SALSA is the proportionate, recognised certification for small and micro food and drink producers in the UK. We get you audit-ready, with systems that hold up now and grow with your business later.
SALSA, Safe and Local Supplier Approval, is a food safety certification scheme built specifically for small and micro food and drink producers and suppliers in the UK. It was developed by experienced food safety experts to reflect both the legal requirements placed on producers and the enhanced expectations of professional food buyers.
SALSA Scheme Ltd is a non-profit joint venture between the Food and Drink Federation, the National Farmers' Union and UK Hospitality, and the scheme is accredited throughout the UK by the Institute of Food Science and Technology. This industry backing gives SALSA approval genuine standing with buyers, while keeping certification costs proportionate to the scale of a small or micro business.
SALSA approval is only granted to suppliers who can demonstrate to an auditor that they are able to produce and supply safe and legal food and drink, and are committed to continually meeting the requirements of the relevant SALSA Standard. Approved suppliers can demonstrate that they operate to standards recognised and accepted across the industry, exceeding the minimum standards expected by enforcement authorities.
SALSA is widely regarded as a stepping stone for businesses planning to grow into markets that require GFSI-recognised certification such as BRCGS, SQF or IFS Food. The HACCP, allergen management and supplier approval foundations built for SALSA align closely with the structure of these larger schemes.
SALSA recognises that small food and drink businesses come in different shapes. The applicable standard depends on what your business does.
The core standard for small and micro manufacturers, covering HACCP, allergen management, supplier approval, traceability, labelling and premises standards. Currently Issue 6, published 2022.
A robust food safety standard tailored for small food and drink producers operating from a commercial kitchen, reflecting the scale and setup of these operations.
For small businesses placing products on the market that they have procured or taken title to, but have not manufactured themselves, addressing the due diligence requirements relevant to this role.
Specialist modules: SALSA plus Cheese, developed with the Specialist Cheesemakers Association for small cheesemakers, and SALSA plus Beer, developed in association with Cask Marque for small breweries.
Choosing the right standard from the outset avoids the disruption of discovering partway through preparation that the wrong framework was being used. We confirm the applicable standard for your business as the first step of any engagement.
New issues of all four SALSA Standards are now available, with audits conducted against these new issues from 1 September 2026.
The changes are built around a Safe Food First approach, balancing keeping pace with industry best practice while remaining true to SALSA's core focus on proportionate, accessible certification for small and micro producers.
SALSA Issue 6 (Food & Drink Production and SALSA plus Cheese) and Issue 4 (SALSA plus Beer) launched, auditable from September 2022.
New issues of all four SALSA Standards have been published and are available for members to review ahead of the transition.
All SALSA audits will be conducted against the new issues from this date onwards.
For currently certified members, the practical task is the same one Issue 6 required when it replaced Issue 5: read the new issue and its interpretation guide, compare it against your current systems and documentation, and identify what needs to change before your next audit falls under the new issue. Given the September 2026 deadline is still some months away, businesses with audits due before then can plan a transition instead of scrambling at the deadline.
For businesses just starting their SALSA journey now, there is a choice to make: prepare against the current Issue 6 framework for an audit before September 2026, or build directly to the new issue if your audit will fall after that date. We help determine which approach makes sense based on your audit timing.
Understanding the Issue 6 changes is useful context, both for businesses still working to Issue 6 and as a sense of the kind of changes a new issue typically brings.
SALSA Issue 6 introduced an enhanced, dedicated Allergen Management section, previously covered under a broader Contamination and Cross-Contamination Prevention heading. This reflected the wider industry shift toward treating allergen control as its own discipline and not a subset of general contamination prevention, a pattern also visible in how BRCGS and FSSC 22000 have evolved their own allergen requirements.
HACCP requirements were also strengthened: a documented scope describing which products and processes are covered by the HACCP system became a specific requirement, closing a gap where HACCP plans sometimes existed without a clear statement of what they covered.
Supplier Approval requirements were expanded significantly, with a current Approved Supplier list based on raw material and supplier risk, reviewed on an annual basis, becoming a defined requirement, alongside new procedures for documented checks on incoming raw materials and goods.
SALSA is built for small and micro food and drink businesses across the UK, at every stage from first certification through to growth into larger markets.
Producers needing recognised third-party certification to supply local, regional, national or international buyers, without the cost burden of schemes designed for larger operations.
Small businesses operating from a commercial kitchen, certified under the standard tailored to this scale and setup.
Specialist cheese producers certified under SALSA plus Cheese, developed with the Specialist Cheesemakers Association to reflect the specific risks and practices of cheesemaking.
Breweries certified under SALSA plus Beer, developed in association with Cask Marque, tailored to the scale and systems of small brewing operations.
Small businesses placing products on the market that they have procured or taken title to but not manufactured, demonstrating due diligence in their supply chain.
Producers using SALSA as a foundation, building HACCP, allergen management and supplier approval systems that will carry forward into a future GFSI-recognised certification.
We cover the full scope of SALSA consulting, from first certification through to the 2026 standards transition.
A review of your current food safety management system against the requirements of the applicable SALSA Standard for your business type, identifying gaps and producing a written action plan.
Development of a HACCP system, based on Codex Alimentarius principles, with a documented scope describing which products and processes are covered, meeting the Issue 6 requirement.
Development of a dedicated allergen management system addressing cross-contamination prevention as its own discipline, meeting the standalone Allergen Management section of the Standard.
Development of an Approved Supplier list based on raw material and supplier risk, with an annual review cycle and documented procedures for checks on incoming goods.
Review of the new SALSA Standards against your current systems, identifying what needs to change ahead of audits from 1 September 2026, whichever of the four standards applies to your business.
Development of food safety culture evidence reflecting the attitudes, values and beliefs the Standard describes, beyond a written policy statement alone.
Development of traceability records and labelling control procedures appropriate to the scale of a small or micro producer.
A full mock audit against the applicable SALSA Standard, identifying any remaining gaps before your certification audit.
For businesses planning to grow into markets requiring GFSI-recognised certification, planning that builds SALSA documentation in a way that carries forward efficiently.
For a small or micro producer, the person running the business is often also the person responsible for food safety. Building genuine understanding of HACCP, allergen management and food hygiene through training makes day-to-day compliance far more manageable than relying on documentation alone. We recommend pairing this consulting programme with relevant training delivered through Confi Food, and can advise on the right approach during the initial consultation.
Certification follows a defined sequence. Our part of the process typically takes a few weeks. The certification body audit timeline and approval issuance are outside our control.
| Stage | What happens | Our role | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Standard confirmation | The applicable SALSA Standard is confirmed based on your business type: production, commercial kitchen, non-manufacturing supplier, or specialist module. | We confirm the correct standard and current issue for your business. | 1 to 2 days |
| 2. Gap assessment | Current systems and documentation are reviewed against the applicable Standard. | We conduct the assessment and deliver a written action plan. | 1 to 2 days |
| 3. HACCP and allergen management | HACCP documentation with a defined scope and a dedicated allergen management system are developed. | We develop both in collaboration with your team, sized to your operation. | 3 to 5 days |
| 4. Supplier approval and traceability | An Approved Supplier list based on risk, traceability records and labelling controls are developed. | We design these systems appropriate to your scale. | 2 to 3 days |
| 5. Implementation | Systems are put into practice. Records begin to accumulate ahead of audit. | We provide implementation support and review emerging records. | 1 to 2 weeks |
| 6. Mock audit | A full mock audit identifies any remaining gaps against the applicable Standard. | We conduct the mock audit and issue a findings report. | 1 day |
| 7. Certification audit | The certification body conducts the on-site audit. | We provide standby support and prepare responses to any findings. | Up to the certification body |
Our gap assessment is sized to a small or micro business, giving you a clear, proportionate picture of what is needed before committing to an audit date.
The gap assessment covers HACCP with a defined scope, allergen management, supplier approval, traceability, labelling, premises standards, and the management systems and documentation requirements of the applicable SALSA Standard.
For a small or micro producer, the gap assessment is often the first time the full scope of what SALSA requires has been laid out clearly, since many small businesses have built up food safety practices informally over time without mapping them against a specific standard's structure.
We confirm the correct SALSA Standard and current issue for your business type.
We review existing HACCP, allergen, supplier and traceability records against the Standard's requirements.
We assess premises and processes against documented procedures, sized appropriately to a commercial kitchen or small production unit.
We produce a written gap assessment with a clear, prioritised action plan.
If you are already using SALSA's own Extra! mentoring day, we can ensure that day is used to confirm readiness and not to begin foundational work.
The same issues appear across SALSA audits regardless of business type. Knowing where these gaps cluster is the most effective preparation.
A HACCP system that exists but does not include a clear, documented statement of which products and processes it covers does not meet the specific scope requirement introduced in Issue 6, even where the underlying hazard analysis is sound.
Businesses that have not restructured their documentation since Issue 6 may still have allergen controls folded into a broader contamination prevention section, not as the standalone Allergen Management system the current Standard expects.
A list of suppliers that exists but is not based on a documented raw material and supplier risk assessment, or has not been reviewed within the last year, does not meet the Issue 6 Supplier Approval requirements.
Checks on incoming goods that happen in practice but are not recorded leave no evidence for the auditor that the checks the Standard describes are taking place in practice.
The Standard describes food safety culture in terms of attitudes, values and beliefs at the site. A written policy alone, without evidence of how this translates into day-to-day behaviour, does not demonstrate the culture the Standard is looking for.
Following a standard revision, document templates, statements of intent or referenced clause numbers that still reflect the previous issue create a mismatch with what the current Standard and Interpretation Guide describe, even where practices have moved on.
For small UK food businesses, understanding how SALSA relates to other schemes helps clarify the right certification for your current size and where you want to go next.
| SALSA | BRCGS Food Safety | Red Tractor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designed for | Small and micro food and drink producers | Manufacturers of all sizes, GFSI-recognised | UK farms and primary production |
| GFSI recognised | No, but aligns toward GFSI structures | Yes | No |
| Relative cost | Lower, proportionate to scale | Higher, reflecting scheme scope | Sector-dependent |
| Our consulting | SALSA | BRCGS Food Safety | Red Tractor |
What drives the timeline and cost of a SALSA project. We provide a written proposal with a fixed fee after the initial consultation.
Timeline
How long our consulting work takes
Cost factors
What drives the consulting fee
No existing formal food safety system. Our consulting work typically takes 2 to 3 weeks, sized to a small or micro operation. Certification body scheduling and approval issuance are separate and outside our control.
Existing members reviewing the new issue ahead of audits from September 2026. Our consulting work for this typically takes a few days to a week, depending on the scale of changes for your applicable standard.
Food and Drink Production, commercial kitchen, non-manufacturing supplier, or specialist modules such as SALSA plus Cheese or SALSA plus Beer each have a defined scope that determines the consulting work required.
A single-product micro producer requires less HACCP and allergen documentation work than a business with a wider product range.
Businesses with established but undocumented food safety practices often need less foundational work, focused instead on documenting and formalising what already happens.
If a future move to a GFSI-recognised scheme is planned, structuring SALSA documentation to carry forward efficiently adds modest scope now but saves significant work later.
A gap assessment only, a full system build, or a 2026 transition review each carry different fees. All scopes are defined in writing before work begins.
SALSA membership and audit fees are separate from our consulting fees and paid directly to SALSA and your chosen auditor. We advise on the right SALSA package, including whether Extra! mentoring adds value, during the initial consultation.
Answers to the questions we hear most often from small and micro producers preparing for certification.
SALSA, Safe and Local Supplier Approval, is a food safety certification scheme for small and micro food and drink producers and suppliers in the UK. It was developed by experienced food safety experts to reflect both the legal requirements placed on producers and the enhanced expectations of professional food buyers, providing a recognised third-party certification at a lower cost than schemes designed for larger operations such as BRCGS, SQF or IFS Food. SALSA Scheme Ltd is a non-profit joint venture between the Food and Drink Federation, the National Farmers' Union and UK Hospitality, and the scheme is accredited throughout the UK by the Institute of Food Science and Technology.
SALSA certification is designed specifically for small and micro food and drink producers and suppliers in the UK. There are four SALSA Standards covering different business types: Food and Drink Production for manufacturers, a standard for small producers operating from a commercial kitchen, a standard for businesses that place products on the market which they have procured or taken title to but not manufactured, and specialist modules including SALSA plus Cheese, developed with the Specialist Cheesemakers Association, and SALSA plus Beer, developed in association with Cask Marque for small breweries.
SALSA Issue 6, the current standard for Food and Drink Production, was published in 2022 and auditable from 1 September 2022. It introduced an enhanced, dedicated Allergen Management section, previously covered under Contamination and Cross-Contamination Prevention. HACCP requirements were strengthened to require a documented scope describing which products and processes are covered. Supplier Approval requirements were expanded, including a current Approved Supplier list based on raw material and supplier risk, reviewed annually, and new procedures for documented checks on incoming raw materials.
New issues of all four SALSA Standards have been published, and from 1 September 2026, all SALSA audits will be conducted against these new issues. The changes are built around a Safe Food First approach, balancing keeping pace with industry best practice while remaining true to SALSA's core focus on proportionate certification for small and micro producers. Members currently SALSA certified will need to review the new issues and the corresponding interpretation guides ahead of audits from September 2026 onwards, and assess what changes to procedures and documentation are needed.
For businesses preparing for their first SALSA audit, approval typically takes between one and three months from the start of preparation, depending on how ready the business is when starting. Our consulting work moves fast, with most businesses ready for audit within a few weeks of starting. The certification body audit scheduling and the time to issue approval following a successful audit are outside our control.
SALSA is widely regarded as a stepping stone for small producers planning to grow into larger retail or export markets that require GFSI-recognised certification such as BRCGS, SQF or IFS Food. SALSA's HACCP, allergen management and supplier approval requirements build foundational systems that align with the structure of these larger schemes, so businesses that achieve SALSA first and later pursue BRCGS typically find a meaningful proportion of their existing documentation and systems transfers across.
A SALSA gap assessment reviews your current food safety management system against the requirements of the applicable SALSA Standard for your business type, covering HACCP with a defined scope, allergen management, supplier approval, traceability, labelling, premises standards and the management systems and documentation requirements. It identifies gaps and produces a written action plan, helping a small or micro producer understand exactly what is needed before committing to an audit date.
The most common SALSA issues are: HACCP systems without a documented scope describing which products and processes are covered, a specific Issue 6 requirement. Allergen management not yet separated into its own dedicated system following the Issue 6 restructure. No current Approved Supplier list based on raw material and supplier risk, or a list that has not been reviewed within the last year. Raw material checks on incoming goods not documented. Food safety culture not evidenced in a way that reflects the attitudes, values and beliefs the Standard describes, beyond a written policy statement.
SALSA's own Extra! package includes one day of mentoring with a SALSA mentor, typically used for a gap analysis or audit preparation support, in addition to standard Audit Membership. Our consulting is complementary to this: we can prepare your full system ahead of time, so that any SALSA mentoring day is used to confirm readiness and not to begin foundational work from scratch.
Yes. Gap assessments, HACCP and allergen management documentation, and Approved Supplier list development are all available remotely. On-site visits are available for mock audits and where a physical review of premises, layout or production processes is needed, which is often valuable for small producers operating from a single commercial kitchen or unit.
You can commission any of these on their own, with an agreed scope and a written quote, without taking on ongoing consulting. See all food safety services.
To establish the real size of the project before an audit date is booked.
Read about A gap assessment →Where the clause requires audits and nobody internal is independent enough.
Read about An internal audit →Where the documents themselves are the gap.
Read about Documentation development →Tell us about your business, your products and your timeline. We will tell you exactly what your SALSA Standard requires.