CanadaGAP®, an internationally recognized food safety certification program for fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers, and Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), an Industry Solution of the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), today announced that CanadaGAP Food Safety Program Version 11.0 has successfully achieved recognition against GFSI’s Benchmarking Requirements Version 2024.
The recognition encompasses three CanadaGAP certification options: B, C, and D (for repacking and wholesaling).
Scott Wright, Chair of the Board for CanadaGAP, notes that “GFSI recognition offers ongoing access to customers who require certification to a GFSI-recognized food safety program, and allows CanadaGAP-certified companies to remain competitive and maintain their commitment to food safety.”
CanadaGAP Executive Director Heather Gale adds that “CanadaGAP has long valued the rigour GFSI dedicated to the benchmarking process. Continued GFSI recognition of the CanadaGAP Program allows the fruit and vegetable industry to implement a program that is tailored to the fresh produce sector and that meets GFSI’s high standard. Choosing a GFSI-recognized program like CanadaGAP enables the industry to satisfy the food safety requirements of customers in domestic and international markets.”
Karla Mijatovic, GFSI Senior Technical Manager at The Consumer Goods Forum, said, “As supply chains grow more complex, keeping food safety standards aligned across borders is vital. Version 2024 sets a new, practical benchmark for the industry. We welcome CanadaGAP’s active role in this transition and their continued work to help businesses build clear, reliable trust from farm to fork.”
Scope of GFSI Recognition
CanadaGAP has been GFSI-recognized for certification options B and C since 2010. Option D (for repacking and wholesaling) was originally recognized by GFSI in 2016.
Recognition of the three CanadaGAP certification options has once again been granted for the following GFSI scopes:
- BI – Farming of Plants
- BIII – Pre-process Handling of Plant Products (includes packing/repacking and related activities such as cooling, trimming, grading, washing, storage, etc.).
About the GFSI Benchmarking Process
Benchmarking is a rigorous process where specific food safety programmes designed by Certification Programme Owners (CPOs) are evaluated against GFSI’s Benchmarking Requirements. Built to ensure objectivity, transparency, and technical depth, the pathway follows strict steps to earn official GFSI recognition. A programme earns the ‘recognised’ status only when it is verified to meet every requirement. The complete step-by-step pathway is defined in GFSI Benchmark requirements, v2024 part 1, available on the GFSI website.
About CanadaGAP
CanadaGAP® is a food safety program consisting of standards and a certification system for the safe production and handling of fresh fruits and vegetables. Two manuals, one specific to greenhouse operations, the second for other fruit and vegetable operations, have been developed by the horticultural industry and reviewed for technical soundness by Canadian government officials. The manuals are designed for companies implementing Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in their fruit and vegetable production, packing and storage operations; for repackers and wholesalers implementing Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and HACCP programs; and for produce brokers following supplier management and traceability best practices. The manuals are based on a rigorous hazard analysis applying the seven principles of the internationally-recognized HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) approach.
About GFSI
With an estimated 866 million people affected by foodborne illnesses each year, maintaining robust safety systems is a top priority for consumer goods leaders. To support risk mitigation and foster continuous improvement, the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) brings together members from across the food industry to align on voluntary food safety certification programmes. GFSI is an industry solution of the Consumer Goods Forum.
What we do
GFSI works to build trust in the global food supply by benchmarking third-party certification programmes. Rather than auditing companies directly, GFSI implements an industry-led, science-backed framework that helps harmonise safety requirements. This alignment ensures that independent businesses can operate with confidence, reducing trade barriers and driving higher safety standards at every point in the supply chain.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the CanadaGAP office at info@canadagap.ca or +1 613-829-4711, or the GFSI Team.