Cafe and coffee shop compliance software
Food safety, allergen management, equipment maintenance, and staff training, all in one platform designed for the fast pace of cafe life.
Paddl is food safety, compliance and operations software for UK cafes and coffee shops: the SFBB diary and daily checks on a phone, allergen matrix and Natasha's Law labels, fridge temperatures, training records, the rota and an EHO-ready audit pack, on one price per site with a 30-day trial.
Sound familiar?
Every cafe operator knows these headaches
Allergen complexity
Cakes, sandwiches, and salads, each with different ingredients. Menu changes weekly. Keeping allergen information accurate is a constant challenge.
High staff turnover
Part-time students, seasonal workers, career baristas. Training is constant, and knowledge walks out the door every time someone leaves.
Equipment-dependent operations
When the espresso machine goes down, so does your business. Coffee grinders, refrigerated displays, and ovens all need to keep running.
Food safety in a fast environment
Sandwiches, pastries, and hot food, all with different storage requirements. Temperature checks, date labelling, and cleaning logs pile up during busy service.
Purpose-built for cafe operations
Paddl understands the unique pressures of running a cafe. Allergen management, food safety, equipment maintenance, and staff training, all designed for the fast-paced world of coffee and food service.
Allergen Management
Track all 14 UK allergens for every item. Visual allergen charts, menu item management, and incident tracking. Natasha's Law compliant.
SFBB Compliance
AI-powered Safer Food Better Business pack generation. Create complete, customised SFBB documentation in minutes with automatic gap detection.
Food Safety Compliance
AI-generated HACCP plans, live CCP monitoring, temperature logs, and cleaning schedules. Auto corrective actions when critical limits are breached. Exactly what EHOs want to see.
Customer Complaints
Track complaints with AI pattern detection. Identify trends in food quality, coffee, or service issues. Turn feedback into operational improvements.
Equipment Maintenance
Track maintenance for espresso machines, grinders, refrigeration, and ovens. Schedule servicing. Log repairs. Prevent costly breakdowns.
Staff Training Hub
Get new baristas up to speed fast. Food hygiene, allergen awareness, coffee preparation, and customer service. Structured training paths for every role.
Quick Mobile Reporting
Staff submit accident reports, maintenance requests, and incident logs from their phone in seconds. Photo evidence and instant manager notifications.
Supplier Management
Manage your supplier database and log deliveries with temperature checks and photo evidence. Full traceability for every ingredient.
What cafes get from Paddl
Key features for cafes
Common questions about cafes
What food safety requirements do cafes need to meet in the UK?
UK cafes must register as a food business with their local authority, implement a food safety management system based on HACCP principles (typically using SFBB), maintain temperature records for food storage and display, comply with allergen labelling requirements under Natasha's Law, and ensure staff have appropriate food hygiene training.
Do small cafes need SFBB (Safer Food Better Business)?
Yes. SFBB is the Food Standards Agency's recommended food safety management system for small food businesses in England and Wales. It is based on HACCP principles and is the most common system EHOs expect to see in cafes. Paddl generates complete, customised SFBB packs using AI, saving hours of manual documentation.
How should cafes manage allergens for cakes and sandwiches?
Cafes must declare the presence of any of the 14 UK allergens in all food sold, whether pre-packed or made on-site. For pre-packed items like wrapped sandwiches, Natasha's Law requires full ingredient labelling. Paddl tracks allergens across your entire menu, with visual allergen charts that staff can reference instantly during service.
What compliance software is best for independent cafes?
Independent cafes need affordable, easy-to-use software that covers food safety (SFBB, HACCP), allergen management, temperature monitoring, staff training, and equipment maintenance. Paddl is designed for small hospitality businesses with mobile-first workflows that take seconds to complete, even during busy morning rushes.
How can cafes prepare for EHO inspections?
EHO inspectors assess hygienic food handling, premises condition, and food safety management documentation. Cafes should maintain up-to-date SFBB records, temperature logs, cleaning schedules, staff training records, and allergen information. With Paddl, all of these are digital and instantly accessible, so you are always inspection-ready without last-minute preparation.
Ready to run a compliant cafe?
Start your free 30-day trial with cafe-specific templates ready to go. Card required.
Cafe templates included · Multi-site support · Cancel anytime