GFSI Benchmarking Update: What Recognised Schemes Mean for SA Exporters

The Global Food Safety Initiative continues to benchmark food safety schemes against a common requirements set. Here is what SA exporters need to know.

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) maintains a benchmarking process that recognises food safety schemes meeting a common set of requirements. For South African exporters, GFSI recognition of your certification scheme is often the entry ticket into international retail and foodservice supply chains.

Currently widely-used GFSI-recognised schemes for food manufacturing

FSSC 22000
BRCGS Food Safety
IFS Food
SQF Food Safety Code

Why this matters

International buyers typically specify "any GFSI-recognised scheme" or name one or two acceptable schemes. Holding a non-recognised certification — even a rigorous one — can disqualify you from supplier lists. If you are planning to export, validate scheme acceptance with each target buyer before investing in certification.

Source: Global Food Safety Initiative.