What exactly is a commissary?
By: Jim Juliano
Have you ever heard of a commissary? Did you know that it’s required by law for most mobile food facilities? So what is it exactly?
Many customers ask this question. The definition of a commissary as described in the California Retail Food Code is listed below:
113751. “Commissary” means a food facility that services mobile food facilities, mobile support units, or vending machines where any of the following occur: (a) Food, containers, or supplies are stored, (b) Food is prepared or prepackaged for sale or service at other locations, (c) Utensils are cleaned, (d) Liquid and solid wastes are disposed, or portable water is obtained.
Mobile coffee carts are most often considered “mobile food facilities,” therefore they must have a health department approved commissary in order to obtain a permit for legal operation. The only exemption from this rule is if a customer plans to serve coffee at events, such as a county fair, or another community gathering. In this case their mobile coffee cart is considered a “temporary food facility.” A temporary food facility is described in the CRFC below:
113930. “Temporary Food Facility” means a food facility approved by the enforcement officer that may be readily disassembled for storage or for transporting, and readily assembled to its original integrity at a different location, is easily movable, and operates at a fixed location for the duration of an approved community event or at a swap meet.
Coffee Cart Biz Inc’s mobile coffee carts and kiosks will continue to be the leading units in the mobile avenue. The use of a commissary partnered with the intuitive design of each mobile cart will enable all new business owners to be successful.
Tags: cal code, coffee carts, commissary, mobile carts