Retailers play a critical role in shaping safer food systems. Learn how SQF Edition 10 supports stronger supplier oversight and supply chain confidence at SQFI.com.
By: Gigi Vita, Chief Food Safety Assessment Officer and Senior Vice President, FMI
Food retailers rely on a global network of growers, manufacturers, processors and logistics partners to deliver safe, high-quality products to consumers every day. Confidence in that system depends on credible standards, reliable audits and a shared commitment to continuous improvement. SQF Edition 10 represents a significant step forward for the entire food industry, especially for retailers that depend on trusted suppliers.
SQFI, a division of FMI, has long served as a bridge between retailers and their supply chains. Retail food safety leaders depend on certification programs not simply as compliance exercises, but as signals of operational discipline, transparency and accountability. As food systems become more global and complex, expectations for those programs continue to rise.
Edition 10 was developed through extensive collaboration with retailers, manufacturers, certification bodies and food safety experts around the world. The goal was clear: strengthen program credibility while improving the practical experience for the sites and auditors who implement it every day.
One key evolution involves how audits better reflect actual site performance. Historically, audit scoring systems across the industry sometimes encouraged a focus on the number rather than the underlying food safety performance. In some cases, very high scores did not always align with real-world conditions or risk levels at facilities.
Edition 10 addresses that challenge by strengthening risk-based oversight and placing greater emphasis on foundational controls that protect food safety. New core clauses identify system elements that are critical to preventing failures, including supplier approval, food safety planning, allergen management and sanitation programs. Non-conformances tied to these areas carry greater weight because weaknesses in those systems can have far-reaching consequences across the supply chain.
For retailers, that shift matters. A certification program that better reflects operational reality strengthens confidence in supplier verification and supports stronger risk management across categories.
New Code, New Digital Experience
Another significant advancement is the new digital experience surrounding Edition 10. Tools such as the SQF Code Selector make it easier for companies to identify the correct standard and navigate requirements, helping sites focus less on paperwork and more on implementation.
Retailers have always played a critical role in shaping food safety expectations across the industry. Edition 10 reflects that partnership and reinforces the shared commitment to safer food systems worldwide.
The result is a stronger framework for continuous improvement, greater confidence in audit outcomes and a more resilient supply chain that benefits retailers, suppliers and consumers alike.
Retailers play a critical role in shaping safer food systems. Explore how SQF Edition 10 strengthens supplier oversight and supply chain confidence at SQFI.com.
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