label exactly, because buyers and consumers compare them.
SFA also lists free labelling consultants at Nanyang Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic if you need help checking labels.
Setting up B2B ordering and delivery slots
Most small food manufacturers take orders by WhatsApp, phone and email, then retype them. A trade ordering portal lets approved customers log in, see their own prices and order before a cut-off. Our guide to wholesale B2B ordering portals compares the platform options.
| Feature | Why it matters for food |
|---|---|
| Customer-specific price lists | Outlets, caterers and supermarkets often pay different prices |
| Order cut-off times | For example, orders by 2pm for next-day production |
| Delivery slots by area | Matches your van routes and loading bay times |
| Minimum order value or quantity | Avoids uneconomic small deliveries |
| Standing or repeat orders | Central kitchens and regular cafes order the same items daily |
| Credit terms and invoices | Trade customers expect monthly statements and e-invoices |
| Production and picking lists | Turns the day's orders into what to cook and pack |
A central kitchen supplying only its own outlets may not need payments at all: outlets order, the kitchen produces, and transfers are recorded. Factories supplying outside customers need invoicing, and IRAS is phasing in InvoiceNow for GST-registered businesses between 2026 and 2031, so pick a system that can send e-invoices. Importers who also manufacture can read our food importer and wholesaler website guide.
Off-the-shelf store or custom order app?
The choice depends on how unusual your ordering rules are.
An off-the-shelf B2B store fits if you have
- Standard trade price lists and minimum orders
- Fewer than a few hundred products
- Customers order online and pay or receive invoices
- You want to start within weeks
A custom order app fits if you need
- Production planning by batch, shift or oven capacity
- Outlet orders that must become picking lists and delivery runs
- Integration with accounting and existing ERP
- Different cut-offs and slots per customer or area
Do it yourself or get help?
The SFA licence itself is a direct application on GoBusiness; you do not need a consultant for the paperwork if your premises layout is right. The website and ordering system are where outside help usually pays off.
Our Business Website (S$1,490) builds a clear company site with product pages, licence details and a trade enquiry form. For portals with outlet ordering, cut-offs, delivery slots and production lists, our Custom Business App (from S$4,900) is scoped and fixed-priced in writing before work starts. IT Sorted is a Singapore-based team of developers with over 10 years of experience. You pay upfront, send the brief through the site chat or contact form, and track progress on your order page.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. SFA says food retail businesses may only sell to consumers. A kitchen that prepares food for your other outlets or for other businesses is considered a food processing establishment and needs a Licence to Operate a Food Processing Establishment. Only one licence is needed per premises, and it is valid for one year.
SFA lists an application fee of S$147.20. The annual licence fee for an other processed food establishment is S$180 below 200 square metres, S$360 for 200 to 750 square metres and S$600 above 750 square metres. Meat and fish processing establishments pay S$260 a year, and hermetically sealed heat-treated meat or fish plants pay S$840.
SFA aims to review a complete application within 30 working days and then issues an in-principle approval, which is valid for three years. You then renovate according to the approved layout and book a final physical inspection. Time spent waiting for missing documents or scheduling inspections does not count towards the processing time.
SFA's labelling rules apply to prepacked food, which must carry compliant labels. For food that is not prepacked, SFA says businesses should still provide label-type information, such as allergens, on request. Putting ingredients and allergens on each product page, matching the physical label, is the simplest way to meet buyers' and outlets' questions.
SFA says holders of a Licence to Operate a Food Processing Establishment or a Coldstore licence can sell food to businesses such as wholesalers and retailers and to consumers. You still need the right payment, delivery and labelling setup for retail customers, and consumer protection rules on pricing and refunds apply to online sales.