The food industry is continuously growing as it is very much visible these days and product quality and safety are the top requirements by all. In this phase, the BRCGS Food Safety standard is one of the most important pillars for ensuring excellence and compliance in this top-demanding sector.
BRCGS Food Safety is a globally known standard founded to help companies apply safe practices in the production of food by following strict hygiene, safety, and quality standards. It gives complete guidelines to make sure that food production and handling processes comply with the highest food safety standards.
The BRC Food Safety standard provides a basic and simple structure for the management of product safety, integrity, legality, and quality by maintaining the important operational controls for manufacturing, processing, and packing of food and food ingredients. BRC Global Standards for Food Safety, Packaging and Packaging Materials, Storage and Distribution, Consumer Products, Agents and Brokers, Retail, and Gluten Free set the major mark for good manufacturing practice, and help provide customers that your products are safe, legal,l and of high quality. The certification includes various criteria, including:
➜ Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
➜ Employee training and hygiene
➜ Product and process control
➜ Environmental standards
➜ Quality Management Systems (QMS)
Why BRCGS Certification Is Important For Food Safety?
➜ Assure Compliance With Global Standards: This compliance is important for companies that have their branches in multiple locations around the world or working hard to spread their names and brands in the market. If a company follows these standards prevent foodborne illnesses and make sure that products are safe for consumption. This recognition makes sure that certified companies have international standards and maintain all food safety and production practices healthily which makes them trustworthy brands across the world.
➜ Brand Reputation: The companies who want to increase their brand image in the market. This Getting is the key for them and is a good sign to consumers, retailers, and regulatory bodies that a company is devoted to maintaining high standards of food safety and quality. This certification can play a major role in increasing a brand’s image. It is also a good way to gain their customer trust and loyalty.
➜ Facilitates Market Access: BRCGS certification gains the trust of distributors. Many retailers and distributors require their suppliers to have BRCGS certification. food businesses might find it difficult if they don’t have this certification. To enter or maintain their position in certain markets certification is important. This certification opens doors to new business opportunities and partnerships.
➜ Highlight Operational Workflow: The major process of obtaining BRCGS certification includes complete documentation and implementation of best practices. This process can help ease the operations process, reduce waste, and improve the overall work process. Companies often find that the standards help them find the areas for improvement and promote their processes.
➜ Avoid Risk Chances: If businesses follow the BRCGS standards, food businesses can better analyze and manage risks related to food safety. These perfect strategies help in saving food safety incidents, which can be expensive and damaging to a company’s image. So, this certification can help you in managing your success ath without facing major challenges in your business.
➜ Promotes Continuous Improvement: If you are thinking that you can benefit from it only one time, then you missing something. This gives continuous growth. The certification is not a one-time achievement but requires regular audits and updates to maintain. This continuous checking makes sure that companies are always working towards improving their food safety practices, accepting new challenges, and applying the latest industry trends.
Read More: What Is BRCGS Certification? Everything You Need To Know
BRCGS Certification For Food Safety – Clauses
| Clause No. | Clause Title | Description |
| 1 | Senior Management Commitment | Ensures top management is committed to food safety, quality, and continuous improvement. |
| 2 | The BRC Food Safety Plan – HACCP | Implementation of a HACCP-based system to identify, evaluate, and control food safety hazards. |
| 3 | Food Safety & Quality Management System | Establishes documented policies, procedures, and records for food safety compliance. |
| 4 | Site Standards | Covers facility layout, maintenance, cleaning, pest control, and waste management to ensure hygiene and safety. |
| 5 | Product Control | Ensures raw materials, packaging, and finished products meet safety and quality standards, including allergen control. |
| 6 | Process Control | Covers production and process management, including traceability, calibration, and foreign body detection. |
| 7 | Personnel | Focuses on staff hygiene, training, and health monitoring to maintain food safety. |
| 8 | High-Risk, High-Care & Ambient High-Care Production Risk Zones | Defines additional controls for areas handling ready-to-eat or high-risk foods. |
| 9 | Requirements for Traded Products | Ensures safety and compliance for products bought from suppliers and resold without further processing. |
Benefits Of BRCGS Certification For Food Safety
This certification helps in expanding the market reach. BRCGS certification opens doors to new markets and customers, as many retailers and buyers require suppliers to be BRCGS-certified. Companies should follow the BRCGS practices so that they can manage things in a better way, food safety, and quality, must be the priority for them. This Certification plays an important role in maintaining a company’s brand image by maintaining high standards, also, reducing the risk of reputational damage. Applying BRCGS standards helps you to maintain a better workflow, as processes are joined and waste is reduced. BRCGS supports a culture of regular changes, with regular audits and updates to standards making sure that companies stay ahead in the market.
For Example, A leading food manufacturing company in India approached Legal4sure to achieve BRCGS certification. They were facing challenges in aligning their processes with global food safety standards. Our expert consultants conducted a gap analysis, provided tailored solutions, and guided them through the audit process. Within six months, the company successfully obtained BRCGS certification, leading to increased business opportunities, stronger retailer trust, and a 25% rise in sales. Today, they continue to maintain the certification with our ongoing compliance support.”
This will build credibility and engagement by showcasing Legal4sure’s expertise.
Steps To Achieve BRCGS Certification For Food Safety
➜ Opening Meeting: The first and foremost step to getting the BRCGS certification is to completely understand the standards and requirements. The BRCGS website provides complete guidelines and resources to help companies prepare.
➜ Find The Issues: Perform a gap analysis to find the areas where your current practices do not meet BRCGS standards. This analysis will help you develop an action plan to address these gaps.
➜ Make The Necessary Changes: Based on the gap analysis, implement the required changes in your processes, documentation, and training programs. Make sure that all employees are aware of and follow the new standards.
➜ Document Review: Your policies, SOPs, and records are reviewed to ensure they match actual operations. The auditor looks for consistency between written guidelines and real-time practices.
➜ Staff Interviews: Key team members will be interviewed to check their understanding of procedures and commitment to food safety. The auditor may also observe them performing routine tasks.
➜ Equipment Inspection: Machines and cleaning processes are examined to ensure they align with documented cleaning and maintenance procedures. Swab results may be requested.
➜ Traceability Check: The auditor selects a product and verifies its entire journey—from raw materials to shipping—ensuring complete tracking and record-keeping.
➜ Mass Balance Audit: The auditor checks if the amount of raw materials received matches the finished products made. Any missing quantities must be explained.
➜ Label Review: A finished product label is reviewed to ensure ingredients, nutrition details, and allergen info match the documented specifications.
➜ Closing Meeting: The auditor discusses findings, highlights any issues, and provides the audit result. If non-conformities are found, corrective actions must be submitted before certification is granted.
Get BRCGS Certified with Legal4sure – Your Trusted Compliance Partner
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Are you looking for a BRCGS certification consultant? Check out our Website for the latest details. Get in touch with us right now to find out how we can help you get the required BRCGS certification in your company in the most efficient way possible. If you want to avail of our services and learn more, feel free to call us at +91 9310655040.
FAQs
1. Is BRCGS certification mandatory for food businesses?
No, but major retailers like Walmart, Tesco, and Carrefour prefer BRCGS-certified suppliers. It boosts credibility, ensures compliance with global food safety standards, and opens doors to international markets.
2. Can small food businesses get BRCGS certified?
Yes! BRCGS certification isn’t just for big manufacturers. Small and mid-sized food businesses can also get certified to improve safety, meet customer demands, and expand their market reach.
3. What’s the biggest challenge in getting BRCGS certified?
For most businesses, it’s documentation and compliance with strict food safety standards. However, with the right guidance from experts like Legal4sure, the process becomes smooth and manageable.
4. How often do I need to renew my BRCGS certification?
BRCGS certification is valid for one year, and businesses must undergo annual audits to maintain compliance. Staying proactive helps avoid last-minute rushes or penalties.
