In view of the alleged catering frauds reported at Kanjikuzhy and Mundakayam in Kottayam, the All Kerala Caterers Association has come up with a list of licensed catering establishments in the district.

The list was released at a cooking competition held at Ettumanur in Kottayam on Tuesday (September 15, 2026). Association State president Elias Zacharia handed over the list to Nattakom Suresh, MLA.

The association said the list would be displayed outside all food safety offices to help people identify licensed catering establishments and avoid falling victim to fraud. According to the association, ordinary customers often find it difficult to distinguish between licensed and unlicensed catering establishments. The list has been published to address this issue and help people make informed choices.

The move assumes significance in the wake of two families in Kottayam district being allegedly cheated by a Kanjirappally-based catering service, which failed to deliver food for wedding receptions organised by the families. Left with no other option, the families had to arrange food from nearby hotels to feed hundreds of guests who had arrived for the ceremonies.

The caterer had allegedly collected advances of ₹1 lakh and ₹1.4 lakh from the two families. The families have filed complaints with the Mundakayam and Kottayam East police against the catering unit and the individual who collected the payments.