Why Get Certified?
Investing in a strong food safety and quality program is not only about meeting customer or regulatory requirements, but more importantly it is about protecting your brand, buyers, and bottom line.
SQF Certification offers a comprehensive solution that helps you verify and demonstrate that food safety and quality controls have been effectively implemented, validated, and monitored. The results of a strong SQF Program are safe products, brand confidence, and reassured customers.
Benefits to Suppliers
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Only GFSI recognized program that applies to the entire supply chain - from Farm to Fork
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Free downloadable resources including Codes, guidance documents, checklists, and more.
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Only GFSI certification program that has a full-time customer service team
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Reduce recalls and improve traceability while protecting your brand, buyer, and bottom line.
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A division of the Food Marketing Institute, SQFI has a direct connection to food retailers as well as access to local, state and federal regulatory agencies
BENEFITS TO BUYERS
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By choosing to work with SQF Certified Suppliers, you will gain confidence in the companies you work with while lessening the likelihood and impact of a recall
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SQF Certification is a rigorous, accredited, global program that is benchmarked to GFSI and fulfils most regulatory requirements
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The SQF Program assesses suppliers by focusing on critical food safety and quality elements such as hazard analysis, risk assessment, and proactive prevention strategies
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The SQF Program helps reduce assessment inconsistencies and costs of multiple audits
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The SQF Program incorporates retailer and buyer feedback
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SQF Supplier Search makes it easy to find an SQF Certified site
About the SQF Program
The SQF Program is recognized by retailers and foodservice providers around the world who require a rigorous, credible food safety management system.
Benchmarked to Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standards, SQF links primary production certification to food manufacturing, distribution and retail certification.
The SQF Program is the only GFSI Program to integrate a quality component in addition to food safety. The Safe Quality Food Institute Mission: To deliver consistent, globally recognized food safety and quality certification programs based on sound scientific principles, consistently applied across all industry sectors, and valued by all stakeholders.
Administered by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), SQF benefits from continuous retailer feedback regarding consumer concerns. These benefits are passed on to SQF certified suppliers, keeping them a step ahead of their competitors.
Learn more about the SQF ProgramImpact on the Supply Chain
Working with SQF Certified suppliers ensures that the products you buy have passed rigorous global standards for food safety and quality. As the only GFSI benchmarked program that links the entire supply chain, SQF certification makes it even easier to find suppliers that are committed to food safety - from the farms all the way to the retail stores. Below are some examples of how the SQF Program can help you mitigate the risk of a food safety and quality crisis from happening.
Step 1:
The Farm
Growing, raising, capturing or farming of products, including livestock, produce and seafood farming.
Step 2:
Manufacturer
Producing or manufacturing a human food product, animal food and feed, supplements, and processing aids.
Step 3:
Packaging
Making, storing and transporting food packaging materials. As well as items used in food manufacturing or food service sites.
Step 4:
Storage
Receiving, storage, display, consolidation and distribution or perishable fresh produce and general food lines.
Step 5:
Retail
Are your store employees following the processes and procedures set up to ensure the consumer is getting safe and quality items?
Step 6:
The Fork
In our “prosumer” world, consumers utilize their stake in the market to advocate for safer, better quality products and to dictate how those products are made.
