Beginning SQF Process

Hello all! I am happy to have found this community.

I work for Dogtown Pizza in St. Louis. We are a frozen pizza manufacturer. We are currently GFSI certified and we would like to go SQF. I have been working on the process and I am trying to figure out some fine details. We will be moving in April to a new address. I understand that moving addresses has different implications (obviously besides the site specific part). I just want to ask what exactly I should do. If I figure out all of the system elements now before the actual move, will it all transfer over? I have read some stuff about needing to re-do some of the system elements when moving addresses. I just don't want to prepare a lot of paperwork and then have to redo things when we move. 

Also, our re-certification for GFSI would be in July. Upon moving, wouldn't I need to get re-certified? Or should I just prepare to get SQF certified upon moving in? I am really just trying to figure out the exact best plan of action for when we move to minimize any extra work we might have to do. Any ideas? Moving addresses would imply re-evaluating all SOPs, our HACCP plan, and pretty much all paperwork, so if I need to scramble to get GFSI audited again or SQF audited for the first time, it might be difficult to get everything done in a timely manner. 

Welcome to the Forum!

I hope you find this site as helpful as I have.  Be sure to search for questions, because chances are someone has had a similar experience!  ^_^

That being said, do you know the lay out of your new facility? Some things you could go ahead and plan for, but some might have to wait until your in the new place! It may be easiest to start SQF when you are in the new place, provided your customers are OK with any gap in your certification. 

I think your new place would need a whole new certification. 

Good Luck and once again, Welcome!

I am confused? What scheme do you currently use? GFSI is the benchmarking body to whom certification bodies submit their schemes for acceptance. A certification body would be for example: SQF, BRC, IFS, Primus FSSC 22000 etc. To my knowledge, GFSI does not directly certify manufacturing plants.

SQF is another layer, it is not its own CB.  NSF is a CB for SQF, for example.  

Looks like it is the GFSI Global Markets Program. I guess I've only heard of it referred to as simply GFSI, so I thought that was simply what it was called.

So now we are looking to expand to SQF. I have been using edition 9. We own the building we will be moving to, me and my boss are in charge of the buildout until we move in May. I am very familiar with the building and its layout, and we are doing our best to buildout the premises according the SQF code to make it easiest. I would definitely like to get in the new building and within two or three months be able to get audited for SQF rather than get re-audited for the GFSI Global markets Program while preparing for SQF so as to avoid all the redundancies involved with these audits.

SQF is another layer, it is not its own CB.  NSF is a CB for SQF, for example.  

Sorry for the misstatement, I meant Accrediting body.

It looks like the Global Markets Program is a stepping stone with no certification used to help companies become certified to a scheme. If there is no requirement for you to hold a certification, I would wait until you move to become certified to the SQF scheme. Are you working with a consultant or can you use the Global Markets Program as a resource to help with the transition?

Hi Rick,

I would wait until you move to get the certification or you will have to do it twice.  You can start working on your policies and forms now.  Those should carry over if you will be following the same procedures.  Good luck!