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BRCGS START

The practical food safety certification for growing food businesses

If you run a small or developing food manufacturing business and want to strengthen confidence in your food safety controls, BRCGS START could be the right next step. Delivered by Amtivo, START is a food safety certification development programme designed to help businesses move beyond informal systems to a clear, achievable and recognised certification that supports steady growth and reassures your customers and enforcement authorities that food safety is well managed.

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To learn more about START, or discuss your requirements, phone us on 01606 532526 or enter your detail below

BRCGS Certification Body of the Year 2024

Awarded in recognition of exceptional customer service, excellent relationship and support with BRCGS, and an unbroken record of maintaining a 5-star BRCGS KPI rating.

Market leader in the UK and Ireland

Amtivo is the market leader in the UK and Ireland for BRCGS certification, with circa 1,500 certificates and growing.

99% customer retention rate

Over 99% of customers who renew their BRCGS certification stay with Amtivo.

What Is BRCGS START?

BRCGS START is for businesses that are new to third–party certification or whose systems are still developing. It has been designed so that smaller food businesses can demonstrate good food safety. It builds on what many small manufacturers already have in place – such as HACCP, hygiene controls and good manufacturing practices – and helps bring these together into a clear, structured Food Safety Management System.

START focuses on the fundamentals that matter most:

  • Hygiene and site standards
  • Product safety and controls
  • Staff awareness and responsibilities
  • Practical management systems that can be maintained day-to-day

BRCGS START certification is available at two levels: basic and intermediate. Both levels are designed to be achievable and proportionate, focusing on how food safety works in practice within your business.

What is BRCGS START!?

Who Is BRCGS START For?

BRCGS START is a valuable programme that supports businesses in establishing fundamental food safety practices. Certification helps organisations improve food safety and operational efficiency. As such, BRCGS START is well suited to:

  • Small and growing food manufacturers
  • Producers supplying local retailers, wholesalers or food service
  • Start-ups preparing to supply new customers
  • Any business where customers are asking for clearer and stronger food safety assurance

Is BRCGS START Right for Your Business?

If you want to know more about START, our team is on hand to talk it through with you. We’ll help you understand:

  • Whether START matches your size and customer needs
  • What level may be appropriate
  • How certification would work in practice for your business

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Working With Us

Practical certification support, right from the start.

Starting your formal food safety journey can feel overwhelming, especially when you are balancing production, customers, and growth. That’s where Amtivo comes in. 

Amtivo (formerly known as UK Food Cert) specialises in helping small and developing suppliers take confident, achievable first steps into certification through START. We combine practical advice, clear guidance, and real human support, so certification feels manageable.

  • We understand small businesses: Many certification schemes weren’t designed with small operators in mind – but START was, and so are we. We work every day with producers, bakers, brewers, manufacturers, and start-ups. What this means for you is that we explain requirements in plain English and focus on what matters most for your business.
  • Personal contact, based in the UK: From your very first enquiry, you will deal with real people based in the UK. You will be allocated a named client coordinator as your main point of contact, with easy access to knowledgeable technical staff who are on hand to answer questions and guide you through the process.
  • Support from day one: We take time to understand your business, your customers, and your goals. We help you decide whether START Basic or START Intermediate is the right fit, based on your current systems and available resources. You will receive clear, practical guidance on what you need to put in place. If you need extra help, our optional implementation support is available, ensuring you are never left trying to work things out on your own.
  • Practical, fair audits: Our auditors come from within the industry and understand how small food businesses really operate. START audits with Amtivo focus on risk, improvement, and realistic progress – not on catching you out or creating unnecessary barriers.
  • Fast, reliable turnaround: We know certification can be time-critical. Amtivo is known for fast report and certificate turnaround, clear communication, and no unnecessary delays. You receive your results promptly, with clear feedback and guidance on next steps.
    • Applications for certification are often completed on the same day or within 24hrs.
    • After the audit, BRCGS requires us to issue your report and certificate within 42 days, and upload your audit to the BRCGS Directory within 49 days. We offer best-in-class turnaround times.

The BRCGS START Standard Explained

BRCGS START Specification

BRCGS START was created to help new, smaller, and developing food businesses set up basic, effective food safety practices. Available in over 130 countries, it offers a clear framework for improving food safety and efficiency. BRCGS stands for BRC Global Standards.

The programme was designed to address the unique challenges faced by smaller businesses and to help them meet essential regulatory and customer expectations. It lays the groundwork for achieving more advanced certifications, like the full BRCGS Food Safety standard.

The latest update to BRCGS START reflects current industry needs. It helps businesses improve food safety, opening up new market opportunities.

The most recent version, Issue 2, was published in March 2023. This lines up with current industry trends and regulations, and the updated needs of the BRCGS Food Safety Global Standard (Issue 9).

BRCGS START Requirements

The BRCGS START standard requires food businesses to meet stringent requirements in order to achieve certification, including:

  • Senior leadership: Senior managers must lead by example and fully support the START programme.
  • Continual improvement: Senior management should encourage continual improvement in food safety and quality management.
  • The Food Safety Plan: A detailed food safety plan based on HACCP principles must be implemented and effective.
  • Food Safety and Quality Management System: Processes and procedures must be documented to ensure consistent application and training.
  • Site standards: The production site must be appropriately sized, located and maintained to minimise contamination risks.
  • Product control: Procedures for product design and development must ensure safe and legal products are produced.
  • Process control: Documented procedures must be in place to ensure safe, legal, and consistently high-quality production.
  • People: Employee training, protective clothing, and hygiene practices must be actively managed.

For sites producing products that need careful handling, such as high-risk or high-care items, all these standards must be followed, along with specific requirements for these types of sites.

BRCGS START Certification

BRCGS START certification helps companies, especially smaller ones, set up and improve their food safety systems. It shows you’re committed to using good food safety practices for growing food businesses.

The certification evaluates your hygiene practices, safety protocols, and quality management systems. An independent certification body checks these elements to ensure they meet BRCGS START standards. You need to renew the certification periodically to keep it valid.

Getting this certification builds trust with customers and stakeholders and shows that your business is dedicated to improving safety and quality in the food industry.

Key steps to becoming certified include the following:

  • Getting started – Read the programme documentation, including the Interpretation Guidelines. Contact us to discuss your application.
  • Learn – Attend BRCGS Academy training if you want practical help with implementation.
  • Review – Conduct a self-assessment gap analysis with the standard and build and train an implementation team. At this stage, you may wish to use a consultant.
  • Prepare – Based on your self-assessment findings, create an action plan, conduct risk assessments and establish control points. You will also need to prepare procedures and perform internal audits.
  • Plan audit – Book an audit with us, making sure staff are available and ready.
  • On-site audit – The audit will review your implementation of the standard. This includes observing procedures, documentation and conducting staff interviews.
  • Non-conformities and corrective action – You have 28 days to fix any non-conformities with corrective actions and root cause analysis.
  • Certification – We will review your non-conformities and finalise the audit report. If successful, certification is issued within 42 calendar days from the audit’s start.

Learn More About BRCGS START Certification

Benefits of BRCGS START

BRCGS START provides several advantages for food businesses:

  • Foundation in food safety: Establishes essential food safety practices for small and growing businesses.
  • Risk reduction: Helps to identify and manage potential food safety risks, leading to safer products.
  • Regulatory compliance: Helps businesses meet basic regulatory requirements, paving the way for further certifications.
  • Operational efficiency: Streamlines processes and promotes best practices, leading to more efficiency.
  • Customer confidence: Shows a commitment to food safety and builds customer trust.
  • Market access: Improves food safety practices, expanding potential market opportunities
  • Continual improvement: Encourages ongoing evaluation and enhancement of food safety systems, creating a culture of continual improvement.
Benefits of BRCGS START!

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