Kabul Express food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · Birmingham
Kabul Express holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the supermarket and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 17 March 2026, 3 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: 16 Alum Rock Road, Birmingham, B8 1JB
How it compares in Birmingham
A 1 is rare: only 388 of 8,173 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 | 5,382 | 66% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 1,308 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 694 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 319 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 388 | 5% | ← Kabul Express | |
| 0 out of 5 | 82 | 1% |
A further 1,864 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very 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 Kabul Express 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 Kabul Express, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anjuman-E-Naqeebul Islam Mosque Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 265 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2011 |
| Adderley Childrens Centre. Caring Premises | 426 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 September 2025 |
| Adderley News Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 February 2012 |
| Apna Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 November 2024 |
| Alum Rock Road Post Office Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 September 2009 |
| Adderley Junior & Infant School School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 January 2025 |
| Anthony Road Childrens Centre Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 March 2025 |
| Angie's Catering Services Other catering premises | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 September 2025 |
Questions about Kabul Express
What is Kabul Express's food hygiene rating?
Kabul Express has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Birmingham Council on 17 March 2026.
Is Kabul Express safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The supermarket 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 Kabul Express last inspected?
Kabul Express was last inspected on 17 March 2026, 3 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 Kabul Express?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 Kabul Express compare to other places in Birmingham?
66% of the 8,173 rated food businesses in Birmingham hold the top rating of 5, while Kabul Express holds a 1. 388 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Birmingham Council inspects Kabul Express 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 Kabul Express 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 →