Your FCP Templates Have Changed, and Here's What to Update Before 30 April 2026

MPI issued Food Notice v39-00005 on 29 August 2025, revoking the previous FCP template and replacing it with an updated version. If you’re still operating on the old template, you have until 30 April 2026 to update. After that date, verifiers will be checking, and if you haven’t switched, you’re looking at an unacceptable verification outcome.

What Actually Changed

The new template replaces every version issued under the previous Food Notice. If you’re on v39-00001 or v39-00003, you need to download the full new template. If you’re on v39-00004, you can swap out individual cards. Not sure how the template system works? See our FCP template guide. The structure is largely the same, but MPI has made targeted updates throughout. The most notable addition is a new “Making biltong” process card, applicable to retail businesses only.

Beyond biltong, there are wording clarifications across several existing process cards and updated guidance notes. If you’ve customised your FCP based on the old templates, you’ll need to cross-check each section against the new versions to make sure your modifications still align.

The Deadline

30 April 2026. That’s not a suggestion. It’s the date MPI has set for full transition. Your verifier (typically your council for template FCP businesses) will check that you’re operating under the new template at your next scheduled verification visit after this date.

If you’re found to still be using the revoked template, the outcome is straightforward: your verification will be recorded as unacceptable. That triggers follow-up actions, potential increased verification frequency, and the associated costs.

What You Need to Do

1. Download the current template from the MPI website. Confirm you have the version issued under Food Notice v39-00005 dated 29 August 2025.

2. Compare against your current FCP. Go section by section. If you’re using an unmodified MPI template, you can swap directly to the new version. If you’ve customised it, check each process card and guidance note against the updated template.

3. Check the biltong card. If you’re a retail business making biltong or similar dried meat products, this new process card applies to you. It wasn’t in the previous template.

4. Update your version reference. Make sure your FCP documentation references the correct Food Notice number. This is the first thing a verifier will look at.

5. Brief your staff. Anyone involved in food safety procedures needs to know the FCP has been updated. If processes have changed, retrain before the deadline. See our FCP setup guide for what staff training should cover.

6. Record the change. Document when you updated your FCP and what changed. This demonstrates to your verifier that you’re managing your plan actively.

Don’t Leave It Until April

Verification visits aren’t scheduled to your convenience. If your next visit falls in early May and you haven’t updated, you won’t get a grace period. The Food Notice is already in effect. 30 April is the transition deadline, not the start date.

If you’re using Verify, your digital FCP will be updated to reflect the new template requirements. If you’re managing paper-based plans, now is the time to make the switch.