Grape Software has announced the release of new food hygiene inspection software for Local Authorities, designed to simplify the inspection process and help reduce the growing backlog of food businesses awaiting inspection.
The scale of the challenge
According to Food Standards Agency figures published in June 2025, an estimated 95,000 food businesses were overdue for hygiene inspections, including 841 classified as high risk.
Environmental Health teams across the country are under increasing pressure. Staff shortages, rising workloads, tighter budgets and growing public-health demands continue to stretch resources and capacity.
A digital inspection workflow for EHOs
Developed by North East entrepreneur James Miller, INSPECT™ has been designed for Environmental Health Officers across the UK. It replaces paper-heavy processes and digitises the inspection workflow, helping decisions and reports move from fieldwork to completion more efficiently.
Inspectors can record notes and photographs on site. Information is held in one accessible record and used to support the production of inspection documentation and food hygiene rating outcomes.
Built with food-safety professionals
The idea began in 2014 while James was consulting at a leading university and reviewing systems for recording and managing information. The complexity and fragmentation of those processes highlighted how purpose-built technology could remove duplication.
James has since collaborated with Environmental Health Officers to develop INSPECT™, focusing on an experience that is efficient, practical and easy to navigate. Grape Software is also developing companion software for food businesses, creating the foundations for a more connected inspection journey.
Backed in the North East and beyond
Grape Software has received more than £70,000 of funding support from Business Innovation Centre Sunderland, Northstar Ventures, the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Enterprise Hub and Innovate UK.
“We’ve worked closely with a range of stakeholders to develop Grape INSPECT, because the way food inspections are done hasn’t changed in over 25 years. Our software removes the burden of handwritten notes and typing up later. It’s a faster, simpler way to manage the process.”
“This will modernise what we’re all trying to do, speed it up and allow it to be far more efficient so we get to more places and get reports out more quickly.”
“Grape Software impressed with its innovative approach in helping to raise food hygiene reporting and efficiency.”
