Welcome to Amtivo in Ireland – formerly Certification Europe, EQA and BQAI

BRCGS Plant-Based Certification in Ireland

Independent proof behind your plant-based claims

Request a Quote

Enter your details below to get started on your journey to certification.

Plant-based may mean different things to different people, which can be difficult and confusing for both food brands and their customers.

The BRCGS Plant-Based Global Standard brings some valuable clarity: independent certification that plant-based products are free of material of animal origin, verified through the whole management system rather than simply claimed on a label. 

brcgs certification

What Is the BRCGS Plant-Based Standard? 

BRCGS Plant-Based is a standard which sets out the operational criteria a manufacturer needs in place to ensure plant-based products are free of materials of animal origin, built on a comprehensive management-system approach to support plant-based production.  

Where food safety standards protect the consumer from unsafe food, this standard protects the integrity of a claim. This includes segregation from animal-origin materials, supplier and raw-material controls for everything carrying a plant-based claim, and verification that what the label says is what the systems deliver. 

The standard was launched as Issue 1 in January 2020, with audits running since February 2020, and Issue 1 remains the current version. Certified products are recognised under the programme and listed on the standard’s Schedule A. In addition to having a certified site, the BRCGS Plant-Based certification attaches to the products your customers buy. 

A standard that builds on your existing certification 

Plant-Based isn’t a standalone starting point. The standard requires an existing certification to a GFSI-benchmarked food safety scheme, such as BRCGS Food Safety, or BRCGS START at Intermediate level, held already or achieved alongside Plant-Based certification.  

The standard adds claim verification on top of proven food safety management, rather than duplicating it. In practice, it means the audit can be planned alongside your existing certification cycle, allowing businesses to build on their established processes and reduce unnecessary duplication. 

Why Should You Certify a Plant-Based Claim? 

Plant-based eating in Ireland is growing steadily, with Bord Bia’s consumer research describing a “general but gradual shift towards less meat and more plant-based food, driven by health and sustainability concerns.”  But consumers can be sceptical of free-from and plant-based labels, interpretations of what qualifies vary, and a contamination incident involving animal-origin material damages a plant-based brand in a way an apology can’t repair – for some consumers it’s preference, for others it’s ethics, allergy or faith. 

Certification answers that with systems rather than assertions: documented segregation, verified suppliers, HACCP-based controls over every route animal-origin material could take into the product, and an independent audit standing behind the claim.  

In a category still finding its shape, the brands that can prove their claims are the ones retailers and consumers settle on. 

understanding plant-based certification

The Benefits of Plant-Based Certification

A claim consumers can see and trust

The on-pack trademark can turn a plant-based claim into a visible, verified credential – helping products stand out in a category where claims are easy to make and hard to prove.

Protection for the brand behind the claim

The management-system approach is designed to catch and manage issues quickly if they occur, helping to prevent the failures that can damage a plant-based brand’s reputation.

Efficient on top of what you already run

The standard can be audited in combination with your GFSI-benchmarked or BRCGS START! certification – typically adding around half a day to an existing audit rather than a separate cycle.

A certification that grows with your range

New products and reformulations are approved and added to your Schedule A, so claims stay verified as the range evolves.

What the BRCGS Plant-Based Standard Covers? 

  • The plant-based management system: Documented procedures, senior management commitment, and a product schedule defining exactly which products the certification covers. 
  • Hazard analysis for the claim: HACCP-based assessment of every point where animal-origin material could enter, from ingredients to rework. 
  • Supplier and raw-material controls: Approval and verification for everything carrying the claim upstream of your site. 
  • Segregation: Physical and procedural separation where plant-based and conventional production share a site. 
  • Product and label verification: New products and formulation changes formally approved before they enter production, so the claim stays true as the range evolves. 
  • Traceability: Both directions, product to ingredient and back. 

What Does Certification Involve?

STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
Scope the certification

Tell us about your products, site and existing certification. We’ll confirm eligibility, the product schedule and provide a clear quote. 
Prepare

The standard and its Interpretation Guideline are available from BRCGS. Conduct a gap analysis against your existing management system to discover what’s already covered and what the claim adds.
Audit

Typically, one day on site for a standalone audit, or around half a day added to a combined audit alongside your other certification, assessing the plant-based management system in practice.
Certification

Non-conformities should be corrected with the cause addressed, then certification is issued, and your products are recognised under the programme. 

What Does Certification Involve?

STEP 1
Scope the certification

Tell us about your products, site and existing certification. We’ll confirm eligibility, the product schedule and provide a clear quote. 
STEP 2
Prepare

The standard and its Interpretation Guideline are available from BRCGS. Conduct a gap analysis against your existing management system to discover what’s already covered and what the claim adds.
STEP 3
Audit

Typically one day on site for a standalone audit, or around half a day added to a combined audit alongside your other certification, assessing the plant-based management system in practice.
STEP 4
Certification

Non-conformities should be corrected with the cause addressed, then certification is issued, and your products are recognised under the programme. 

Are You Already Certified Elsewhere? 

If you are already certified elsewhere, you can move to Amtivo without disruption – it’s as easy as booking your next audit with us. Many organisations have switched to us after feeling frustrated with slow or generic responses. Our team prioritises practical advice, clear guidance, and real human support, so certification feels manageable. Contact us, and we’ll handle it from there. 

Working with Amtivo  

Plant-Based certification always sits on top of an existing food safety certification, many of which Amtivo delivers. We certify the underlying standards – BRCGS Food Safety, START and the wider suite of food and packaging – and the plant-based claim on top, so audits can be coordinated under one relationship. Our auditors come from the food industry, and a named client coordinator manages the whole arrangement from enquiry to certificate. 

who needs brcgs plant-based

FAQs