Do I legally need a HACCP plan for my food business?
Yes. Under UK food hygiene law (Regulation (EC) No 852/2004), every food business must have a food safety management system based on HACCP principles. EHOs ask to see it during inspections, and it directly affects your hygiene rating.
How is Sage different from ChatGPT or other AI tools?
Sage isn't a chatbot, and it isn't a questionnaire that spits out a template. It's a purpose-built food safety expert that uses deterministic logic - hazard identification, risk scoring and CCP decisions are made by validated methodology, not by AI guessing. Sage asks the questions; the science is hard-coded; you approve every line.
Will my auditor accept a HACCP plan built with Sage?
Sage produces a standard plan following the full 12-step Codex Alimentarius methodology - a professionally formatted PDF with hazard analysis tables, CCP control charts and every section auditors expect. It's your plan, approved by you at every step; Sage just helped you build it.
Can FoodSafe help me get SALSA or BRCGS certified?
FoodSafe is designed to meet the documentation requirements of SALSA, BRCGS and ISO 22000 audits. SALSA formally acknowledges digital record keeping, and FoodSafe is built around the documentation requirements of the new Issue 7 standard. Our founder went through SALSA certification himself, so the system reflects real audit experience.
How long does it take to set up?
Most producers are up and running within an afternoon. Your document templates and record sheets are ready to customise immediately. A HACCP plan through Sage typically takes a few hours spread over a few sessions.
How much does a consultant cost compared to FoodSafe?
A consultant typically charges £60-150 per hour, with a production HACCP plan costing £500-3,000 or more - a one-off document. FoodSafe gives you the full system every day: Sage's HACCP builder with an audit-ready PDF you can update anytime, daily records, document management, traceability and one-click audit packs.
How is FoodSafe different from other food safety software?
Most food safety software falls into two camps: template libraries that hand you blank forms and wish you luck, or enterprise platforms built for factories with compliance teams and budgets to match. FoodSafe is neither. It's built for small UK producers, and the difference starts with the plan itself: Sage builds your HACCP plan with you, in plain English, with every safety decision made by validated food safety logic and every line approved by you - not a template you decode alone, not an AI guessing. And the plan doesn't go stale in a drawer: your records, documents, traceability, alerts and one-click audit packs run alongside it in one place, every day, from £39.95/month. One system. Built for makers. Ready before the inspector even calls.
What happens if I'm offline?
FoodSafe works offline. You can capture records without a signal - common in cold stores and production areas - and everything syncs automatically the moment you reconnect. Nothing is lost.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. No lock-in contracts. Monthly plans are billed monthly, annual plans at a 10% discount. The 14-day free trial runs on Professional, so you can try everything, including Sage. No card required.
What is changing in SALSA Issue 7?
SALSA published Issue 7 of the Food & Drink Production Standard in June 2026, and from 1 September 2026 all SALSA audits are conducted against it. FoodSafe's records, documents and Sage's HACCP output are built to support the Issue 7 requirements, so the system you set up today is the one your auditor will assess you against.
Is FoodSafe the same as Safer Food Better Business (SFBB)?
No. SFBB is the FSA's free, simplified pack designed for caterers and retailers. If you produce food for sale through other businesses - shops, delis, wholesalers - or you're working towards SALSA or BRCGS, you need a site-specific HACCP-based food safety management system. That's what FoodSafe provides, records and all.
Is my data secure?
Yes. FoodSafe runs on ISO 27001-certified AWS infrastructure with data hosted in the UK. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest, with authentication handled through AWS Cognito.
I already have a HACCP plan. Can I bring it across?
Yes - upload your existing plan and documents to the document module, where they're stored, organised and audit-ready. Sage can't yet read an uploaded plan to build from, so if you want your plan rebuilt in FoodSafe, Sage walks you through it fresh - most producers find that's the moment their plan finally matches what they actually do.
What happens when my trial ends?
The 14-day trial runs with no card on file, so nothing is charged automatically. At the end, you pick a plan to continue. Your records and documents stay safe in your account.