Scope of the BRC Global Standard – Food: Comprehensive Safety Measures

When food manufacturers seek certification that opens doors to major retailers worldwide, understanding exactly what falls within the scope of the BRC Global Standard for Food becomes crucial. This globally recognized certification, adopted by over 22,000 sites in more than 130 countries, has specific boundaries that define which operations can be certified and which require different standards. For food processors, manufacturers, and retailers looking to ensure comprehensive safety measures throughout their supply chain, knowing these boundaries is the first step toward successful certification.

What the BRC Global Standard for Food covers 🔗

The BRC Global Standard for Food specifically applies to the manufacture of processed foods and preparation of primary products for retailer-branded and food service companies. This scope encompasses a wide range of food production activities, from ready-to-eat meals and bakery products to minimally processed primary products like fresh produce that has been sorted, graded, and packaged.

The standard covers operations producing retailer-branded products, which are items carrying a retailer’s own brand name rather than a manufacturer’s brand. It also applies to food service items supplied to restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals, and other food service establishments. Additionally, the standard covers raw materials or ingredients manufactured for use by food service companies, catering companies, and food manufacturers.

Processing and manufacturing activities 🔗

Food businesses that process, manufacture, or pack food products fall within the scope of this standard. This includes facilities that convert raw materials into finished or semi-finished products, handle physical manipulation of products through assembly, sorting, and packing operations, and provide primary packaging that directly contains the food product.

The standard requires that certification applies only to products manufactured or prepared at the actual site being audited. This ensures that safety and quality management processes remain within the direct control of production site management, allowing for consistent oversight and accountability throughout the production process.

Storage facilities within the scope 🔗

The BRC Global Standard for Food extends its coverage to include storage facilities, but with specific limitations. Storage facilities that fall under the direct management control of the production site are included within the certification scope. This means warehousing operations managed by the same team responsible for production can be certified as part of the overall food safety system.

Temperature-controlled storage areas, raw material holding facilities, and finished product storage that operate under the production site’s quality management system are all considered part of the certifiable scope. This integration allows manufacturers to demonstrate comprehensive control over their products from raw material receipt through final product storage before distribution.

The importance of direct management control 🔗

The critical factor determining whether storage falls within the BRC Food scope is direct management control by the production site. When the same management team oversees both production and storage, they can implement consistent food safety protocols, maintain proper temperature controls, ensure appropriate pest management, and establish effective traceability systems throughout the storage process.

This requirement for direct control ensures that the certified site maintains responsibility and accountability for product safety during storage, rather than relying on separate third-party storage providers who may operate under different systems and standards.

What falls outside the scope 🔗

Understanding what the BRC Global Standard for Food does not cover is equally important for organizations planning their certification strategy. The standard explicitly excludes several types of operations that require different certification approaches.

Wholesale operations 🔗

Wholesale operations, where products from multiple manufacturers are consolidated and sold to retailers or other businesses, are not covered by the BRC Global Standard for Food. These operations typically involve activities such as breaking bulk by dividing large quantities into smaller lots, cross-docking by transferring products from incoming to outgoing vehicles with minimal storage time, and sales and distribution to multiple customers.

Wholesale operations require a different set of controls focused on storage integrity, inventory management, and distribution logistics rather than manufacturing processes. These activities are instead covered by the separate BRC Global Standard for Storage and Distribution.

Importation and distribution activities 🔗

Companies that primarily import food products from other countries for distribution are excluded from this standard. The importation process involves different risk factors, including supplier verification, customs compliance, and international supply chain management, which require specialized assessment criteria.

Distribution activities that occur outside the direct control of the production company also fall outside the scope. This includes third-party logistics providers, contract transportation services, and distribution centers not managed by the production site. These operations need oversight through different standards that address the specific challenges of transportation and distribution.

Why these scope boundaries exist 🔗

The clearly defined boundaries of the BRC Global Standard for Food serve several important purposes. First, they ensure that auditors can effectively assess the controls that manufacturing sites have over their operations. When certification is limited to activities under direct management control, the assessment becomes more meaningful and reliable.

Second, these boundaries recognize that different stages of the food supply chain face different risks and require different control measures. Manufacturing and processing involve food safety hazards related to pathogen control, allergen management, and process validation. In contrast, wholesale distribution focuses more on maintaining product integrity during storage and transportation.

The BRCGS suite of standards addresses these different needs through complementary certifications. The BRC Global Standard for Storage and Distribution covers wholesale, distribution, and storage operations outside production control. The BRC Global Standard for Agents and Brokers addresses companies that buy, sell, or facilitate trade without manufacturing. Together, these standards provide comprehensive coverage across the entire food supply chain.

Practical implications for food businesses 🔗

For food manufacturers seeking BRC certification, clearly understanding the scope helps in several ways. It allows companies to accurately define which parts of their operation will be audited, helps them prepare appropriate documentation and procedures for the certified areas, and enables them to identify which other standards might be needed for excluded activities.

Companies with integrated operations that include manufacturing, storage, and distribution often need to carefully delineate operational boundaries. For example, a food processing company might have on-site grinding and packaging operations that fall within the BRC Food scope, temperature-controlled warehousing under company management that also falls within scope, but company-owned delivery vehicles that fall outside the scope and would require separate Storage and Distribution certification if needed.

Benefits of proper scope understanding 🔗

When companies correctly understand and apply the BRC Food scope, they can focus their food safety resources effectively on areas where they have direct control and can implement meaningful improvements. This focused approach often leads to more robust food safety systems, clearer accountability for food safety outcomes, and more efficient use of audit resources.

Many major retailers and food service companies worldwide require suppliers to hold appropriate BRC certifications. By understanding which standard applies to which operations, food businesses can ensure they meet customer requirements without investing in unnecessary certifications or leaving gaps in their certification portfolio.

What do you think? How clearly defined is the scope of operations at your food facility? Have you considered whether separate certifications might be needed for different parts of your supply chain?

References

1. https://www.brcgs.com/our-standards/food-safety/
2. https://www.ideagen.com/thought-leadership/blog/what-is-brcgs-global-food-safety-standard-explained
3. https://na.mxns.com/gfsi/brcgs-standard