Supplier audits

Importers, retailers and consumers of food products all require high levels of confidence in the reliability, quality and production capacity of vendors and suppliers. To ensure this, TÜV SÜD offers a tailor-made programme called a food supplier audit. This assesses a supplier’s quality systems, as well as its workplace environment and ability to meet standards set by either the client or TÜV SÜD. This can ensure that your vendors and suppliers are able to undertake and act upon your specific requirements. 

Supplier audits offer businesses several key benefits, including: 

• Avoiding wasted investment and customer disappointment by only choosing suppliers who can deliver as agreed. 
• Ensuring that the supplier maintains high hygiene standards throughout the production process. 
• Ensuring that your manufacturer undertakes continuous improvements and operates efficiently to lower costs. 
• Determining whether the products being manufactured fulfil the correct requirements. 

At TÜV SÜD, our independent experts have decades of experience conducting food supplier audits.  

We provide you with an accurate supplier audit report that helps you to identify risks, enhance quality and improve productivity – all of which saves you time and money. 

In addition, a supplier audit report from the world’s leading independent assessment body helps you inspire greater confidence in your brand among your customers. This will help you gain faster access to the market.

TÜV SÜD’s food supplier audit checklist covers a range of supplier evaluations and vendor audits to suit your business requirements, as well as conformity with international standards. Our service includes: 

• Food hygiene audits 
• Microbiological testing 
• Chemical testing 
• Physical product testing 
• Supplier quality audit training or qualification 
• Fit in hygiene (e-learning) 

 

We can also conduct: 

• During Production Inspection (DUPRO) 
• Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) 
• Loading Supervision (LS) and other customised inspection services 
• Gap assessment – We identify areas of non-conformity in the supplier’s or vendor’s supply chain so that gaps can be targeted for improvement. 
• On–site factory audit: We evaluate the supplier/vendor’s on–site quality systems, workplace environment and capabilities. 
• Audit report – We prepare an expert supplier audit based on their observations as well as their subjective evaluations. 
• Follow-up audit – We follow up on the initial audit to determine if the supplier or vendor has made improvements based on the recommendations of the supplier audit or vendor audit report.