FSSAI License For Zomato: Is It Mandatory?

Zomato is an e-commerce platform that lists restaurants with its menu and allows customers to order food through its app. The app provides food delivery services for select cities and contains customer reviews of various restaurants.

Zomato app follows a commission-based business model and earns by charging a commission on the restaurants for each order it receives through the app. However, the restaurants must have an FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) license to be listed on the Zomato app.

Mandatory FSSAI License Requirement for Zomato

Due to the increase in popularity of online food aggregators, FSSAI mandated digital Food Business Operators (FBOs) such as Zomato, Swiggy, UberEats, etc., to obtain FSSAI licesne. Accordingly, the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Amendment Regulations, 2018, provides that any FBO carrying out food business delivery services through e-commerce platforms must obtain an FSSAI registration/license. 

Thus, it is mandatory for Zomato and the restaurants listed on the Zomato app to have an FSSAI licesne mandatorily. The FSSAI license will enable the food safety authorities to ensure that food delivery platforms and restaurants selling food through such platforms comply with the FSSAI regulations, rules, inspections, third-party audits and food testing processes.

Types of FSSAI License

The restaurants and cloud kitchens that wish to register on the Zomato app and receive food orders should obtain FSSAI licesne based on their turnover before registering on the app. The types of FSSAI registration that a cloud kitchen and restaurant should obtain are as follows:

• FSSAI Basic Registration – Restaurants with an annual turnover of less than Rs.12 lakh should obtain the FSSAI basic registration.
• FSSAI State License – Restaurants with an annual turnover of more than Rs.12 lakh but below Rs.20 crore must apply for an FSSAI state license. 
• FSSAI Central License – Restaurants whose annual turnover exceeds Rs.20 crore need to file for the FSSAI central license.

Documents Required for FSSAI License

The documents required by restaurants and cloud kitchens to obtain the FSSAI basic registration are as follows:

• Proof of possession of cooking premises, i.e. rental agreement, sale deed, etc.
• List of foods provided.

The documents required by restaurants and cloud kitchens to obtain the FSSAI state license are as follows:

• Proof of possession of cooking premises.
• List of foods provided.
• Food safety management system certificate or plan.
• Proof of expected annual turnover.
• Address and photo ID proof issued by the government authority of the authorised signatory.
• Analysis report of water used in the preparation of foods from a recognised or public health laboratory.

The documents required by restaurants and cloud kitchens to obtain the FSSAI central license are as follows:

• Identity proof such as voter’s ID, ration card, passport, PAN card, driving license or Aadhaar card.
• Food safety management system certificate or plan.
• Proof of possession of cooking premises.
• Partnership deed for partnership firm, Memorandum and Articles of association for company or self-declaration for proprietorship.
• Import/Export Code (IEC), if applicable.
• Certificate of product approval.
• Panchayath license, trade license, corporation license or municipality license.
• A permit from the Animal Husbandry Ministry.
• No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the quality of food and regulating compliances issued by the FSSAI authority.

Zomato FSSAI License Number

According to the FSSAI regulations, Zomato has obtained an FSSAI central license. Zomato has displayed its FSSAI license number – 10019064001810 on its website. It has obtained an FSSAI license as an e-commerce business for the following food products:

• Dairy products and analogues, excluding products of food category 2.0.
• Edible ices, including sherbet and sorbet.
• Fats and oils, and fat emulsions.
• Fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, seaweed.
• Confectionery.
• Cereal and cereal products derived from roots and tubers, cereal grains, pulses, legumes and pith or soft core of palm tree, excluding bakery wares.
• Bakery products.
• Meat and meat products, including poultry.
• Fish and fish products, including crustaceans, molluscs and echinoderms.
• Eggs and egg products.
• Sweeteners, including honey.
• Salts, spices, soups, sauces, salads and protein products.
• Foodstuffs intended for particular nutritional uses.
• Beverages, excluding dairy products.
• Ready-to-eat savouries.
• Prepared Foods.

Any person can view the details of the Zomato FSSAI license on the FoSCoS website. On the homepage, a person needs to click on the ‘FBO Search’ option, enter the ‘License/Registration Certificate No.’, ‘Captcha Code’ and click on the ‘Search’ button. The details of the Zomato FSSAI license will be displayed on the screen.

Disclaimer: The materials provided herein are solely for information purposes. No attorney-client relationship is created when you access or use the site or the materials. The information presented on this site does not constitute legal or professional advice. It should not be relied upon for such purposes or used as a substitute for legal advice from an attorney licensed in your state.