SQF UNITES 2026

The SQF community is gathering, and we invite you to join in.

March 9-12, 2026
Union Station | St. Louis

Coming Together for Food Safety

SQF Unites brings together food safety professionals, manufacturers, retailers, and certification experts from across the globe to share solutions, celebrate achievements, and explore what’s next for food safety management. Through collaborative sessions, inspiring keynotes, and peer-to-peer networking, the event connects every link in the supply chain to strengthen trust in the food we all share.

800+

Attendees

50+

Countries

25+

Years of Excellence

95%

Customer Satisfaction

Our 2026 SQF365 Elite Sponsors

Why Attend?

SQF Unites is where the food safety community connects, collaborates, and creates change. Whether you’re new to SQF or leading certification programs across continents, this event delivers the insight, relationships, and tools you need to elevate your business and advance food safety worldwide.

REGISTER TODAY

Connect

Build meaningful relationships with a community that shares your commitment to safe, high-quality food.

Engage

Join interactive discussions that bring food safety challenges to life, and send you home with practical ideas you can apply immediately.

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Stay Informed

Understand SQF Edition 10 with new guidance on food safety culture, change management, and environmental monitoring.

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Gain Insight

Discover new technologies, training strategies, and success stories that are redefining what it means to be SQF certified.

Program Highlights

2026 SQF Excellence Awards

At SQF Unites, we honor the trailblazers in food safety. The SQF Excellence Awards celebrate individuals for their outstanding performance and contributions to furthering the mission of the SQF program and promoting food safety. There are two categories for SQF Auditing and SQF Practitioner Leadership. Nominations are due no later than November 28, 2025. Recognize a deserving SQF auditor or practitioner and nominate them today!

More About the Awards

SQF Unites Professional Update

The SQFI Technical Team will host a four-hour SQF Professional Update on the Monday prior to SQF Unites. The update is a requirement for SQF Professionals (Auditors, Consultants, and Trainers) seeking annual re-registration with the SQF program. The additional $399 fee can be added to your conference registration. Register early to save your seat!

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Featured Speakers

Martin Fowell

Director of Auditing Operations, MXNS

Martin Fowell is currently the Director of Auditing Operations of Mérieux NutriSciences Certification LLC, Chicago, IL. Martin received his Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Wisconsin – Platteville in the field of Agricultural Business, with a minor in Animal Science. During and immediately after completing his degree, he worked as a Quality Assurance Manager in the cheese industry. He later worked in a regulatory role doing food safety inspections for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. In 2001 Martin joined Silliker/Mérieux NutriSciences as a Food Safety Auditor. He has been promoted into different management roles within the company including Regional Auditing Manager and Certification Manager. In his current role as Director, he is closely involved with auditor recruitment, training, and calibration programs, as well as actively participating in GFSI working groups. He also maintains auditor credentials and actively conducts SQF audits.

José Sabal

President/Owner, Sabal Food Safety Consulting

Seasoned food safety and quality consultant with over 30 years of global experience specializing in operational efficiency, impactful training, and compliance with rigorous food safety and quality standards. Adept at applying HACCP principles, risk-based assessments (ISO 31000), and regulatory requirements across diverse food processing industries.

Known for delivering practical solutions to complex challenges in food safety, including hazard identification, risk analysis, and control development. Skilled in leveraging analytical tools to predict and mitigate potential processing deviations.

Josh Sundquist

Paralympian and Author

Josh Sundquist is a Paralympian and bestselling author who has shared his story at events across the world. His high-energy blend of humor and inspiration motivates audiences to adopt his ski racing motto 1MT1MT (one more thing, one more time) to elevate their performance in sales, customer service, leadership, and more.