Freshcare
Freshcare Limited is an Australian not-for-profit organisation providing GFSI-recognised certification standards for fresh produce and wine industries. It enables Australian growers, wineries, and supply chain businesses to demonstrate food safety, environmental, and sustainability compliance through approved Certification Bodies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersSydney, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Freshcare does
Freshcare Limited is an Australian not-for-profit, industry-owned organisation that develops and operates assurance and certification standards for the fresh produce and winegrape industries. Founded in 2000 and headquartered at Sydney Markets, NSW, the company enables Australian producers — including fruit, vegetable, nut, flower, viticulture and wine businesses — to access domestic and international markets through internationally recognised certification programs. Governance is provided by a board representing more than 20 member organisations across Australia, and Freshcare is registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC); the entity is purpose-driven with proceeds reinvested into research, development and science.\n\nThe core product portfolio comprises certification standards — Food Safety & Quality (FSQ4.2), Environmental (ENV3), Supply Chain (SCS2), and the Australian Wine Industry Standards of Sustainable Practice for viticulture (AWISSP-VIT1) and wineries (AWISSP-WIN1) — supported by the FreshcareOnline participant portal and an eLearning training platform. An upcoming Food Safety & Quality Standard Edition 5 (FSQ5), scheduled for release in September 2026, will consolidate food safety, quality and supply chain requirements into a single integrated framework, with initial audits to FSQ5 from 1 March 2027 and full transition required by 1 July 2027. Freshcare has also co-developed with Hort Innovation an open-source RegTech framework and proof-of-concept digital tools (Smart Guides and The Platform) intended to reduce compliance duplication for growers.\n\nFreshcare is funded primarily through participation fees (a one-off registration fee plus ongoing certification-related payments), Recognised Suppliers Register subscriptions (Premium $1,755 AUD/year, Standard $877 AUD/year, GST exclusive), training services, and government grant funding. Distribution relies on a network of approved Certification Bodies (AusQual, Sci Qual, ACO Certification, Mérieux NutriSciences, Intertek SAI Global, SGS) and approved trainers, with self-serve online channels for participants. Strategic alliances include Wine Australia, La Trobe University, and Queensland DETSI, whose recognition of the Reef Assured sub-program under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 extends the company's regulatory standing; FSQ4.2 and SCS2 hold GFSI recognition, and FSQ5 has been submitted for benchmarking under GFSI Benchmarking Requirements Version 2024.
Freshcare firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Freshcare
- Legal name
- Freshcare Limited
- Website
- https://freshcare.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Freshcare Limited is an Australian not-for-profit organisation providing GFSI-recognised certification standards for fresh produce and wine industries. It enables Australian growers, wineries, and supply chain businesses to demonstrate food safety, environmental, and sustainability compliance through approved Certification Bodies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Freshcare industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Food Safety and Sustainability Certification
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food Safety & Quality Scheme Certifications (GFSI Programs) (AFALAMAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Accredited Certification Bodies (CBs) – ISO 22000/FSSC 22000/BRCGS/SQF (AFALACAA), Sustainability & Environmental Certifications (Carbon, Water, Regenerative) (AFALAMAC)
Keywords
Where Freshcare is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sydney
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Freshcare business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Certification Fees: Freshcare is a purpose-driven organisation funded through participation. Businesses pay a one-off registration fee to join and ongoing certification fees for audit and renewal.
- Recognised Suppliers Register: Premium listing subscription at $1755 AUD annually (GST exclusive) and Standard listing at $877 AUD annually (GST exclusive) for suppliers wanting to be listed in the Freshcare Recognised Suppliers Register.
- Training Services: E-learning and face-to-face training options provided to participants to help them understand and implement Freshcare standards requirements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Premium Recognised Supplier listing with enhanced positioning |
| Subscription | Annual | Standard Recognised Supplier listing |
| Subscription | One time/ perpetual license | Freshcare Participant Registration |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Freshcare product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Freshcare develops and operates industry-owned assurance and certification standards for Australian fresh produce, horticulture, viticulture and wine businesses, covering on-farm food safety, post-harvest handling, environmental management and supply chain quality. Certification is delivered through a network of approved Certification Bodies that conduct external audits, supported by e-learning and face-to-face training, an online participant portal (FreshcareOnline), and a Recognised Suppliers Register connecting certified businesses with industry suppliers.
Product overview
Freshcare is an Australian-owned certification organization providing internationally recognised assurance standards for the fresh produce and winegrape industries. The portfolio consists of certification standards (Food Safety & Quality, Environmental, Supply Chain, and Wine Industry Sustainability programs), supported by digital platforms (FreshcareOnline portal and eLearning training system). The upcoming FSQ5 standard (September 2026) will consolidate the Food Safety & Quality and Supply Chain standards into a single integrated framework. Additional offerings include the Recognised Suppliers Register directory, the Reef Assured environmental sub-program for banana growers, and proof-of-concept digital tools (Smart Guides and The Platform) developed through the RegTech research project.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Food Safety & Quality (FSQ4.2) On-farm food safety certification program providing growers and grower-packers with essential on-farm and post-harvest food safety criteria for production of safe, quality fresh produce. GFSI-recognised standard.
- Food Safety & Quality Standard Edition 5 (FSQ5) Upcoming consolidated standard combining food safety, quality and supply chain requirements into a single integrated framework with Sections and Modules, clearer requirements, reduced duplication, biosecurity requirements, and enhanced food safety culture elements. Replaces FSQ4.2 and SCS2.
- Environmental (ENV3) Environmental certification program focused on best practice outcomes, providing growers and grower-packers with a pathway to demonstrate sustainable production and environmental management.
- Supply Chain (SCS2) Food safety and quality management program for businesses involved in fresh produce supply chain operations.
- Australian Wine Industry Standard of Sustainable Practice – Viticulture (AWISSP-VIT1) Sustainability certification providing Australian wine grape growers with a mechanism to be acknowledged for practices according to recognised international standards.
- Australian Wine Industry Standard of Sustainable Practice – Winery (AWISSP-WIN1) Sustainability certification for wineries and wine businesses to meet requirements for certification as members of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia.
- Reef Assured Program Category added to the Freshcare Environmental Certificate for banana growers in reef catchments who fully certify and achieve Reef Regulation requirements. Recognised by Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation.
- FreshcareOnline Online portal for Freshcare participants to access their certificates, resources, and manage their certification status.
- eLearning Online training platform offering e-learning and face-to-face training options for Freshcare certification preparation.
- Recognised Suppliers Register Online directory of businesses that have registered and met specific criteria to advertise services to Freshcare participating businesses and the fresh produce industry.
Quantifiable outcome
- 93% of medium to large businesses identify time and cost as significant compliance impacts
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Freshcare
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Freshcare technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Freshcare partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) and Office of the Great Barrier ReefcoreGovernment recognition of Freshcare Environmental Edition 3 (ENV3) – Reef Assured Program under the Environmental Protection Act 1994. Banana growers in reef catchments certified to this program receive regulatory recognition.
- Hort InnovationcorePartnership in a two-year Regulatory Technology (RegTech) research project funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. The project focused on identifying and addressing duplication and complexity in on-farm compliance for the fresh produce horticulture sector.
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and ForestrycoreGovernment department that funded the RegTech research project in partnership with Hort Innovation. The project developed an open-source RegTech framework for mapping certification and regulatory requirements overlap.
- Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)coreFreshcare has submitted an application for benchmarking of FSQ5 against GFSI Benchmarking Requirements Version 2024. Existing FSQ4.2 and SCS2 standards hold GFSI recognition.
- Wine AustraliacoreWine Australia provided funding through the Australia's Economic Accelerator (AEA) program ($1.78 million) to La Trobe University researchers for development of Wine Industry Smoke Detectors (WISDs) technology for smoke monitoring.
- La Trobe UniversitycoreResearch institution that developed Wine Industry Smoke Detectors (WISDs) with funding from Wine Australia's AEA program. Technology helps wine grape growers monitor and manage smoke exposure risks.
- AusQualcoreCertification Body conducting audits for Freshcare certification programs.
- Sci QualcoreCertification Body conducting audits for Freshcare certification programs. General Manager of Quality and Food Safety participated in Freshcare workshop.
- ACO CertificationcoreCertification Body conducting audits for Freshcare certification programs.
- Mérieux NutriSciencescoreCertification Body conducting audits for Freshcare certification programs.
- Intertek SAI GlobalcoreCertification Body conducting audits for Freshcare certification programs.
- SGScoreCertification Body conducting audits for Freshcare certification programs.
- SpraySMART Pty LtdminorRegistered Training Organisation that partners with Recognised Suppliers like Countryco Ag Services to deliver nationally recognised chemical safety training courses.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Freshcare competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- NSF International: Global public health and safety organisation offering food safety certification, training and audit services across fresh produce, processing and retail. Comparable as a broad incumbent whose NSF Food Safety Certification competes with Freshcare for Australian and export market participants.
- SGS: Global inspection, verification, testing and certification company and one of Freshcare's approved Certification Bodies. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering competing certification services alongside other assurance and testing categories.
- Intertek SAI Global: Global assurance and certification provider; Intertek SAI Global operates as a Freshcare-approved Certification Body and offers competing food safety and sustainability certifications. Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlapping fresh-produce audit work.
Direct peers
- SQF Institute: Operates the SQF food safety certification programme, a GFSI-recognised scheme widely used by Australian growers, packers and processors. Directly comparable to Freshcare as a competing GFSI-recognised standards owner serving the fresh produce and food manufacturing sectors.
- BRCGS (BRC Global Standards): Global food safety standards body whose BRCGS standards are GFSI-recognised and used by Australian retailers and exporters. Directly comparable to Freshcare in scope and benchmark status, particularly competing for supply-chain and processing certifications.
- GlobalG.A.P. Global farm assurance programme covering crops, aquaculture and livestock, with GFSI recognition for its produce standard. The most direct peer to Freshcare in on-farm fresh produce assurance and the primary alternative scheme for Australian horticulture exporters.
- Sustainable Winegrowing Australia: Australia's national sustainability programme for the wine sector, delivering certification aligned with Freshcare's AWISSP standards. Directly comparable as a wine-industry-specific certification peer with overlapping member organisations and government ties via Wine Australia.
- FSSC 22000: Foundation that owns the FSSC 22000 food safety management scheme, ISO 22000-based and GFSI-recognised. Comparable to Freshcare as a competing GFSI-recognised scheme owner targeting manufacturers, packers and supply-chain operators in Australia and globally.
Emerging players
- Rainforest Alliance: International sustainability certification body whose farm certification programme is increasingly demanded by Australian fresh-produce exporters. Comparable as an emerging adjacent sustainability standard that overlaps with Freshcare's environmental and sustainability programmes.
Regional players
- TQA Australia (Tasmanian Quality Assured): Tasmanian-based food safety assurance scheme for primary producers, led by Freshcare board member Jane Lovell. Comparable as a regional certification scheme targeting overlapping fresh-produce participants with overlapping governance ties.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Freshcare social profiles
Digital presenceFreshcare compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Freshcare financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Freshcare leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Freshcare funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Freshcare M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Freshcare
What does Freshcare do?
Freshcare develops and operates industry-owned assurance and certification standards for Australian fresh produce, horticulture, viticulture and wine businesses, covering on-farm food safety, post-harvest handling, environmental management and supply chain quality. Certification is delivered through a network of approved Certification Bodies that conduct external audits, supported by e-learning and face-to-face training, an online participant portal (FreshcareOnline), and a Recognised Suppliers Register connecting certified businesses with industry suppliers.
Is Freshcare a public or private company?
Freshcare is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Freshcare founded?
Freshcare was founded in 2000. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Freshcare based?
Freshcare is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Freshcare make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Certification Fees are the primary driver. The others are recognised Suppliers Register and training Services.
Who are Freshcare's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are NSF International, SGS and Intertek SAI Global. Direct peers are SQF Institute, BRCGS (BRC Global Standards), GlobalG.A.P., Sustainable Winegrowing Australia and FSSC 22000. Rainforest Alliance is listed as an emerging player. TQA Australia (Tasmanian Quality Assured) is listed as a regional player.
Does Freshcare have an API?
No public API is recorded for Freshcare.
What industry is Freshcare in?
Freshcare's product category is Food Safety and Sustainability Certification. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFALAMAI, Food Safety & Quality Scheme Certifications (GFSI Programs), with a secondary code of AFALACAA, Accredited Certification Bodies (CBs) – ISO 22000/FSSC 22000/BRCGS/SQF.