Looking for Certification Body recommendations for SQF facility

Hi there

I'm shopping for a new CB for our SQF facility...........any recommendations or steer clear of, please pass along. Located in Ontario Canada, but Detroit Michigan is about as close as Toronto

I like - 

2 Innerwoods Pl.
The Woodlands, TX 77382
United States
Main Phone: (281) 292-8606
Fax: (281) 476-6613
Website: http://www.cics-americas.com/

Henriette Camargo, Sales & Marketing Manager

I just completed a surveillance audit with Merieux NutriSciences and am now shopping around as well.  I had an unannounced annual certification audit last year.  Our 2016 score was a 97, our 2017 score was a 73.  It was a huge, unexpected blow.

After this surveillance audit, I really want to find a new certifying body.  We manufacture colorants and I've never experienced an audit as unreasonable as these last two audits have been.

So it looks like we are going with Dicentra..........the references I have spoken with have been glowing...they do have offices in the USA as well.

It's funny to me that I can find a review for my doctor........but when searching for a CB,zippo

I had another flat out refuse to forward me contact info to clients by way of reference........what are you hiding then? Claimed is was a breech of confidentiality

NSF knows that they are priced high, but were shocked when I told them 20% higher than the industry standard.

Gross, the whole thing is making me ill...................we are all getting robbed and do not have any recourse

We use SAI Global (under the SQF scheme).  First and second audits were 96% (Excellent) and we are waiting for our "unannounced" third audit, which may not be quite so successful. 

We find the auditor to be very thorough but fair and helpful at resolving issues.  This may change when we are assigned a new auditor for the next audit since I believe they have to change after 3 consecutive visits....we'll see!

Audits are never pleasant experiences but the cost of doing business in todays global market :cool:

You lucky duck----same auditor 3 years running!!!!

The quote I received from SAI was actually surprising low cost (relatively speaking) I have dealt with that company in the past but under FSSC

I do not have any objections to firm but fair, that's how they all should be auditing

My only experiences have been with SAI Global.

3 GMP audits and one SQF audit.

I agree with LindaALaw.

I have had 5 different auditors and found them all to be thorough but fair and helpful with resolving issues.

We failed our first GMP and rightly so ;)

My only experiences have been with SAI Global.

3 GMP audits and one SQF audit.

I agree with LindaALaw.

I have had 5 different auditors and found them all to be thorough but fair and helpful with resolving issues.

We failed our first GMP and rightly so ;)

Hi scoot,

Just to note that the auditors are being paid by the auditees.

So IMO one should definitely be  unhappy if they are not fair or helpful.

I've worked with Merieux Nutrisciences for 4 years, first year in a Pie Manufacturing company, the other 3 in a juice manufacturer. Great auditors, thorough, fair and helpful. No complaints at all.

I recommend TUV Nord USA, really good customer service, great auditors. I've been working with TUV Nord USA for over 3 years no complaints or concerns.  Website:  https://www.tuv-nord.com/us/en/home/

I recommend TUV Nord USA, really good customer service, great auditors. I've been working with TUV Nord USA for over 3 years no complaints or concerns.  Website:  https://www.tuv-nord.com/us/en/home/

Im working with TUV Nord USA too, its a German company, so far its the cheapest i found, and there is not that many companies who do the audits in my country. 

Thanks to everyone....we did settle on SAI Global.......so far they've been good to work with, but haven't had our audit yet!!!

I've had a number of SQF audits with SAI Global, and haven't had an issue, aside from my auditor's accent (Italian born to Italian parents but raised in Argentina).  But, he was able to conduct employee interviews in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, so I knew that we had done a good job with training.  Had vastly different results between two auditors that I had for 3 BRC audits from SGS, which was a bit disconcerting considering the sites, while being in different states, all had the same corporate policies and only minimal site-specific policies.  Audit 1 and 3 with one auditor was scored 96 and 97 respectively, audit 2 with a different auditor was scored an 87.

But yeah, enough rambling.  SAI Global good.  That's likely who I am going to bring in for my SQF audit at my new facility.  The only thing (which I am not sure if they have resolved yet) is that, when I last talked to them at the end of 2017, they were in a bit of a tussle with Costco and thus, were unable to audit us against the Costco SQF addendum.  Perhaps someone else knows more about that situation than I do.

We (fortunately) have not had to complete the Costco Addendum as yet (they sadly dropped our product for next year after almost doubling this years PO from last year.....new buyer boo hiss) so I cannot help with that

But this is from SAI globals website which lists Costco

www.saiglobal.com/assurance/food-safety/retailer-store-audits.htm

I found this thread and wanted to mention Eurofins as another possible CB.. Of course there are so many reputable ones, but i saw that they were not mentioned as a potential. 

NSF does seem to be priced a bit higher but I have also found that when working with them that I have gotten more constructive feedback then I have received working with other groups.  There is also a standard on how many years that your are permitted to have the same auditor in a row so there is no worry for getting a bad reviewer and then being stuck for any period of time.  Requesting a particular auditor also goes a long way to building a positive relationship as long as they are "in-network."