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Wholesale
Cash & Carry
The IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry (C&C) Standard is for assessing the safety and quality of products and processes of wholesalers, cash & carry businesses and packing companies. It supports these businesses in meeting the growing transparency and traceability demands in the market and contributes to increased efficiency. The standard is applicable for wholesale and cash & carry businesses handling food, HPC products or packaging materials as well as packing companies for eggs, fruit, and vegetables.
The checklist used for the IFS Audit depends on the activities performed by the company.
Being an important link between growers, manufacturers, and the catering industry, this IFS Certificate shows that your company is a reliable business partner that handles products in a safe, responsible, and professional way. Qualified IFS Auditors working for independent accredited certification bodies carry out the audits.
Benefits
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IFS Certification grows sales
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The requirements reduce operating costs and increase efficiency
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The scoring system drives continuous improvement
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The IFS risk-based approach enables individual risk assessments
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The non-prescriptive approach allows custom-made solutions
IFS Wholesale / Cash & Carry Document Hub
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Train
For industry training, IFS cooperates with approved training providers. Also, we offer e-learning courses in English in our webshop.
Approved IFS Training Providers offer official training for IFS Standards and Programs, internal auditing, hazard analysis, risk assessments or specific technical topics.
IFS exclusively provides the training material for these courses. This way, you can be sure that only these providers will teach you how to implement IFS requirements according to their original intention. Only our approved training providers may use the IFS Academy Logo.
The training takes place online as group and individual courses or in person and on-site.
Click here to find an IFS Training Provider in your country.
Implement
You can implement the IFS Requirements on your own or tap into the expertise, knowledge, and experience of a recognised IFS Consultant.
IFS supports you with a unique package of various tools and guiding documents (see below). Also, you can contact an IFS Representative in your region or country for advice.
Recognised IFS Consultants are industry professionals offering training, standard knowledge, internal auditing, and industry experience to guide the implementation of the IFS Requirements. IFS has trained these consultants and regularly informs them about updates and other relevant developments regarding the standards and programs. You can be sure that you will work with an excellently trained, up to date and experienced professional when choosing a recognised IFS Consultant.
Search for the most suitable consultant for your company in your region in our consultant search.
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Audit
Approved IFS Certification Bodies (CBs) provide auditing services to companies seeking IFS Certification. Their IFS Auditors offer certification audits.
We firmly believe that solid auditor competence is the basis for the IFS Standards' credibility and reliability. All IFS Auditors must meet specific requirements, pass the relevant IFS Exam, and participate in an IFS Calibration Training every two years. This way, we ensure that IFS Auditors worldwide assess companies in a consistent manner.
- Use the search function to find a certification body in your country.
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IFS News
New Doctrine and Multi-site Guideline for IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry 3
27.03.2025Two new normative documents for version 3 of the IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry Standard are now available. These documents complement the standard and are essential for certified companies, auditors, certification bodies, and other stakeholders to know.
The IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry 3 Doctrine
The doctrine provides answers to frequently asked technical questions and clarifies specific requirements. Among other topics, it specifies:
- Which IFS Wholesale/Cash & Carry version to apply in particular situations;
- The registration for an unannounced audit;
- The requirement regarding using interpreters and other professional services;
- The management of the COID for companies in specific situations;
- The audit duration for fruit and vegetable packing sites; as well as
- Additional information that certification bodies must provide in the IFS Database.
The IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry Multi-site Guideline
We updated this guideline to align it with IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry version 3 and accreditation requirements (IAF MD1:2023).
The guideline applies only to companies with headquarters and multiple sites that fulfil specific criteria regarding the number of sites, activities, and other parameters. It explains the requirements these companies must meet for multi-site certification and describes the aspects to consider during the initial and recertification audits.
Wholesale and Cash & Carry 3 audits are set to begin in May 2025
We published IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry version 3 in December 2024. The new version aligns with current market needs and comes with a new standard logo. IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry 3 audits can start from 1 May and become mandatory as of 1 November 2025.
Download the Documents
Discover the essential information and valuable insights these documents provide:
Introducing IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry version 3
27.11.2024We are pleased to announce the publication of version 3 of the IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry Standard.
"After eight years, we decided it was time for an update. We consulted with the industry, retailers, and certification bodies to develop a standard tailored to the specific needs of this industry. We aligned it with the other IFS Standards, optimised the protocol, and introduced a new logo colour. I thank everyone who contributed to realising this new standard version," says IFS Managing Director Stephan Tromp.
The most significant changes in version 3 are the reduction of the modules from four to two, a leaner protocol with fewer requirements, an updated scoring system, the introduction of voluntary unannounced audits, and better-defined applicability.
Audits to version 3 can start on 1 May 2025 and will become mandatory on 1 November 2025.
The wholesale industry’s preferred standard
IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry is our standard for assessing the safety and quality of products and processes of wholesalers, cash & carry businesses, and packing companies. These businesses are an essential link between growers, manufacturers, and the catering industry. The standard supports sites in meeting the growing transparency and traceability demands in the market and contributes to increased efficiency.
Major players in wholesale and cash & carry, as well as companies packing vegetables, fruits and eggs, use the standard to have their sites audited, thus raising the quality of their services to the next level. Last year, 805 sites passed the audit and received the IFS Certificate. The certificate shows that the certified site is a reliable business partner that handles products in a safe, responsible and professional way.
Offering a unique support package for certified sites
IFS offers guidance, including guidelines and various tools, to support businesses in reaching IFS Certification and further enhancing their product safety and quality management. Recognised IFS Consultants can help you implement the requirements and train your staff. Follow the link to the webpage below to learn more about the roadmap to certification and the support for IFS certified sites.
International recognition
Accreditation is new for the IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry standard. The process with the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) for recognition under the sub-scopes of product certification of the IAF Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) is in progress. IAF MLA signatories mutually recognise accredited certification. This helps to reduce trade barriers, as accredited certificates are recognised in many markets based on a single accreditation.
More information
The standard is available in English on our website. Translations will follow, and we will inform you about them on LinkedIn and in newsletters.
For more details, download the:
- Industry newsletter about version 3
- IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry 3 Standard
- Updated brochure IFS Scoring System version 2.4
Stay up to date:
- Visit the IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry webpage
- Subscribe to our newsletters
- Follow us on LinkedIn
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IFS Wholesale Cash & Carry Blog
IFS Faces - Irmtraut Rathjens de Suster
06 February 2025
IFS Editorial Team
IFS offers me an environment in which I can develop my skills while contributing to bringing safe products to the market that benefit consumer health. Irmtraut Rathjens de Suster Senior Technical Manager & IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry Stand...
