> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.foodcore.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.foodcore.io/readme.md). # README FoodCore is kitchen management software built for small food businesses — bakeries, cake makers, caterers, cottage food producers, market traders, and anyone who makes and sells food. It brings together the tools you actually need in one place: ingredient and recipe management, allergen tracking, professional label printing, food safety records, and business insights. If you've been juggling spreadsheets, handwritten allergen sheets, and a folder of label templates, FoodCore replaces all of that with a single system that keeps everything connected and up to date. {% embed url="" %} ![FoodCore dashboard](/files/AydLSd7P11LWzgzwloej) ## How FoodCore is organised FoodCore follows the natural flow of your kitchen: **Ingredients** are the foundation. You add every raw material you use — flour, butter, eggs, xanthan gum — along with the price per unit and the allergens each one contains. Everything else in FoodCore builds on this data. **Recipes** sit on top of ingredients. You pick the ingredients that go into each product, specify the quantities, and FoodCore calculates your cost price automatically. It also aggregates allergen information from every ingredient, so you always know exactly what's in each product. **Allergens** flow through automatically. Because each ingredient carries its allergen data, any recipe you build already has the correct allergen information without you entering it twice. You can view an allergen matrix across your whole menu, run audits to find gaps, and manage "may contain" declarations separately from "contains." **Labels** come last. Once your recipes are set up, generating a compliant label takes seconds. The Label Designer lets you choose a template, customise the layout, add your branding, and export to PDF, PNG, or JPG — or send directly to a thermal printer. On the **Core plan**, you also get Costing and Pricing tools, Stock management, Production planning, Menus, Food Safety records (Daily Due Diligence, HACCP, Monitoring, Corrective Actions), and Business Insights. ## Your first 15 minutes The fastest way to feel at home in FoodCore is to work through this short loop: 1. **Add 5 ingredients** — just the ones you use most often. Give each one a price and tick the allergens it contains. ([Add a new ingredient](/ingredients/add-ingredient.md)) 2. **Build 1 recipe** — pick your ingredients, enter the quantities, and save. FoodCore fills in the cost and allergen summary for you. ([Create your first recipe](/recipes/create-recipe.md)) 3. **Generate 1 label** — go to Labels, select your recipe, choose a template, and export. You'll have a print-ready label in under two minutes. That's it. Once you've done this once, the rest of FoodCore makes sense because everything follows the same pattern: data flows from ingredients into recipes, and from recipes into labels, costs, and compliance records. ## The onboarding wizard When you first sign in, FoodCore runs an onboarding wizard that walks you through the key setup steps — adding your first ingredient, building a recipe, and generating a label. It takes about 10 minutes and is the quickest way to get your data in. If you dismissed the wizard or want to run it again later, you can restart it at any time from **Settings → Onboarding**. ## Essentials and Core FoodCore has two plans. **Essentials** (£19/month) covers Ingredients, Recipes, Allergens, Labels, and Shopping Lists — everything most small producers need. **Core** (£55/month) adds Stock, Production Planning, Menus, Meal Planning, Food Safety, Business Insights, and multi-user team access. You start with a free 7-day trial of Core so you can explore everything before choosing a plan. No card required to start. See [Essentials vs Core](/getting-started/essentials-vs-core.md) for a full feature comparison. ## What's next * [Your first 15 minutes](/getting-started/quick-start.md) — a quick checklist to get you up and running * [Creating your account](/getting-started/creating-your-account.md) — sign up or log in * [Add a new ingredient](/ingredients/add-ingredient.md) — start building your ingredient library *** Can't find what you're looking for? Email us at or use the contact form at [foodcore.io/contact](https://foodcore.io/contact). --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.foodcore.io/readme.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.