Affordable food safety training for small food businesses
No training department, no budget for repeat courses, and an inspector who can visit at any time. Here is a practical way to keep a small team food-safe all year.
Small food businesses can keep staff food-safe between formal courses with short, regular team sessions they run themselves. Food Safety Legends is a once-off board game (R1,800 for one copy) that needs no trainer, takes 30–60 minutes, and covers the hygiene, cross-contamination, allergen and temperature habits inspectors look for.
Who this is for
- Home industries, caterers and small bakeries
- Food suppliers and small-scale manufacturers selling to retailers
- Delis, coffee shops, takeaways and food trucks
- Owner-run businesses with 2–30 staff and no food safety manager
Why small businesses struggle to keep training current
- Cost: sending every new staff member on a course quickly adds up.
- Time: the owner is often the cook, manager and trainer at once.
- Inspections: to get and keep a Certificate of Acceptability your premises must meet R638, which includes making sure food handlers are trained. See CoA and training records.
- Retail customers: supermarkets and larger buyers increasingly ask suppliers how they train their people.
A simple monthly routine
- Send new staff on accredited food handler training when they start (or train them yourself if you are qualified).
- Once a month, play a 30–60 minute game of Food Safety Legends with the whole team.
- Note who played, which topics came up and anything you need to fix.
- Use one or two Pitfall cards at weekly team meetings to keep the topics fresh.
- Keep those notes with your training records for inspections and customer audits.
Cost
One game costs R1 800 (excl. delivery) and can be reused with every new staff member. That is often less than a single external course place. Order online and pay by EFT.
“The game changed the atmosphere in the production facility. The staff was in high spirits the entire day. They were talking about what they learned, asking when they could play again, and the entire day they were aware of food safety. They implemented what they learned and held each other accountable in a fun way.”
Common questions
Do I still need accredited food handler training?
Yes. R638 requires food handlers to be trained. Food Safety Legends reinforces that training between courses; it is not accredited and does not issue certificates.
Can I run the game myself?
Yes. It needs no trainer. The rules are in the box and on the how to play page.
Is it suitable for a team of three or four people?
Yes. It works with two or more players.
Training your small team can run itself
Order Food Safety Legends once and use it with every new staff member.
