What SQF (Safe Quality Food) certification is, who needs it in Australia, how the audit works, and how it differs from FSANZ food safety — a plain-English guide.
SQF (Safe Quality Food) is a GFSI-recognised food safety certification program used mainly by food manufacturers, packers, and storage and distribution businesses. It is voluntary under Australian law — the Food Standards Code and Standard 3.2.2A are the legal baseline — but major retailers increasingly require it from suppliers, so for many businesses it is a commercial necessity rather than a legal one. Certification means passing an audit against the SQF Food Safety Code by a licensed certification body. What SQF certification is. SQF, short for Safe Quality Food, is a food safety and quality certification program administered by the SQF Institute (part of the US-based Food Industry Association). It is one of several programs recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), so a retailer or manufacturer that asks for "GFSI certification" will usually accept SQF alongside schemes such as BRCGS, FSSC 22000 and IFS. SQF certification is built on a documented food safety management system that implements HACCP and the requirements of the SQF Food Safety Code. The code is published in editions (Edition 9 has been the applicable version in recent years) and comes in modules for different sectors — primary production, manufacturing, storage and distribution, packaging and more — so the exact requirements depend on what your business does. Confirm the current edition and the right module for your site on the official SQF website. Who needs SQF certification in Australia?. No Australian food law requires SQF certification. Every food business must meet the Food Standards Code and, for many food-service and retail businesses, Standard 3.2.2A — that is the legal floor. SQF sits on top as a voluntary scheme, driven by who you sell to. The clearest group that needs SQF in Australia is suppliers to major retailers — for example, Coles requires its house-brand (private-label) suppliers to meet its SQF criteria. Businesses that typically pursue SQF include food manufacturers, co-packers, ingredient suppliers, cold-storage and distribution operators, and packaging producers, especially those supplying supermarkets or exporting. A single café or restaurant generally does not need SQF; its obligations are under the Food Standards Code. How SQF certification works. In outline: you choose the right SQF code and module for your site, build a HACCP-based food safety management system that meets it, then engage an SQF-licensed certification body (such as BSI or SGS) to audit your site. Pass the audit and you are certified; certification is maintained through regular — often annual, sometimes unannounced — re-audits, with a grade or score that signals how well you performed. Prepare — document your system, train staff, run the records day to day. Pre-assessment (optional) — a gap check before the real audit. Certification audit — a licensed body audits against the code. Maintain — keep the records running and pass recurring audits. SQF vs FSANZ and Standard 3.2.2A. They answer different questions. The Food Standards Code and Standard 3.2.2A are Australian law — what every relevant food business must do. SQF is a voluntary , globally recognised certification you earn to prove a higher, audited standard to customers. Good daily records — temperatures, cleaning, receiving, corrective actions and traceability — underpin both: they are the evidence an SQF auditor looks for and the substantiation Standard 3.2.2A expects. FoodSafety HQ keeps those daily records tidy, timestamped and exportable, which supports your compliance and your audit preparation — though it is not itself an SQF certification or a substitute for a licensed certification body. What does SQF stand for? SQF stands for Safe Quality Food. It is a food safety and quality certification program recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and administered by the SQF Institute. Is SQF certification legally required in Australia? No. Australian food law (the Food Standards Code and, for many businesses, Standard 3.2.2A) is the legal requirement. SQF is a voluntary certification, but major retailers often require it from suppliers, so it can be a commercial necessity. Who needs SQF certification? Mainly food manufacturers, packers, ingredient suppliers and storage/distribution businesses that supply major retailers or export — for example, Coles requires its house-brand suppliers to meet SQF criteria. Individual cafés and restaurants generally do not need it. How do you get SQF certified? Implement a HACCP-based food safety management system that meets the relevant SQF Food Safety Code module, then have an SQF-licensed certification body audit your site. Passing the audit certifies you, and you maintain it through recurring audits. What is the difference between SQF and BRCGS? Both are GFSI-recognised food safety certification schemes, so a buyer asking for "GFSI certification" usually accepts either. They differ in origin and in audit and grading detail — SQF comes from the US-based SQF Institute, BRCGS from the UK. Which you choose often comes down to what your customers prefer.
Frequently asked questions
What does SQF stand for?
SQF stands for Safe Quality Food. It is a food safety and quality certification program recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and administered by the SQF Institute.
Is SQF certification legally required in Australia?
No. Australian food law (the Food Standards Code and, for many businesses, Standard 3.2.2A) is the legal requirement. SQF is a voluntary certification, but major retailers often require it from suppliers, so it can be a commercial necessity.
Who needs SQF certification?
Mainly food manufacturers, packers, ingredient suppliers and storage/distribution businesses that supply major retailers or export — for example, Coles requires its house-brand suppliers to meet SQF criteria. Individual cafés and restaurants generally do not need it.
How do you get SQF certified?
Implement a HACCP-based food safety management system that meets the relevant SQF Food Safety Code module, then have an SQF-licensed certification body audit your site. Passing the audit certifies you, and you maintain it through recurring audits.
What is the difference between SQF and BRCGS?
Both are GFSI-recognised food safety certification schemes, so a buyer asking for "GFSI certification" usually accepts either. They differ in origin and in audit and grading detail — SQF comes from the US-based SQF Institute, BRCGS from the UK. Which you choose often comes down to what your customers prefer.
