African Caribbean Food Store food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Birmingham
African Caribbean Food Store holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the shop and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 29 January 2026, 5 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: 342 Soho Road, Birmingham, B21 9QL
How it compares in Birmingham
A 1 is rare: only 387 of 8,171 rated places in Birmingham score this low, about one in 21. By contrast 66% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 5,380 | 66% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 1,309 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 695 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 318 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 387 | 5% | ← African Caribbean Food Store | |
| 0 out of 5 | 82 | 1% |
A further 1,866 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At African Caribbean Food Store the inspector recorded concerns over confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to African Caribbean Food Store, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian Mini Market Retailers - other | 303 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 August 2011 |
| Aramark @ HMP Birmingham Windrush We Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 July 2024 |
| Aramark Staff and Visitor Canteen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 July 2024 |
| Affetto Italiano Ltd Retailers - other | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 April 2021 |
Questions about African Caribbean Food Store
What is African Caribbean Food Store's food hygiene rating?
African Caribbean Food Store has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Birmingham Council on 29 January 2026.
Is African Caribbean Food Store safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The shop is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was African Caribbean Food Store last inspected?
African Caribbean Food Store was last inspected on 29 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Birmingham Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at African Caribbean Food Store?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does African Caribbean Food Store compare to other places in Birmingham?
66% of the 8,171 rated food businesses in Birmingham hold the top rating of 5, while African Caribbean Food Store holds a 1. 387 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Birmingham Council inspects African Caribbean Food Store and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch African Caribbean Food Store and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Birmingham, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Birmingham
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Birmingham inspects and rates 10,037 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Birmingham →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/environmental-health
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →