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A BRC audit is a third-party assessment against the BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety, conducted by an accredited certification body to verify that a food manufacturing site meets the standard's requirements across food safety management, HACCP, prerequisite programs (sanitation, pest control, allergen control), and site/personnel standards. Passing results in BRCGS certification, which many retailers and brand owners require before they'll list a supplier's products. This walkthrough covers how the audit itself runs; for the certification path and requirements leading up to it, see our companion guide on BRCGS certification for food manufacturers.
How the audit process works
- Scheduling and scope: the site selects an accredited certification body and audit option (announced or, for higher-performing sites, unannounced) and defines product scope.
- Document review: the auditor reviews the food safety plan, HACCP documentation, prerequisite program records, and internal audit history, typically before or at the start of the on-site visit.
- Site inspection: a full walk-through covering process flow, sanitation, pest control, allergen handling, traceability, and site/building standards.
- Interviews and record checks: auditors interview staff and sample records (training logs, calibration records, corrective actions, mock recalls) to verify the paper matches practice.
- Grading and corrective actions: non-conformities are graded (critical, major, minor); certification requires closing out non-conformities within a defined timeframe, and the overall grade (AA, A, B, C, D) reflects how many were found, per the BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety (Issue 9).
How often BRC audits happen
Recertification audits happen annually for sites on the standard announced program. Per GFSI benchmarking requirements, every site must also complete an unannounced audit at least once every three-year certification cycle; higher-scoring sites (grade AA or A with a clean track record) can opt into the unannounced program every cycle, trading a fixed audit window for a grade suffix (such as AA+) that signals stronger buyer confidence.
Preparing for a BRC audit
The most common source of non-conformities isn't a missing procedure — it's a procedure that exists on paper but isn't consistently followed or evidenced in records. Internal audits, mock traceability exercises, and mock recalls run in the months before the real audit are the most effective preparation, along with making sure documentation (food safety plan, HACCP plan, training records) is current rather than reconstructed after the fact. Our HACCP audit checklist covers much of the same evidence auditors sample during a BRC visit.
See how IONI helps food manufacturers stay BRCGS audit-ready: Food Safety Software.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a BRC audit and a BRCGS audit?
None — BRC (British Retail Consortium) renamed its certification scheme to BRCGS (BRC Global Standards) in 2019. "BRC audit" and "BRCGS audit" refer to the same certification process under the current standard.
How long does a BRC audit take?
Typically one to three days on-site depending on facility size and complexity, plus preparation and document-review time beforehand.
What happens if a facility fails a BRC audit?
A facility doesn't get graded below D and certified — critical non-conformities generally mean no certificate is issued until they're corrected and re-verified, which can require a follow-up audit.
