Code selection & scope
We confirm which SQF Code and food sector categories fit your products and what your buyer actually asked for, so the audit covers the right scope.
SQF consultant · Miami, FL
SQF consulting for plants that need the certificate, not a binder
We take your site from gap analysis to certification audit against the SQF Code your buyer requires, and we prepare you for the move from Edition 9 to Edition 10.
What does an SQF consultant do? An SQF consultant scores your site against the right SQF Code, builds the missing programs with your team, supports your SQF Practitioner, trains staff and runs a mock audit in the certification body's format. The certification body audits and certifies; the consultant makes sure your site is ready.
Juan S. VargasSQF Food Safety Auditor · Exemplar Global
- Certified SQF auditorExemplar Global · 2024
- On-site, hands-onMiami-based · across the U.S.
- English & SpanishBilingual training
- Free 30-min gap callReply within one business day
Who it's for
Who hires an SQF consultant
Most of the plants that call us have a date on the calendar. A retailer or foodservice distributor added SQF certification to the supplier requirements, a co-packing customer wants a GFSI certificate before signing, or the current certificate is at risk after a weak audit.
- First-time certification: manufacturers, co-packers and warehouses with a HACCP plan but no GFSI-level system
- Recertification at risk: sites that scored a C (Complies) or received major non-conformities last cycle
- Practitioner turnover: the person who ran SQF left and nobody knows where the system stands
- Edition 10 planning: certified sites that need to know what changes before their first Edition 10 audit
- Expansion: a new line, product category or building that has to be added to the scope
The problem
Why SQF audits go wrong
Sites rarely lose points because they never heard of a requirement. They lose points because the written program and the floor tell two different stories, and the auditor spends the day finding the places where they diverge.
Programs nobody runs
Environmental monitoring, allergen management or supplier approval procedures bought as templates, with no records showing they operate on your site.
Weak management commitment
No documented management review, no resources assigned, a food safety culture element that exists only as a policy on the wall.
The practitioner stands alone
One person owns every document. When the auditor interviews supervisors and line staff, the answers don't match the procedures.
Validation gaps
Critical limits, sanitation methods and shelf life claims with no evidence that they actually control the hazard.
Internal audits on paper
Internal audits and corrective actions that close findings without root cause, so the same issue returns every year.
Wrong scope or code
The site registered under a code or food sector category that doesn't match the products it makes, which confuses the whole audit.
An SQF score is decided on the floor and in the interviews. The documents only get you in the door.
What's included
What our SQF consulting service includes
Clause-by-clause gap analysis
Every element of the system and the good manufacturing practice module scored on site, with gaps ranked by audit risk.
System build
Food safety plan, prerequisite programs, allergen management, environmental monitoring, supplier approval, food defense and food fraud assessments written with your team.
SQF Practitioner support
Coaching for the employee who holds the practitioner role: how to maintain the system, run internal audits and represent the site on audit day.
Bilingual training
Supervisor and line staff training in English and Spanish, with training records that show who was trained, on what and when.
Mock audit & audit-day support
A full mock audit in the certification body's format, corrective actions closed, and support during the certification audit.
The standard
SQF codes, Edition 9 vs Edition 10 and audit ratings
SQF (Safe Quality Food) is run by the SQF Institute (SQFI), a division of FMI, The Food Industry Association. It is the GFSI-recognized scheme most often requested by U.S. retailers and foodservice buyers. SQF is not one document: it is a family of codes, and choosing the wrong one wastes months.
| SQF Code | What it covers | Typical site |
|---|---|---|
| Food Safety Fundamentals | Entry-level food safety requirements for sites building toward full certification | Small or lower-risk sites whose buyers accept a starter program |
| Food Safety Codes (by sector) | Full food safety management system plus sector GMP requirements, for example the Food Safety Code: Manufacturing | Manufacturers, co-packers, storage and distribution, primary producers |
| Quality Code | Quality management built on top of a food safety certification | Sites whose customers ask for quality and consistency controls as well |
Edition 9 or Edition 10: which one will you be audited against?
SQFI published Edition 10 on March 1, 2026. Audits against Edition 10 are expected from January 2, 2027, pending GFSI benchmarking. Until then Edition 9 applies, and surveillance audits from 2026 cycles can still be conducted against Edition 9 in 2027. For most sites, this means the next audit is Edition 9 and the one after is Edition 10.
| Your situation | Code edition | What to do now |
|---|---|---|
| Audit before January 2, 2027 | Edition 9 | Close gaps against Edition 9; start reading Edition 10 so new documents are written once |
| Surveillance audit from a 2026 cycle, held in 2027 | Can still be Edition 9 | Confirm with your certification body which edition it will use |
| First certification planned for 2027 | Edition 10 expected | Build the system directly to Edition 10 to avoid rewriting it |
We cover the detail in SQF Edition 10 changes.
SQF audit ratings
| Rating | Score | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| E · Excellent | 96–100 | Certified; the strongest position with buyers |
| G · Good | 86–95 | Certified; a solid result most buyers accept |
| C · Complies | 70–85 | Certified, but with more audit attention and a weaker story for buyers |
| F · Fails | Under 70 | Not certified; the system has to be fixed before a new audit |
The SQF Practitioner must be your employee. SQF requires the site to designate an SQF Practitioner employed by the site. A consultant can train, coach and support that person, but cannot hold the role. SQFI also keeps a public directory of registered SQF consultants that buyers and sites can check.
How we work
SQF certification steps and timeline
Certification itself follows the same path for every site: choose the code, register the site with SQFI, designate a practitioner, build and run the system, select a licensed certification body and pass the audit. Our work fits into three phases.
Gap analysis
On-site review of your programs, records and floor practices against the SQF Code and edition you will be audited to, plus a check of code selection and scope.
You receive: scored gap report, prioritized action plan, realistic timeline to audit.
System build & training
We write or rebuild the missing programs with your team, coach the SQF Practitioner and train supervisors and line staff in English and Spanish.
You receive: food safety plan, SOPs and forms, training records, internal audit schedule.
Mock audit & certification
A full mock audit in the certification body's format, corrective actions closed with root cause, and support during the desk and facility audit.
You receive: mock audit report, corrective action log, audit-day support.
Most facilities need 3 to 6 months from gap analysis to certification audit. Sites with a working HACCP plan and prerequisite programs can be ready in 10 to 14 weeks. The system also has to show records of operation before the audit, which is why an early start matters. Step by step detail is in how to get SQF certified.
Local angle
SQF consulting in Miami and South Florida
South Florida food plants often supply national retailers and foodservice distributors that require SQF. Many are ready-to-eat, bakery, sauce and beverage operations in Medley, Hialeah and Doral, where supervisors and line staff often work in Spanish.
We are based in Miami, so gap analysis, training and mock audits happen on your floor, not over a video call. For plants elsewhere in the U.S. we schedule on-site visits for those phases and support the rest remotely.
SQF sits on top of the regulations your plant already has to meet. FDA-registered facilities are subject to FDA inspection and the FSMA Preventive Controls rule, and Florida manufacturers, processors and warehouses are permitted and inspected by FDACS, Division of Food Safety. We build the SQF system so it also supports those obligations, including a food safety plan prepared or overseen by a PCQI. See FSMA & PCQI consulting and HACCP consulting.
Results
SQF case records
CASE 01 · READY-TO-EAT MANUFACTURER
42,000 sq ft · Medley, FL
- Standard
- SQF Food Safety Code: Manufacturing
- At gap analysis
- 47 gaps (6 major)
- At certification audit
- Certified · 0 major, 3 minor
- Outcome
- SQF score 94 (Good)
14 weeks
Illustrative engagement · real client data pending authorization
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does SQF certification cost?
There are three separate costs: SQFI site registration, the certification body's audit fees and any internal or consulting work to get ready. Consulting cost depends on the size of the gap, the number of products and lines and how much on-site time is needed. We quote a fixed scope after a 30-minute gap call.
How long does it take to get SQF certified?
Most facilities need 3 to 6 months from gap analysis to certification audit. Plants with a working HACCP plan and prerequisite programs can be ready in 10 to 14 weeks. Plants starting from scratch usually need longer, because the system must also produce records before the audit.
Should we prepare for SQF Edition 9 or Edition 10?
It depends on your audit date. Edition 9 applies until Edition 10 audits begin, expected from January 2, 2027 pending GFSI benchmarking, and surveillance audits from 2026 cycles can still use Edition 9 in 2027. If your first certification is in 2027, build directly to Edition 10.
Can a consultant be our SQF Practitioner?
No. SQF requires the practitioner to be employed by the site. We train and coach the person you designate, help them maintain the system and support them during the audit.
Do you guarantee an SQF score?
No. The certification body decides the score and the certificate. What we control is the preparation: a complete gap analysis, a system that matches your operation, trained staff and a mock audit in the auditor's format, so audit day holds no surprises.
Free gap call
Have an audit on the calendar?
In 30 minutes we review your standard, your date and your most likely gaps, and tell you honestly whether you need us.
- +1 786 209 7451
- Mon–Fri · 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET
- jusevalu02@gmail.com
- 5.0 on Google
Juan S. VargasSQF Food Safety Auditor · PCQI
Request a gap call or a quote
Takes under a minute. Juan reviews every request personally.