GFSI Certification: What It Is and How to Get Certified

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) plays a critical role in the global food supply chain. If you're a food manufacturer, processor, or supplier, chances are your customers or retail partners have asked whether you hold a GFSI-recognized certification. It's quickly become the gold standard for demonstrating food safety competence.

But here's the thing — you can't get "GFSI certified" directly. GFSI doesn't certify companies. Instead, it benchmarks and recognizes food safety certification schemes that meet its rigorous requirements. This guide explains what GFSI is, how it works, which schemes are recognized, and exactly how to get certified under one of them.

What Is GFSI?

The Global Food Safety Initiative was founded in 2000 by the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), a global network of over 400 retailers, manufacturers, and service providers. GFSI's mission is simple and ambitious: "Safe food for consumers everywhere."

Rather than creating its own certification standard, GFSI developed a benchmarking framework that evaluates existing food safety schemes against a comprehensive set of requirements. When a scheme meets GFSI's benchmarking criteria, it becomes "GFSI-recognized." This means that any company certified under a GFSI-recognized scheme is considered to have met a globally accepted baseline for food safety management.

The impact has been enormous. Over 70% of the global food industry now recognizes GFSI-benchmarked certifications. Major retailers, food service companies, and manufacturers around the world accept these certifications as proof that a supplier's food safety systems are sound — reducing the need for redundant audits and creating a common language for food safety expectations.

GFSI-Recognized Certification Schemes

Several food safety certification schemes have been benchmarked and recognized by GFSI. Each has its own strengths, geographic focus, and industry specialization. Here are the most widely used:

SQF (Safe Quality Food)

SQF is one of the most popular GFSI-recognized schemes, especially in North America. Managed by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), SQF covers the entire supply chain from primary production to storage and distribution. It offers three certification levels, with Level 2 (food safety) and Level 3 (food safety and quality) being the most common for manufacturers. SQF is particularly well-suited for companies supplying major U.S. retailers.

BRCGS (BRC Global Standards)

Originally developed by the British Retail Consortium, BRCGS is one of the oldest and most established GFSI-recognized schemes. It has a strong presence in the UK and Europe but is widely accepted worldwide. BRCGS covers food safety, packaging, storage, distribution, and agents and brokers. The grading system (AA, A, B, C, D) provides a clear picture of a facility's compliance level.

FSSC 22000

FSSC 22000 is built on the ISO 22000 food safety management system standard, with additional requirements from ISO/TS 22002-series prerequisite programs. Because it's ISO-based, it integrates naturally with other management systems like ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001. FSSC 22000 is popular globally and is often the choice for organizations that already operate within the ISO framework.

IFS Food (International Featured Standards)

IFS Food originated in Germany and France and has a strong following across continental Europe. It's particularly popular among suppliers to European retailers. IFS uses a scoring system and requires companies to meet specific "knock-out" criteria related to critical food safety requirements. The standard covers food processing and is known for its detailed and structured audit approach.

GLOBALG.A.P.

Unlike the other schemes that focus primarily on manufacturing and processing, GLOBALG.A.P. targets primary production — farming, aquaculture, and agriculture. It sets standards for good agricultural practices (GAP) and is widely used by fresh produce suppliers. If you're in primary production and your buyers require GFSI certification, GLOBALG.A.P. is likely the relevant scheme for your operation.

Who Requires GFSI Certification?

The short answer: most major players in the food industry. GFSI-recognized certification has become a de facto requirement for doing business with large retailers and food service companies. Here's who typically requires it:

• Major retailers: Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Tesco, Carrefour, Ahold Delhaize, and most other large grocery chains require their suppliers to hold a GFSI-benchmarked certification.
• Food service companies: McDonald's, Starbucks, Yum! Brands, and other food service giants expect GFSI-recognized certifications from their supply chain partners.
• Food manufacturers: Large food companies sourcing ingredients and raw materials from suppliers increasingly require GFSI certification as a condition of doing business.
• Distributors and co-packers: Companies providing storage, distribution, or contract manufacturing services are often required to demonstrate GFSI compliance to secure and retain accounts.

If you're in the food industry and your customers haven't asked about GFSI yet, they likely will soon. Getting certified proactively positions you ahead of the competition and opens doors to new business opportunities.

How to Get GFSI Certified

While the specific requirements vary by scheme, the general path to GFSI-recognized certification follows these steps:

1. Choose the right scheme. Evaluate which GFSI-recognized scheme best fits your operation, customer requirements, and geographic market. (More on this in the next section.)
2. Understand the standard. Obtain the current version of your chosen scheme's standard and study its requirements. Each scheme has its own structure, terminology, and compliance criteria.
3. Conduct a gap assessment. Compare your current food safety management system against the scheme's requirements. Identify gaps in documentation, processes, training, and infrastructure. A food safety consultant can accelerate this step significantly.
4. Develop your food safety system. Build or update your HACCP plan, prerequisite programs, standard operating procedures, training programs, and management review processes to meet the standard's requirements.
5. Implement and train. Put your food safety system into practice. Train your team on new procedures, conduct internal audits, and verify that your system is working as intended. You'll need to demonstrate a track record of implementation before your certification audit.
6. Select a certification body. Choose an accredited third-party certification body (CB) to conduct your audit. Each scheme maintains a list of approved CBs. Schedule your audit well in advance — popular CBs book up quickly.
7. Pass the certification audit. The certification body will conduct an on-site audit of your facility. This typically includes document review, facility inspection, employee interviews, and records verification. Address any non-conformances identified during the audit.
8. Maintain your certification. GFSI-recognized certifications require annual surveillance audits and periodic recertification. Continuously improve your food safety system and stay current with standard updates.

Working with an experienced certification readiness consultant like Certify Consulting can streamline this entire process. We've helped over 200 companies achieve certification with a 100% pass rate, and we can guide you from gap assessment through successful audit completion.

Choosing the Right GFSI Scheme

With multiple GFSI-recognized schemes available, how do you decide which one is right for your organization? Consider these factors:

• Customer requirements. This is often the deciding factor. If your biggest customer requires SQF, that's your answer. Ask your key customers and prospects which scheme they prefer or require.
• Geographic market. SQF dominates in North America. BRCGS is strong in the UK and increasingly global. IFS is prominent in continental Europe. FSSC 22000 has broad international acceptance.
• Existing management systems. If you already have an ISO 9001 or ISO 22000 certification, FSSC 22000 is a natural extension. If you're starting from scratch, SQF or BRCGS may be more straightforward.
• Industry sector. Primary producers should look at GLOBALG.A.P. Manufacturers and processors have the most choices. Storage and distribution companies may find certain schemes offer more relevant coverage.
• Cost and complexity. Certification costs vary by scheme, scope, and facility size. Consider audit fees, implementation costs, and the time investment required. Some schemes offer a more graduated approach that can ease the transition.
• Long-term strategy. Think about where your business is heading. If you plan to expand into European markets, having BRCGS or IFS may give you an advantage. If you're building an integrated management system, FSSC 22000's ISO foundation is valuable.

Not sure which scheme to choose? Schedule a free consultation and we'll help you evaluate your options based on your specific business situation.

Ready to Get GFSI Certified?

GFSI-recognized certification is no longer optional for most food industry companies — it's a business requirement. Whether your customers are already asking for it or you want to get ahead of the curve, the time to start is now.

At Certify Consulting, we specialize in getting food companies audit-ready. Our A-to-Z approach covers everything from initial gap assessment through successful certification — with a 100% pass rate across 200+ clients. We work with SQF, BRCGS, FSSC 22000, and other GFSI-recognized schemes.