As a buyer in the food industry, you face the daily challenge of finding reliable suppliers who consistently deliver high-quality products. One of the most important criteria when selecting suppliers is their certification status, with IFS certification increasingly being set as an absolute requirement. But what exactly does this certification mean for your purchasing process, and how can you make optimal use of it in ensuring food safety in your production chain?
In this article, we answer the most frequently asked questions about IFS certification from a buyer’s perspective. From the practical significance for your supplier selection to checking certificates and comparing with other standards – we provide you with concrete tools to make well-informed decisions.
What is IFS certification and why is it important for buyers?
IFS (International Featured Standards) Food is a globally recognized food safety standard that guarantees a producer meets strict requirements in terms of product quality, food safety, and process control. For buyers, an IFS certificate means the supplier has an independently audited quality management system that minimizes risks and ensures continuous improvement.
The standard was developed by European retailers and wholesalers who needed a uniform assessment of their suppliers. The certificate covers all aspects of the production chain, from raw material purchasing and production processes to storage and transport. This enables you as a buyer to determine with one document that a supplier meets international quality standards.
For your daily practice, IFS certification concretely means you spend less time on supplier audits, as the certificate already demonstrates that critical processes are under control. It reduces the risk of recalls, quality complaints, and supply interruptions. Moreover, many retailers and end customers now require their suppliers to exclusively use IFS-certified ingredients, making it a chain requirement.
The certification is renewed annually through unannounced audits, meaning the supplier must continuously meet the standards. This gives you as a buyer the assurance that quality assurance is not just a snapshot, but structurally anchored in business operations.
How does IFS certification influence supplier selection?
IFS certification functions as a first filter in your supplier selection process by directly distinguishing between professional producers with documented processes and companies without structured quality systems. This saves considerable time and resources by allowing you to focus on suppliers who already meet basic requirements.
In practice, this means you can directly shorten your longlist of potential suppliers by only considering IFS-certified companies. This is especially valuable when you’re under time pressure or when seeking suppliers abroad where physical visits are expensive and time-consuming. The certificate gives you an objective basis for comparison between different providers.
When evaluating suppliers, you can use the IFS score as a quality indicator. Suppliers are assessed on a scale where higher scores indicate better process control and fewer deviations during the audit. A score above 95% indicates, for example, a very mature organization with excellent procedures, while scores around the minimum threshold may require additional attention.
The certificate also influences negotiating position. Suppliers with a strong IFS score can use this as a unique selling point, while you as a buyer can negotiate better terms when guaranteeing volume to high-scoring suppliers. This creates a win-win situation where quality is rewarded with long-term partnerships.
It’s important to note that IFS certification doesn’t cover all aspects of supplier selection. Matters such as innovation capacity, flexibility, delivery reliability, and commercial terms remain separate evaluation points. The certificate is therefore an important requirement, but not the only selection criterion.
What are the differences between IFS and other certifications like BRC or FSSC 22000?
IFS, BRC, and FSSC 22000 are all three GFSI-recognized standards (Global Food Safety Initiative), meaning they are mutually equivalent in terms of food safety level. The main difference lies in geographical origin and market acceptance: IFS dominates in continental Europe, BRC in the United Kingdom, and FSSC 22000 has more global distribution.
For you as a buyer, the practical differences are especially relevant in international trade. IFS is broadly accepted by German, French, and Dutch retailers, while British supermarket chains often explicitly require BRC. FSSC 22000 is especially valued by multinationals and in the business-to-business market due to its direct link with ISO standards.
Content-wise, IFS focuses strongly on product integrity and retail requirements, with detailed requirements for labeling, traceability, and product specifications. BRC emphasizes more the Anglo-Saxon approach of due diligence and has more extensive requirements for high-risk products. FSSC 22000 combines ISO 22000 with additional requirements and is therefore often preferred by technically oriented companies.
Audit frequency and methodology also differ. IFS works standardly with unannounced audits, providing a more realistic picture of daily practice. BRC offers choice between announced and unannounced audits, with the latter yielding a higher score. FSSC 22000 works with a three-year cycle with annual surveillance audits.
For your supplier selection, it’s practical to accept that all three standards provide sufficient guarantee for food safety. Forcing a specific standard may unnecessarily limit your supplier pool. Many producers therefore choose to obtain multiple certificates to flexibly supply different markets.
What risks do you run as a buyer without IFS-certified suppliers?
Without IFS-certified suppliers, you as a buyer run considerable legal, financial, and reputational risks, where liability for food safety incidents lies directly with your organization. You miss the guarantee of independently controlled processes and systematic risk management that are essential for consistent product quality.
The greatest direct risk is the occurrence of food safety incidents such as microbiological contamination, allergen contamination, or foreign objects in products. Without certified suppliers, you have no certainty that critical control points (HACCP) are correctly identified and controlled. A single contamination can lead to product recalls costing millions of euros and affecting your business reputation for years.
Financially, you’re more vulnerable to claims and fines. Insurance companies often apply higher premiums or even exclude coverage when you work with non-certified suppliers. In incidents, you cannot invoke the due diligence defense because you cannot demonstrate that you took reasonable precautions in supplier selection.
Operationally, additional costs arise from the need for more intensive incoming inspections, more frequent supplier audits, and more extensive documentation controls. Where an IFS certificate makes many of these controls unnecessary, without certification you must invest in quality assurance yourself. This not only increases your operational costs but also slows down your production processes.
Commercially, working with non-certified suppliers limits your sales opportunities. Large retailers and foodservice chains increasingly require the complete supply chain to be certified. You may lose orders or be excluded from tenders when you cannot provide this guarantee. This effect amplifies in export markets where certification is often a legal requirement.
How do you check the validity of an IFS certificate?
You check the validity of an IFS certificate via the official IFS Database at www.ifs-certification.com, where you can directly verify the current status, scope, and validity period using the certificate number or company name. This online verification is the only reliable method because the database is updated in real-time with changes or withdrawals.
When checking a certificate, you pay attention to five essential elements. First, you check the exact company name and production location – the certificate is location-specific, so a certificate from headquarters doesn’t automatically apply to all production locations. Next, you verify the validity date, taking into account the standard validity period of one year. The scope of the certificate is crucial: it must explicitly cover the product groups you want to purchase.
The COID (Certificate Owner Identification) is the unique identification number that belongs to all IFS certificates. This number remains constant, even with certificate changes, and makes it possible to follow a company’s certification history. Also check the name of the certifying body – it must be accredited and appear on the list of recognized certifiers.
Pay specific attention to the audit score and any major non-conformities. A valid certificate may still contain weak points relevant to your specific product requirements. Scores below 85% or recurring non-conformities on critical points require additional attention or supplementary guarantees.
Implement a system for periodic re-checking, ideally linked to your supplier database. Certificates expire after exactly one year, and the new audit must take place before the old certificate expires. Ask your suppliers to proactively send new certificates and automatically block orders from suppliers whose certificates have expired.
How De Jong Cheese helps with IFS certification for buyers
As a fully IFS Food-certified cheese producer, we at De Jong Cheese understand the challenges you face as a buyer in the food industry daily. Our IFS certification, combined with our EC accreditation and COKZ controls, offers you the assurance of consistent quality and food safety that is essential for your production processes.
We make it easy for you to work with our certifications:
- Direct access to current certificates through our account managers
- Transparent communication about audit results and continuous improvements
- Complete traceability with our EC number NL Z1977 EU on all products
- Additional certifications such as Halal, Kosher, and VLOG for specific market requirements
- 100% of our milk suppliers meet DGZK standards for sustainability
Our specialization in fresh and aged goat cheese products for industry means we understand what consistency and delivery reliability mean to you. Whether you’re looking for our goat cheese crumbles for pizza applications or our freeze-stable curd for further processing – every product is produced according to the same strict IFS standards.
Are you looking for an IFS-certified supplier who thinks beyond just certificates? Contact our specialists via our contact page for a personal conversation about your specific quality requirements. Discover our complete range of industrial cheese products on our foodservice page or visit our homepage for more information about our family tradition in cheese production since 1995.
Veelgestelde vragen
How can I as a buyer best deal with suppliers who are still working on obtaining their IFS certification?
Ask for a concrete certification trajectory with clear milestones and deadlines, and have the supplier share a gap analysis showing which points still need to be addressed. Consider a conditional contract with smaller volumes during the certification period, where full cooperation only starts after successful certification. Also ask if they are willing to have a pre-audit conducted by a recognized certifier in the interim.
What are the main pitfalls when interpreting IFS audit scores and how do I avoid wrong conclusions?
Don’t focus only on the total percentage but specifically ask for scores on critical sections for you such as allergen management or traceability. A supplier with 92% may score excellently on your critical points, while a 96% supplier may perform weaker precisely there. Always ask for the complete audit report including non-conformities and corrective measures, not just the certificate.
How do I effectively integrate IFS requirements into my purchasing contracts without legal risks?
Include a clause that establishes continuous IFS certification as a contract condition, with automatic suspension upon loss of certification. Specify that the supplier is obligated to inform you within 48 hours about major non-conformities, certificate changes, or withdrawals. Also establish that the scope of the certificate must cover your product category at all times and build in a right to additional audits when in doubt.
What additional controls remain necessary despite IFS certification of my suppliers?
Continue checking product technical specifications and sensory properties, as IFS mainly ensures processes but doesn’t automatically guarantee the product meets your specific requirements. Regularly perform verification analyses on critical parameters such as microbiology and allergens. Also monitor delivery reliability, communication, and flexibility – aspects that fall outside the IFS scope but are crucial for your supply chain.
How do I determine if IFS Food is sufficient or if I should require additional certifications such as IFS Broker or IFS Logistics?
Analyze your complete supply chain: require IFS Broker when buying through traders who do no physical processing, and IFS Logistics for companies that only provide transport and storage. For complex chains with multiple links, it’s wise to require the appropriate IFS module for each link. Note: a producer with IFS Food who also does own transport may still need IFS Logistics for complete coverage.
What is the most efficient way to set up a supplier database that automatically signals IFS certificate expiration?
Implement a supplier management system that can be linked to the IFS Database API for real-time updates, or work with an Excel-based system with automatic reminders 90 days before certificate expiration date. Register per supplier: COID number, certificate expiration date, scope, audit level, and score. Set up an escalation protocol where orders are automatically blocked for expired certificates and send quarterly reports to your suppliers with their certificate status.
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