To enhance food safety and hygiene practices among partner restaurants, Bolt Food, a leading food delivery platform, has embarked on a collaborative initiative with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).
The move comes after the company acknowledged incidents where some restaurants on its platform fell short of adhering to FDA guidelines and lacked the requisite certifications.
At the “Bolt Food Hygiene Workshop” held under the theme “A Pledge to Uphold Hygiene Standards,” the company’s Country Manager, Ali Zaryab shed light on the rationale behind this endeavor.
“For the past three and a half years, we have been operating with many restaurants on our platform. Unfortunately, we have realized from some incidents that many restaurants are not following the FDA guidelines and do not have the required certificate,” the Country Manager said.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Bolt Food promptly engaged its regulatory and policy teams to liaise with the FDA. As the Country Manager emphasized, “The objective of this entire activity with the Restaurant Partners, FDA, and Bolt Food is to ensure we are improving the hygiene standards of restaurants. We aim to train and educate them on maintaining certain standards that will not harm our customers, ultimately uplifting restaurant food hygiene standards.”
The initiative has already garnered substantial support from restaurant owners, with the Country Manager expressing delight at the “amazing involvement and turnout” of participants. “Many of them will now reach out to the FDA, request visits to their operational kitchens, and obtain the hygiene certificate with the FDA’s guidance,” the Country Manager added.
Moving forward, Bolt Food intends to make FDA certifications a prerequisite for onboarding new restaurants, solidifying its commitment to verifying the legitimacy and compliance of its partner businesses. “This is part of our journey towards verifying that the businesses we work with are legitimate and registered with the relevant authorities,” the Country Manager affirmed.
Weyinmi Aghadiuno, Regulatory and Policy Head for Bolt Africa, provided further insights into the regulatory landscape and Bolt Food’s collaborative efforts with the authorities. “We have had engagements with the Postal and Courier Service Commission regarding our operations. They reviewed their regulations and realized that we need to be regulated because we are beyond the typical package delivery technology they are used to regulating,” Ms.Aghadiuno explained.
Consequently, Bolt Food has obtained approval for a Courier Service Commission license and plans to make the payment for the 2024 license. Addressing the food aspect of their operations, Ms.Aghadiuno stated, “We started having conversations with the FDA before launching our operations. It was clear that we are not a traditional food service establishment (FSE), so we did not need to be licensed by them initially. However, there were still questions that needed to be addressed.”
As part of their proactive approach, Bolt Food has identified 20 establishments on its platform that lack FDA permits despite having business registration permits. “We have proposed to the FDA that we collaborate on this. We will sponsor the licensing fees and provide the necessary technical support to help these 20 establishments obtain their FDA certificates,” Ms.Aghadiuno revealed.
Bolt Food’s commitment to fostering an enabling environment for its partners is evident in its willingness to facilitate the onboarding process for establishments while they work on their documentation and FDA inspection requirements. “We want to build an ecosystem where customers can be assured that the FSEs on our Bolt Food platform have the necessary FDA licenses, safety, and hygiene certificates,” Ms.Aghadiuno emphasized.
Addressing the timeframe for establishments to obtain licenses and address issues, Ms.Aghadiuno acknowledged the FDA’s typical three-month registration process. “While some establishments may get approved within a week if everything is perfect, others may need to make facility adjustments, which could take up to three months,” he added.
For the 20 nominated establishments, Bolt Food is collaborating with the FDA to expedite the licensing process within three months. However, Ms.Aghadiuno emphasized the collaborative nature of regulatory matters, stating, “If the establishments cannot meet the three-month deadline, we can engage with the FDA to request an extension, provided they demonstrate seriousness and willingness to do the right thing. The FDA will also consider granting extensions if they see the establishments’ genuine efforts.”
Through this collaborative initiative, Bolt Food and the FDA are taking a proactive stance in upholding food hygiene and safety standards, fostering consumer confidence, and ensuring a sustainable ecosystem for the food delivery industry.
