Selling Homemade Food Legally in the Netherlands: Your2025 Compliance Checklist

You’re definitely not alone. Across the Netherlands, more and more people are embracing small-scale food entrepreneurship, turning their passion for cooking into a rewarding home-based business. It’s a fantastic way to share your love of food while earning money, but before you sell your first meal, it’s important to understand the legal side of things.

Selling homemade food isn’t the same as casually sharing dishes with friends or family. It comes with important responsibilities and legal requirements designed to protect both you and your customers. These rules cover food safety, hygiene standards, labeling, and sometimes permits or registrations. Complying with them ensures that your business runs smoothly and builds customer trust.

Being informed about regulations also helps you avoid potential fines or legal issues. The good news is that platforms like Homemade support home chefs by providing guidance on meeting these requirements, making the process much easier and more accessible.

Taking the time to learn and follow these rules is a smart step toward creating a sustainable and successful home food business.

Registering with the KVK in the Netherlands

Starting your home chef business officially begins with registering at the Kamer van Koophandel (KVK), the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. This crucial first step legally establishes your business and provides you with a unique tax number that you’ll need for invoicing customers, filing tax returns, and conducting business operations smoothly. The registration process is designed to be straightforward and accessible — you can easily complete it online from the comfort of your home or visit a nearby KVK office if you prefer in-person support. The staff there can guide you through the process, ensuring your registration goes smoothly and quickly.

However, registering with the KVK is just the beginning. Since you will be preparing and selling food, there is an additional important step: registering as a food business with the Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit (NVWA), the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority. This step is mandatory for anyone who prepares food for sale, even if you operate from a home kitchen. The NVWA registration ensures that your kitchen complies with strict hygiene and food safety standards that protect both you and your customers. It also helps maintain public health by making sure that food businesses meet the legal requirements set by the government.

The NVWA plays a vital role in monitoring food safety across the country. By registering your business with them, you allow authorities to keep track of food safety practices and respond quickly if any concerns or problems arise. This oversight is essential for maintaining high standards in the food industry and helps build customer confidence in your meals. It’s important to recognize that these regulations are in place not just for large commercial kitchens but equally apply to home-based food businesses, reflecting the government’s commitment to protecting all consumers.

Taking the time to complete these registration steps carefully and thoroughly lays a strong legal and professional foundation for your home food business. It shows your commitment to running your business responsibly and ensures you can operate with confidence, knowing that you meet the required standards. Being officially registered also opens doors to additional support, networking opportunities, and marketing platforms like Homemade, which can help you grow your customer base and expand your reach.

Ultimately, completing your KVK and NVWA registrations is about more than just ticking boxes. It’s about building trust with your customers by demonstrating professionalism, transparency, and dedication to food safety. With these foundations in place, you can focus on what you love most — creating delicious homemade meals — while running your business smoothly and legally.

Why NVWA Registration in the Netherlands Matters

To complete your NVWA registration, one important step is obtaining eHerkenning—a secure digital login system used by Dutch government websites. eHerkenning connects your business identity with official government platforms, making it easier and safer for you to manage your registrations, submit paperwork, and communicate with authorities online. Although setting up eHerkenning might seem intimidating at first, it’s actually a straightforward and well-supported process. There are several trusted providers who specialize in helping entrepreneurs like you get started, guiding you smoothly through the necessary steps so you can focus on what you do best: cooking delicious meals.

Once your registration is complete, the next crucial requirement is compliance with the Dutch Hygiene Code. This set of practical rules is designed to help keep your kitchen environment clean and your food safe for customers. For home chefs, a simplified version of these rules, based on HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) principles, is usually sufficient and manageable. HACCP focuses on important food safety practices such as proper storage temperatures, avoiding cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods, and ensuring allergens are clearly labeled on your products. Following these guidelines is essential—not only to meet legal standards but to protect the health of your customers and maintain a trustworthy reputation.

The great news is that you don’t need to be a food safety expert to successfully meet these standards. Platforms like Homemade provide easy-to-follow guidance, practical tips, and customizable templates to help you understand and implement the hygiene code confidently. Whether it’s setting up cleaning schedules, monitoring temperatures, or designing allergen labels, these tools simplify compliance and reduce stress, so you can focus more on your cooking and less on paperwork.

By completing your NVWA registration with eHerkenning and adhering to the Dutch Hygiene Code, you establish a solid, professional foundation for your home chef business. This foundation not only keeps your customers safe but also builds trust and credibility—two key ingredients for success in the competitive food market. When customers see that you follow legal requirements and prioritize food safety, they are more likely to choose your meals again and recommend you to others.

At Homemade, we’re committed to supporting you every step of the way—from registration to daily hygiene practices—making the process smoother and empowering you to run your business with confidence and pride. Taking these steps shows your dedication to quality and professionalism, which will help your homemade food business thrive sustainably.

Understanding Food Packaging Rules in the Netherlands

Starting in 2024, new government regulations in the Netherlands aim to reduce plastic waste and promote sustainability in the food industry. If you use disposable containers for your meals, you are required to add a small surcharge to cover the environmental costs—unless the customer explicitly chooses to opt out of the packaging.

The main goal of these rules is to encourage home chefs and food businesses to switch to compostable or reusable packaging options. Using eco-friendly packaging not only helps you comply with the law but also appeals to a growing number of customers who prioritize sustainability when choosing where to order their meals.

Great alternatives to traditional plastic include paper boxes, biodegradable containers made from plant-based materials, and durable reusable packaging that can be returned and refilled. Homemade supports home chefs by helping you select packaging that suits your food type, maintains quality during delivery, and meets Dutch environmental regulations.

By adopting green packaging solutions, you not only reduce your environmental footprint but also strengthen your brand’s reputation as a responsible and forward-thinking food entrepreneur.

Final Thoughts: Starting Your Legal Food Business in theNetherlands

Running a home-based food business comes with important responsibilities like managing paperwork and maintaining strict hygiene standards. While this might sound daunting, it’s completely manageable with the right support. At Homemade, we’re here to guide you through every step—from completing your official registrations with the Kamer van Koophandel (KVK) and NVWA, to helping you implement food safety practices that protect both you and your customers.

Our team provides clear, practical advice and resources to make sure your kitchen meets all necessary regulations without overwhelming you. Whether it’s understanding hygiene codes, navigating government requirements, or choosing sustainable packaging options, Homemade has your back.

If you’re ready to turn your passion for cooking into a professional, trustworthy food business and serve your local community with confidence, you’re just a few steps away from making it happen. Join the growing network of Dutch home chefs today and start sharing your delicious meals with eager customers who appreciate homemade quality and care.