SQF Certification in Canada: Why It Matters for Food Packaging

If you are sourcing food packaging or co-packing services in Canada, you will encounter the term SQF certification early and often. Major retailers, Loblaws, Sobeys, Costco Canada, Walmart Canada, increasingly require their suppliers to hold SQF certification as a condition of doing business.

But what does SQF actually mean? What does the audit cover? And why should it matter to a food brand choosing a packaging partner?

This guide breaks it down.

SQF stands for Safe Quality Food. It is a rigorous, internationally recognized food safety and quality management program administered by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).

SQF certification applies to every link in the food supply chain, from primary production through processing, packaging, and distribution. For food manufacturers and co-packers, SQF Level 2 is the relevant standard. It covers food safety fundamentals and requires a fully implemented HACCP-based food safety plan.

SQF Level 3 adds quality management requirements on top of Level 2 and is typically required for premium retail and export markets.

The Canadian retail grocery sector has consolidated significantly over the past decade. The major chains, Loblaw Companies, Empire (Sobeys/IGA/FreshCo), Metro, and Costco, now account for the majority of packaged food sales in the country.

These retailers have adopted GFSI-recognized certification schemes (SQF, BRC, FSSC 22000) as a baseline supplier requirement for several reasons:

• Liability reduction. A food safety incident traced to a non-certified supplier creates significant legal and reputational exposure for the retailer. Certification shifts accountability to the manufacturer and demonstrates due diligence.
• Audit efficiency. Rather than conducting their own facility audits, retailers accept third-party GFSI certification as proof of food safety compliance. This reduces cost and administrative burden for both parties.
• Regulatory alignment. Canada's Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR), which came into full effect in 2019, require federally licensed food businesses to have a preventive control plan, essentially a HACCP-based system. SQF certification satisfies and exceeds this requirement.
• Consumer confidence. Food safety incidents generate significant media coverage in Canada. Retailers protect their brand by requiring certified suppliers.

SQF audits are conducted by licensed third-party certification bodies. Auditors assess compliance across several modules:

Food Safety Fundamentals (Module 2)

This module covers the prerequisite programs that form the foundation of a food safety system:

• Pest control, documented programs, contractor records, corrective actions
• Cleaning and sanitation, master sanitation schedules, chemical management, verification
• Personnel hygiene, policies, training records, visitor controls
• Allergen management, segregation, labelling, cross-contact prevention
• Water and ice quality, potability testing, records
• Waste management, disposal procedures, pest prevention
• Temperature control, storage and process temperature monitoring
• Supplier approval, approved supplier lists, certificates of analysis

HACCP-Based Food Safety Plan (Module 11 for food manufacturing)

The core of SQF Level 2 is a documented, implemented HACCP plan:

• Hazard analysis, biological, chemical, physical, and radiological hazards identified for each product
• Critical Control Points (CCPs), identified, with critical limits, monitoring procedures, and corrective actions
• Verification activities, internal audits, CCP records review, environmental monitoring
• Validation, scientific or technical evidence that CCPs control identified hazards

Management System

SQF also requires a documented management system including:

• Food safety policy and objectives
• Management review
• Internal audit program
• Corrective and preventive action (CAPA) system
• Document and record control
• Employee training and competency records

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is a food safety methodology, a systematic approach to identifying and controlling food safety hazards. It is required under Canada's Safe Food for Canadians Regulations for federally licensed food businesses.

SQF is a certification scheme that includes HACCP as its core but adds:

• Prerequisite program requirements
• Management system requirements
• Third-party audit and certification
• Annual recertification

In other words, HACCP compliance is necessary but not sufficient for SQF certification. SQF is the complete package that retailers and export customers recognize.

When you source packaging or co-packing from an SQF-certified facility, you gain several concrete advantages:

• Retail access. Many Canadian retailers will not list new suppliers without GFSI-recognized certification. SQF Level 2 opens doors that would otherwise be closed.
• Reduced audit burden. You do not need to conduct your own facility audit. The SQF certificate, issued by an accredited certification body, serves as your due diligence documentation.
• Recall protection. SQF-certified facilities maintain traceability systems that allow rapid identification and isolation of affected product in the event of a food safety issue. This limits the scope and cost of any recall.
• Export readiness. SQF is recognized in the United States, European Union, and other major markets. If you plan to export Canadian-made products, SQF certification at your co-packer supports your market access.
• Insurance and liability. Some product liability insurers offer preferential terms for brands that source from GFSI-certified facilities.

SQF certificates are issued with a specific scope (what products and processes are covered) and an expiry date. Before engaging a co-packer or packaging supplier, request:

• A copy of their current SQF certificate
• Confirmation that the certificate scope covers your product category
• Their most recent SQF audit score (scores of 85+ are considered good; 95+ is excellent)

You can also verify certification status directly through the SQF database at sqfi.com.

Cana Prime Food has maintained SQF Level 2 certification at our Toronto facility since our early years of operation. Our certification covers dry food co-packing across spices, grains, teas, and specialty food categories — including private label spice packaging for Canadian retail and wholesale brands.

We undergo annual third-party audits and maintain a fully documented food safety management system. Our team can provide certification documentation to support your retail submissions and supplier qualification processes.

Contact us to request our current SQF certificate or to discuss your packaging requirements. Learn more about our co-packing and private label services.