Plant-based food has become one of the fastest-growing segments in the packaged food industry, and as more and more Indian companies export their products to Europe, the UK, and North America, they are increasingly faced with the requirement of having a BRCGS Plant Based Standard Certificate. BRCGS created this standard in order to provide verifiable proof for retailers, brand owners, and consumers that products described as plant-based, vegan or vegetarian indeed belong to that category. For Indian food companies producing and exporting plant-based, vegan foods, alternatives to dairy or meat products and snacks, 2026 is the year when having this certificate will go from being an option to becoming a must-have. This post tells you what the BRCGS Plant-Based Standard entails, who should get it, the steps to obtaining a certification, and how it differs from other plant-based foods certifications.
What Is the BRCGS Plant-Based Standard
BRCGS Plant-Based Standard is a Global Standard developed by BRCGS (Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards). This standard applies to all those facilities that manufacture, process, or package products made from plants. This standard has been established because of the need for independent verification of the plant-based and vegan claims among retailers and consumers. This standard can either stand on its own or it can even combine with the current BRCGS Food Safety Certification.
The basic idea of BRCGS Plant-Based Standard lies in verifying the plant-based claim of a product right from the beginning until it is packaged. It involves:
- Verification of “plant-based,” “vegan” and “vegetarian” claims versus the formulation and ingredients of the product
- Supplier approvals and ingredient traceability back to source
- Segregation and avoidance of cross-contamination of plant-based and non-plant-based products
- On-package labeling accuracy and marketing claim verification
- Food Safety and Quality site-level management systems consistent with GFSI benchmarks
Why the BRCGS Plant-Based Standard Matters for Indian Food Brands
Exports from India based on plant ingredients such as plant-based milk, protein isolates, ready-to-cook plant-based foods, and plant-based meat analogues will have opportunities in countries where BRCGS food safety certification is mandatory for all food products sold through retailers. This is because those same retailers are now requiring compliance with BRCGS food safety standards for plant-based products, which Indian producers ignore at their own risk.
- Large UK and EU supermarkets are slowly making BRCGS Plant-Based Standard Certification a requirement for suppliers of their private label vegan products
- It increases buyer confidence in the certification process for vegan products that is otherwise hard to authenticate just from labels
- It minimizes problems associated with labeling conflicts and product recalls due to fake plant-based claims
- It helps Indian exporters stand out from un-audited competitors who are trying to win the same private label deals
- It improves traceability systems, which can be very helpful even outside the realm of plant-based products
In addition to retailer commitments, the certification helps the local brands who are establishing their position in India’s own organized retail and quick commerce space where claims of being plant-based are under increased consumer scrutiny.
Who Needs BRCGS Plant-Based Standard Certification in India
The BRCGS Plant-Based Standard certification is applicable to any Indian company producing, processing, and packing plant-based, vegan, or vegetarian foods for exportation and retail distribution within India. These generally include:
- Companies producing plant-derived dairy alternatives such as plant-based milk, yoghurt, and cheese substitutes
- Firms producing plant-based protein and meat substitutes, such as textured vegetable protein products
- Firms manufacturing vegan snack foods, bakery goods, and confections for export purposes
- Companies manufacturing plant-based beverages and functional drinks
- Firms engaged in contract manufacturing and private labelling services for UK, European Union (EU), and North American markets
- Ingredient companies with ingredients carrying a plant-based or vegan claim further down the supply chain
Firms that produce both plant-based and traditional animal-sourced products in a single facility have an extra level of scrutiny, since the audit will focus on whether the controls are sufficient enough to prevent cross-contamination for the plant-based product.
BRCGS Plant-Based Standard Requirements for Food Manufacturers
The BRCGS Plant-Based standard requirements that apply to plant-based food manufacturers include site-level food safety systems and claim-specific controls. For facilities applying for the BRCGS Plant-Based certification, the audit will evaluate:
- Management’s commitment and a written policy on food safety and quality
- HACCP-based Food Safety Plan addressing process hazards in plants-based products
- Traceability and mass balance back to approved sources
- Segregation of plant-based products and processes from any animal-based products
- Supplier approval program for all plant-based or vegan claimed raw material
- Label and claims verification system for all SKUs that are plant-based
- Training records for employees involved in plant-based products and claims
Core Requirement Areas at a Glance
The facilities already implementing the BRCGS Food Safety standard or an equivalent one benchmarked by GFSI find that these requirements actually complement their existing systems rather than supplant them, reducing the entire certification process period.
Read more:- BRCGS certification for pouch packaging plants
How to Get BRCGS Plant-Based Standard Certification for Food Brands in India
Food brands from India enquiring about obtaining BRCGS Plant-Based certification for their food brands in India usually go through an organized process of steps that is much like the procedure for other BRCGS standards.
Certifying organizations usually provide the BRCGS Plant-Based Standard certification certificate with a certain validity period, after which there should be a regular annual surveillance audit. Brands should schedule their audit process well in advance because lapsing of the certificate could impact a brand’s reputation in the eyes of retailers who require it from the brand.
BRCGS Plant-Based Standard and Plant-Based Product Compliance
Compliance of products made from plants according to the BRCGS Plant-Based Standard does not only involve proving that it is true on the labeling of the end-product. Proof must be shown at all stages of the supply chain, from when raw materials enter to dispatch.
- Requirements for raw material specifications have to be met in terms of their being plant based or vegan prior to purchase.
- Scheduling has to ensure no cross-contamination of plant based production and other productions.
- Verification of cleaning has to prove that allergens and animal derivatives have been cleaned effectively.
- Tests and label checks for the finished product have to prove the claim prior to shipment.
This level of detail is what makes the BRCGS Plant-Based Certification truly authentic in comparison to a mere claim of being plant-based, and it is exactly this type of documentation that the international buyers demand to see today.
BRCGS Plant-Based Standard vs Vegan Food Certification
The Indian brands often contrast the BRCGS Plant-Based Standard with generic vegan food certification logos/trademarks. The two differ in their functionality and cannot be equated.
Documents Required for BRCGS Plant-Based Standard Certification
- HACCP plan for plant-based processing procedures
- Approved suppliers and ingredient details
- Traceability and mass balance data
- Product label design and claim validation documentation
- Training records of staff dealing with plant-based products
- Internal audits and corrective actions
- BRCGS Food Safety certification, where available on-site
Common Mistakes Indian Brands Make with BRCGS Plant-Based Standard Certification
Preparing for BRCGS Plant-Based Certification is simple if one understands the requirements, but several unnecessary errors make things difficult for Indian facilities during the audit process.
- Treating the vegan claim as a marketing decision instead of as a documented and auditable process
- Failure to keep records of mass balances showing volumes from start to finished goods
- Using common equipment for both animal and plant products without validation of cleaning between runs
- Using supplier claims as verification of the vegan designation without verifying the claim independently
- Waiting until the last minute before the buyer’s deadline to start the certification process
Key Takeaways
- BRCGS Plant-Based Standard helps verify plant-based, vegan, and vegetarian claims throughout the entire supply chain process and not only on the product label.
- Indian exporters to the UK, EU, and North American markets need to get ready for mandatory BRCGS Plant-Based certification of suppliers in 2026
- Certification can be done together with BRCGS Food Safety certification at one site
- Key components include traceability, segregation, supplier approval, and label claim verification
- The certification process is conducted through a series of steps: Gap Assessment, Documentation, Training, Audit, and Surveillance.
FAQs
What is the BRCGS Plant-Based Standard?
A BRCGS Global Standard, which validates claims of being plant-based, vegan, and vegetarian in organizations involved in manufacturing, processing, and packaging of these products.
How to get BRCGS Plant-Based certification for food brands in India?
Food brands need to do a gap analysis, prepare documentation, train staff, and undergo a successful Stage 1 and Stage 2 audit by an approved certification body.
Who needs BRCGS Plant-Based certification in India?
Manufacturers of plant-based dairy alternatives, meat alternatives, vegan foods, and beverages serving exports and organized retail channels generally require it.
What are the BRCGS Plant-Based Standard requirements for plant-based food manufacturers?
The requirements for the facility include a HACCP food safety plan, ingredient traceability, cross-contact segregation, supplier approval, and label claims validation.
Can a facility hold BRCGS Plant-Based Standard certification without BRCGS Food Safety?
The answer is yes, since it can be obtained as a separate module; however, it is common practice for many companies to certify both modules together.
How long does BRCGS Plant-Based Standard certification take?
In most cases, it takes several months, based on the degree of development of the food safety system that is in place.
Is BRCGS Plant-Based certification mandatory for exporting to the UK/EU?
While it is not obligatory at the moment, more and more UK/EU retailers are making it obligatory for plant-based ranges.