BRC vs. SQF which would be better and why?
Hello,
My company is looking for a side by side comparison of SQF vs. BRC. We initially had decided to go with SQF, but now there is some interest in BRC. Does anyone have any input on which one would be better and why? Our business is flexible packaging.
Thank you,
J
I have been audited to them both... now... depending on your CB and individual auditor (I cant say I have a huge sample size), but I did find SQF to be very document labor incentive. Not to say that BRC is not, but the way BRC is set up and the wording, one just does not seem to have to jump through all of the document hoops when clause just does not apply. The same FSMS ideas in the 2 standards, just worded and interpreted differently. However, this may be more of a comment on the actual auditor background, experience and focus.
I would wait for some other feedback though.
-B
This is speaking a little more in the abstract, but as a fairly young company attempting to shed a lot of habits BRC is a little easier to work with/around then SQF. I look at this way: SQF seems to be better for larger companies with a lot of solid structure in place and to polish in terms of food safety. BRC is a good springboard to build those systems for smaller/growing companies.
That being said, they're both monumental tasks and your executive team needs to realize that achieving them is a commitment in terms of culture, finances, and labor.
Dear jhagel,
Below are mainly general comments rather than specific to packaging.
SQF has some individual peculiarities with respect to HACCP. Some of these are well documented within this forum. Any relevance may depend on the level of yr technical backup. It also involves the (profitable?) notion of "Practitioner".
SQF allows expansion into quality (=non-safety) topics if required.
SQF provides extremely useful, free, guides except that occasionally the content is disregarded for audit purposes.
BRC tends to adhere more to the classic HACCP references.
BRC offers 2 levels for packaging.
BRC involves further investment if you wish to acquire their "customised" guidelines to Interpretation of the Standard. (true for food, packaging dunno).
But, as already noted, the primary drive may be from the customer side.
Rgds / Charles.C
Hello,
My company is looking for a side by side comparison of SQF vs. BRC. We initially had decided to go with SQF, but now there is some interest in BRC. Does anyone have any input on which one would be better and why? Our business is flexible packaging.
Thank you,
J
Why not check and see if your customers/potential customers have a preference?
Regards,
Tony