Irmtraut Rathjens de Suster
IFS Wholesale Cash and Carry Standard Manager
IFS

IFS Management GmbH (IFS) joined IAF as an Association Member in 2020, and in 2023 and 2024 signed agreements with IAF for the inclusion of its IFS Food, IFS Logistics, IFS Broker and IFS PACsecure standards in the IAF Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA). In June 2025, IAF added IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry as an IAF MLA sub-scope. This allows for the acceptance of accredited certification to this scheme in multiple markets with a single accreditation, reducing costs and increasing value for businesses and consumers.

The IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry Standard

The IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry Standard applies to wholesalers, cash & carry businesses as well as packing companies for eggs, fruit and vegetables. It covers governance and commitment, product safety and quality management systems, including product defence, resource management, planning and production processes, measurements, analysis, and improvements. Companies certified to this standard find that the certification contributes to improving their business reputation, ensuring compliance with regulations, using resources more effectively, and fulfilling the prerequisites to supply those customers requiring third-party audits.

Pursuing a Product and Process Approach

Following the ISO/IEC 17065 norm, the IFS Audit is product- and process-oriented. In line with the requirements of the standard, an approved IFS Auditor evaluates if the company has established functioning, target-oriented and resilient processes to ensure the safety, legality and conformity of its products with customer specifications.

IFS pursues a vertical audit approach that adheres to the principle of good auditing practices. Before the audit begins, the auditor reviews the layout, processes, and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) plans of the production site. Based on this, they assess the products and related processes. This is accomplished through product sampling, on-site inspection and assessment based on defined product and process requirements, as well as observations and interviews. Consequently, the auditor must spend sufficient time in the production area to gain a comprehensive overview of the company’s products, processes, and infrastructure.

During the IFS Audit, an approved IFS Auditor collects objective evidence to be able to evaluate the compliance of the sampled products and the related operating processes with the audit requirements. This also includes the evaluation of compliance with further specific requirements, such as customer specifications and legal product safety compliance. To achieve this, the auditor needs to apply different types of auditing and/or inspection techniques, depending on the purpose of the evaluation.

One core feature of the IFS Audit is a continuous cross-check of information gathered by observation and interviews during the audit.

The continuous combination of documentation review and on-site evaluation allows the auditor to conduct detailed inspection and verification activities and ultimately draw conclusions on compliance with the IFS Standard requirements, including legal requirements and customer specifications.

Auditor Qualification

IFS Audits are tailored to specific product and technology scopes as detailed in each IFS Standard. The IFS auditor’s scope-specific expertise is a crucial basis for the IFS Audit. Accordingly, IFS assesses the technical expertise and auditing experiences provided in the auditor’s CVs. To be approved to perform IFS Audits, the auditor must successfully pass a written and oral exam.

Quality Assurance With IFS

It is important for IFS that all stakeholders can rely on the quality and credibility of the certificates issued. To ensure this, IFS initiated a quality assurance and integrity program in 2010, making us a pioneer in this area. Since then, we have continuously developed and improved it. In this regard, IFS investigates stakeholders’ complaints, monitors the performance of certification bodies and auditors and verifies that certified companies comply with the IFS Requirements.

Driving Trust and Integrity Throughout Supply Chains

IFS develops robust standards and services that assess food and product safety, quality, and integrity in line with legal and customer requirements. Through this commitment, we aim to be the global leader in promoting confidence, transparency, and responsible practices across supply chains.