In a challenging market with ongoing consolidation in the European food industry, IFS has successfully maintained a high number of certificates. IFS remains the market leader in food certification in Europe and is expanding into new markets. Specifically, food retailers continue to choose IFS as the preferred standard for assessing the quality and safety of their private label products.

The food industry will face more challenges in Europe and other countries and regions around the globe as new corporate sustainability and supply chain transparency legislation comes into force. The IFS Network, supported by major retailers and certification bodies, recognises the need for process validation to comply with the new regulations and stakeholder expectations.

In this context, IFS Managing Director Stephan Tromp said, “We at IFS want to support businesses in creating and maintaining efficient management processes for sustainable and transparent supply chains. To this end, we will offer a portfolio of checks and supportive digital tools under the new IFS Supply Chain Solutions brand. These tools will support companies, particularly SMEs, to identify, assess, and mitigate risks in their supply chains. Through our practical checklists and tools, businesses can identify risks early, monitor their supply chains, and meet their obligations efficiently and reliably. “

He expects the first checks belonging to this product line to be presented in early 2025. 

We will keep our stakeholders updated through LinkedIn and our newsletters.

The IFS Broker Guideline 

This guideline is designed to assist internal and IFS auditors in conducting audits and gaining a better understanding of the IFS Broker Requirements, including their purpose and background. It contains audit questions, documentation notes, and practical advice. The guideline has been updated to version 3.2, and its layout has been refreshed.

The IFS Broker 3.2 Audit Protocol for Remote Auditing 

This document is meant for certification bodies and auditors who are conducting an IFS Broker Audit using remote ICT. Certified companies can refer to this document to comprehend the process and get ready for the remote audit. We have revised this protocol to be in line with version 3.2 of the IFS Broker Standard and accreditation requirements (IAF MD1:2023). 

The remote option is voluntary and must be agreed upon well in advance between the certification body and the company subject to IFS Broker Certification. Our broker fact sheet provides a brief overview of the remote audit option.  

Download the Documents 

Discover the essential information and valuable insights these documents provide:

• Download the updated IFS Broker 3.2 Audit Protocol for Remote Auditing in English.
• Download the updated IFS Broker Guideline in English.

Further recommended documents for downloading

IFS Broker version 3.2 – This is the current version of the standard.

IFS Broker 3.2 Doctrine – The current document answers frequently asked technical questions and clarifies the intention of specific requirements. It is a normative document that complements the standard.  

The IFS Food Standard reviews products and production processes to evaluate a food producer’s ability to produce safe products according to legal requirements and customer specifications. We launched the first standard 22 years ago. Having over 20,000 IFS Food Certificates today, IFS has become a leading standard worldwide and the market leader in Europe. Major retail, wholesale, and food service companies trust our standards fit their specific needs and contribute to consumers finding safe and good quality private-label products in their stores.

In today’s announcement on their website Erica Sheward, GFSI Director, said, “We congratulate IFS on gaining GFSI recognition of their Food Standard v8. We commend IFS’s dedication to maintaining the rigorous standards necessary to ensure food safety across international markets.”

Stephan Tromp, IFS Managing Director, said, “We are delighted with the continued recognition of IFS Food version 8 by GFSI. This confirms the high level at which IFS operates and provides the food industry with a globally accepted standard. At IFS, we are committed to food safety and process excellence. IFS Food Certification supports the relationship between industry, retail, wholesale, and food service. A growing number of companies worldwide embrace our unique approach to product and process certification.”

GFSI recognition of IFS Food 8 is an important prerequisite for IFS Stakeholders. GFSI is an initiative of the Consumer Goods Forum, a private organisation of food industry companies. The organisation has defined benchmarking requirements to promote mutual acceptance of GFSI-recognised certification programs. GFSI assesses if the standards and procedures of certification program owners such as IFS are according to their benchmarking requirements.

See the full GFSI announcement.

For more information on the IFS Food Standard visit the webpage.

For more information about accreditation and recognition, please visit this site.