Pasta Evangelists gains Safe to Trade approval across all sites

Pasta Evangelists has secured Safe to Trade approval across all 47 of its locations, meeting the consumer standard for food safety, hygiene and standards.

The business, which operates takeaway delivery, make-at-home recipe kits and four dine-in restaurants, was audited by independent environmental health practitioners from Shield Safety, the certification body for the scheme.

Safe to Trade is a voluntary, third-party assurance programme developed with industry experts and regulators. It aims to strengthen consumer confidence by providing up-to-date information on hygiene and safety, particularly for high-risk groups such as people with allergies.

The scheme requires businesses to undergo annual checks covering front-of-house cleanliness, allergen management and food labelling. Approved businesses are listed on the online Safe to Trade register.

Debra Piergentili, quality and safety director at Pasta Evangelists, said: “Safe to Trade is there to protect the consumer. Finally, we found a consumer standard tailored to hospitality, something which did not exist before Safe to Trade.

“While we are well acquainted with certification bodies in manufacturing, restaurants and dark kitchens did not have a standard to comply with. For the first time ever, Pasta Evangelists had something to strive for in terms of food safety and hygiene standards.”

She added: “Quality and safety have always been at the heart of what we do, and of course, that matters most to our customers. Safe to Trade allows us to demonstrate our commitment to safety and as we grow our business, it allows us to maintain consistent high quality and safety across all 47 locations – whether it’s for takeaway, delivery, at-home recipe kits, or in our restaurants.”

John Barnes, former head of local delivery at the Food Standards Agency and a member of the Safe to Trade independent governance board, said: “Safe to Trade helps the sector thrive by protecting people, strengthening reputations, and building consumer confidence – all of which drive business success.

“Food operators need a credible way to demonstrate due diligence, and their efforts deserve recognition. Safe to Trade supports them in staying compliant so they can focus on what matters most: running and growing their business.”

He added: “We’re thrilled to welcome Pasta Evangelists to the programme, having achieved Safe to Trade Approved status across all locations – the trusted consumer standard that puts health first and gives customers confidence in a safe experience, every time. Congratulations to the entire team on this fantastic achievement.”