SALSA Food
SALSA Food is a UK-based food safety certification scheme, operated as a non-profit joint venture, serving nearly 2,000 small and micro food and drink producers across the UK and Ireland with audit, training, mentoring, and supplier directory services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersBanbury, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SALSA Food does
SALSA (Safe and Local Supplier Approval) is a UK-based food safety certification scheme, founded in 2007 and operated by SALSA Technologies Ltd under licence from SALSA Scheme Ltd — a non-profit joint venture of the Food & Drink Federation, the NFU, and UK Hospitality, with delivery monitored by the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST). The scheme is purpose-built for small and micro food and drink producers and serves a base of nearly 2,000 approved members across the UK, Ireland (entered 2025), the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. Its core technology comprises a member portal, a digital self-assessment checklist tool (launched 2025), a supplier verification lookup system, and a searchable directory that connects approved suppliers with national and regional buyers.
The portfolio centers on four certification standards — SALSA Food & Drink Production, SALSA Brokers Storage & Distribution, SALSA plus Beer (in association with Cask Marque), and SALSA plus Cheese (with the Specialist Cheesemakers Association) — supported by the SALSA Package Extra! add-on (audit plus one-day mentoring), a Label Check Service (£250 per label), a national network of over 80 IFST-validated mentors and auditors, and a training catalogue covering HACCP, allergen management, food microbiology, food labelling, traceability/crisis/recall, and pest management. Pricing is unitized and tiered by membership status, with annual audit packages supplemented by per-seat training and professional services.
The go-to-market motion is sales-led and partnership-driven: SALSA leverages endorsement from major retailers (Tesco, ASDA, Booths) and food service operators (Bidfood, Brakes, Center Parcs) to pull suppliers into the scheme, while regional food bodies (Scotland Food & Drink, Food Works SW) and council-funded programmes (Horsham District Council) distribute localized support. In June 2026, new issues of all four standards were launched, and from April 2026 Dr John Tomlinson succeeded founder Chris Grimes as Managing Director of the operating entity, marking a planned leadership transition after 19 years.
SALSA Food firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SALSA Food
- Legal name
- SALSA Technologies Ltd
- Website
- https://salsafood.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SALSA Food is a UK-based food safety certification scheme, operated as a non-profit joint venture, serving nearly 2,000 small and micro food and drink producers across the UK and Ireland with audit, training, mentoring, and supplier directory services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SALSA Food industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Food Safety Certification Services
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Pre-Assessment, Gap Assessment & Certification Readiness Services (AFALACAE), Labeling & Claims Compliance Review (Nutrition, Allergen, Country-of-Origin) (AFALADAF), Auditor Qualification, Training & Competency Certification (Food Safety) (AFALACAD)
Keywords
Where SALSA Food is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Banbury
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
SALSA Food business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Audit and Certification Fees: Fees for food safety audits and certification against SALSA standards. Audit packages vary by standard type (Food & Drink Production, Brokers Storage & Distribution, plus Beer, plus Cheese) and include annual on-site audit requirements.
- Training Courses: Revenue from accredited training courses including HACCP, Allergen Management, Food Microbiology, Food Labelling, Traceability Crisis and Recall, and Pest Management. Offered at member and non-member pricing tiers.
- Label Check Service: Expert review and recommendation service for food labels at £250 per label (ex VAT). Includes regulatory compliance checking and allergen policy review.
- Mentoring Services: Technical mentoring support from validated mentors, with discounted and capped rates for SALSA members. Includes gap analysis, HACCP development, pre-audit support, and other technical assistance.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Label Check Service - per label review |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | HACCP Training - Understanding HACCP Level 2 |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Specialized Training Courses (Allergen, Microbiology, Labelling, etc.) |
| Subscription | Annual | SALSA Food & Drink Production Audit (Ireland) |
| Subscription | Annual | SALSA plus Beer Audit (Ireland) |
| Subscription | Annual | SALSA plus Cheese Audit (Ireland) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
SALSA Food product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SALSA operates a food safety certification scheme, providing four annual on-site audited standards — Food & Drink Production, Brokers Storage & Distribution, plus Beer and plus Cheese — for small and micro UK and Irish food producers. The scheme is complemented by IFST-accredited training courses, a member-exclusive digital self-assessment checklist, an expert Label Check Service, and a national mentor network for pre-audit support and HACCP development.
Product overview
SALSA Food is a certification scheme offering a portfolio of food safety certification products and support services for small and micro food and drink businesses. The core offering consists of four certification standards: SALSA Food & Drink Production (for producers), SALSA Brokers, Storage & Distribution (for distributors), SALSA plus Beer (in partnership with Cask Marque for breweries), and SALSA plus Cheese (in partnership with Specialist Cheesemakers Association for cheesemakers). Supporting services include the SALSA Package Extra! add-on for pre-audit mentoring, the SALSA Label Check Service for regulatory compliance, and a national network of mentors providing technical support. Training is delivered through the SALSA Learning platform offering accredited courses in HACCP (Understanding Level 2 and Management & Review), Allergen Management, Food Microbiology, Food Labelling, Traceability/Crisis/Recall, and Pest Management. The scheme is overseen by the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) and operates as a non-profit joint venture by The Food & Drink Federation, NFU, and UK Hospitality.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SALSA Food & Drink Production: A robust food safety standard for small food and drink producers, operating from a commercial kitchen.
- SALSA Brokers, Storage & Distribution
- SALSA plus Beer
- SALSA plus Cheese
- SALSA Package Extra!
Quantifiable outcome
- 96% of members say SALSA has helped them build a better food safety system
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use SALSA Food
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
SALSA Food technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
SALSA Food partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Cask MarquecoreAssociation with Cask Marque for SALSA plus Beer standard development. Cask Marque created extensive brewing module included in the standard, providing industry-specific expertise for small and micro brewers.
- Specialist Cheesemakers AssociationcoreAssociation for SALSA plus Cheese standard. SCA provides specific technical modules for cheesemakers, technical committee representation, and additional guidance for SCA members.
- NFU (National Farmers Union)coreNFU is one of the three founding trade associations that created SALSA as a non-profit making joint venture. NFU represents farmers and food producers, providing industry credibility and alignment with agricultural interests.
- Food & Drink FederationcoreOne of three founding trade associations in the SALSA joint venture. FDF represents food and drink manufacturers, providing industry leadership and credibility.
- UK HospitalitycoreOne of three founding trade associations in the SALSA joint venture. UK Hospitality represents hospitality and food service sector, connecting SALSA with major buyers.
- Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST)coreIFST monitors delivery of the Scheme on behalf of SALSA Scheme Ltd and runs the professional register that verifies competence of SALSA Auditors. All mentors and auditors must be validated by IFST.
- Food Standards AgencyminorThe FSA is committed to promoting awareness of food safety and supports SALSA as it improves standards in small and local food businesses.
- Scotland Food & DrinkcorePartnership for SALSA Go programme providing mentoring support and audit funding to Scottish businesses. Enhanced programme includes practical one-to-one technical support and SALSA audit.
- Horsham District Council / Shared Prosperity Fundminor'Support from the Start' scheme delivering funded mentoring for Sussex-based small food and drink businesses to achieve SALSA certification.
- The Food Works SWminorInnovation centre partnership for SALSA drop-in clinics and support for food and drink producers in the South West region.
- Food Industry Intelligence Network (fiin)minorPartnership to provide fiin's SME Hub resource to SALSA members, offering trusted intelligence and tools to help SMEs protect against food fraud.
- National Food Crime Unit (NFCU)minorCollaboration to host 'Strengthen Your Food Fraud Defences' interactive events for SALSA members, improving knowledge of food fraud prevention and response.
- British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA)minorJoint publication of No and Low Alcohol Beer Quality & Food Safety Guidance with SALSA to support brewers producing alcohol-free and low-strength beer.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SALSA Food competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Intertek: Major global TIC provider offering food safety audits, certification, and quality assurance services. Competes for enterprise food safety certification spend alongside SALSA's micro-producer focus.
- SGS: World-leading testing, inspection and certification company with extensive food safety audit capabilities. Competes as a certification body delivering multiple GFSI schemes, with broader geographic reach than SALSA.
- Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection and certification (TIC) giant offering food safety audits across multiple schemes including FSSC 22000 and BRCGS. Competes with SALSA for audit delivery and certification work, with substantially larger global footprint and capital base.
Direct peers
- BRCGS (BRC Global Standards): One of the world's leading food safety certification schemes, owned by the Institute of Grocery Distribution. BRCGS issues recognized standards (e.g., BRCGS Issue 9) accepted by major global retailers, directly competing with SALSA in the UK buyer-approved supplier market, though BRCGS targets larger producers globally.
- SQF Institute: A GFSI-recognized food safety and quality certification program administered by the Food Marketing Institute. Targets small through large food producers globally, competing for retailer-accepted certifications including in the UK food supply chain.
- FSSC 22000: GFSI-recognized food safety management system certification scheme based on ISO standards. Competes with SALSA for buyer recognition, particularly among mid-size food manufacturers seeking internationally portable certifications accepted by major UK and EU retailers.
- Red Tractor Assurance: UK's largest farm and food assurance scheme covering animal welfare, traceability, and food safety across the supply chain. Operates in adjacent assurance space with UK retail endorsement, competing for the same small-producer certification buyer relationships.
- IFS Food: International Featured Standards food safety certification, GFSI-recognized and widely accepted by European retailers. Competes with SALSA for retailer-recognized approval, particularly among private-label suppliers and mid-size producers.
Emerging players
- GlobalG.A.P. Worldwide standard for good agricultural practices covering farm-level food safety, recognized by major retailers. Adjacent to SALSA in the assurance ecosystem with overlap among UK small-producer buyer requirements, but focused upstream at farming rather than processing.
Regional players
- Origin Green: Ireland's national food and drink sustainability assurance program run by Bord Bia. Comparable as a regional certification scheme serving Irish small producers in adjacent assurance categories, and a potential complement or competitor to SALSA's 2025 Ireland launch.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SALSA Food social profiles
Digital presenceSALSA Food financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SALSA Food leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
SALSA Food funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SALSA Food 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 SALSA Food
What does SALSA Food do?
SALSA operates a food safety certification scheme, providing four annual on-site audited standards — Food & Drink Production, Brokers Storage & Distribution, plus Beer and plus Cheese — for small and micro UK and Irish food producers. The scheme is complemented by IFST-accredited training courses, a member-exclusive digital self-assessment checklist, an expert Label Check Service, and a national mentor network for pre-audit support and HACCP development.
Is SALSA Food a public or private company?
SALSA Food is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was SALSA Food founded?
SALSA Food was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SALSA Food based?
SALSA Food is headquartered in Banbury, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does SALSA Food make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Audit and Certification Fees are the primary driver. The others are training Courses, label Check Service and mentoring Services.
Who are SALSA Food's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Intertek, SGS and Bureau Veritas. Direct peers are BRCGS (BRC Global Standards), SQF Institute, FSSC 22000, Red Tractor Assurance and IFS Food. GlobalG.A.P. is listed as an emerging player. Origin Green is listed as a regional player.
Does SALSA Food have an API?
No public API is recorded for SALSA Food.
What industry is SALSA Food in?
SALSA Food's product category is Food Safety Certification Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFALACAC, Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners), with a secondary code of AFALACAE, Pre-Assessment, Gap Assessment & Certification Readiness Services. Its SIC code is 8734.