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If you are importing food for sale into NZ, you must comply with NZ laws, including the Food Act 2014, the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (ANZFSC) and other relevant legislation, such as NZ Food Standards and the Fair Trading Act.
A new ministry – the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) – was formed in 2012 from the merger of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Fisheries and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority. This also includes leadership of NZ’s Biosecurity function. Some progress has been made towards streamlining the activities of the various MPI functions, but importing requirements are nevertheless still administered across a number of different units, including MPI Food Safety, MPI Plant Imports, MPI Biosecurity, and the NZ Customs Service. Navigating the requirements of the various agencies can be confusing. To help you get started, we've prepared a checklist which highlights some of the key issues you will need to consider. ⓒ Cogito Food & Beverage 2014
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◽ | Do you know which NZ legislation is relevant to your food product importing and sales activities? |
◽ | Are you aware of the Customs & Biosecurity clearance procedures for food imported into NZ for sale? |
◽ | Is your product a High Risk / Prescribed Food? (If so, there are additional requirements to be met.) |
◽ | Have you complied with the Food (Importer Listing) Standard? (Listing as a food importer with MAF.) |
◽ | Do you comply with the Food (Importer General Requirements) Standard? |
◽ | Have you ensured that your food complies with the ANZFSC, including food labelling & composition requirements? |
◽ | Does your packaging & artwork comply with the Fair Trading Act and Weights & Measures Regulations? |
◽ | Do you have a documented agreement with your supplier? |
◽ | Are you familiar with the processes for food recall in NZ? Do you have a Recall Policy & Plan in place? |
◽ | Have you taken insurance advice? (E.g. General Liability, Product Recall.) |
◽ | Have you investigated sales and distribution channels for your product in NZ? |
◽ | Have you prepared a financial model from retail sales price back to your landed cost? |