What BRC Global Standards does

BRC Global Standards (BRCGS), legally operating as BRC Trading Ltd and wholly owned by UK life sciences company LGC Group, is a global provider of supply chain assurance certification standards headquartered in Guildford, Surrey, with origins in the British Retail Consortium dating to 1996. The company's core offering is a portfolio of ten GFSI-recognized certification standards covering food safety, storage and distribution, packaging materials, consumer products, retail, ethical trade and responsible sourcing, gluten-free production, plant-based products, agents and brokers, and the START ethical audit programme. These standards are issued through a global network of accredited third-party Certification Bodies that conduct audits and issue certifications, creating an asset-light licensing model. Certified suppliers are listed in BRCGS's public Directory for verification by brand owners and retailers.

BRCGS has expanded its business from a pure standards publisher into a multi-revenue platform. Beyond certification licensing, the company generates revenue through training (e-learning, classroom, in-house, and the BRCGS Professional qualification delivered via Approved Training Partners), digital solution subscriptions (Horizon for supply chain risk management, Directory Pro for supplier management, Confidential Reporting, and Food Safety Culture Excellence), and direct sales of standards and publications via the BRCGS Store. The BRCGS Participate document library serves Service Package subscribers. GTM is overwhelmingly channel-mediated: certifications flow through Certification Bodies, training flows through Approved Training Partners, and implementation support is delivered by BRCGS consultants. Direct digital and e-commerce channels handle standards purchases and subscriptions.

The company serves food manufacturers, consumer product companies, packaging suppliers, logistics operators, retailers, and trading agents across global markets, with localized content in English, Chinese, Portuguese, and Spanish. BRCGS is positioning itself at the intersection of certification and ongoing supply chain intelligence, exemplified by the Directory Pro launch. The company is led by CEO Mark Proctor and Technical Director David Brackston, and operates with 11-50 employees per firmographic data — consistent with an asset-light model in which third-party Certification Bodies and training partners perform the bulk of customer-facing delivery.

Name

BRC Global Standards

Legal name

BRC Trading Ltd

Website

http://www.brcglobalstandards.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BRC Global Standards (BRCGS) provides GFSI-recognized certification standards, digital solutions, and training programmes for global supply chain assurance across food safety, packaging, retail, and consumer products. Owned by LGC Group and headquartered in the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Supply Chain Assurance Certification Standards

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Safety & Quality Scheme Certifications (GFSI Programs) (AFALAMAI), Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing Certification Services (AFALAMAD), Supply Chain, Logistics & Procurement Certifications (EDAAANAK)

Keywords

• Supply chain assurance
• Food safety certification
• Quality standards programmes
• Packaging material certification
• Ethical trade auditing

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Certification Services: BRCGS provides global supply chain assurance programmes through certification schemes. Companies achieve certification by undergoing audits conducted by accredited Certification Bodies.
2. Training Services: Revenue from e-learning, classroom learning, and in-house training courses delivered through approved training partners and the BRCGS Professional programme.
3. Digital Solutions Subscriptions: Subscription-based access to digital platforms including Horizon, Directory Pro, Confidential Reporting, Food Safety Culture Excellence, and Participate document library.
4. Standards and Publications Store: Sales of downloadable standards, publications, books, and event tickets through the BRCGS Store.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BRC Global Standards develops, owns, and licenses globally recognised supply chain assurance certification programmes (food safety, packaging, storage and distribution, consumer products, retail, ethical trade, agents and brokers, gluten-free, plant-based, and the START ethical audit programme). Certification is delivered through a worldwide network of accredited third-party Certification Bodies that audit suppliers against the standards, while the company also sells training courses, digital compliance platforms, and standards publications directly and via approved partners.

Product overview

BRCGS operates as a platform-plus-modules portfolio offering global supply chain assurance. The core offering consists of 10 certification standards covering food safety, storage and distribution, packaging materials, consumer products, retail, ethical trade, gluten-free, plant-based products, agents and brokers, and the START ethical audit programme. These standards are complemented by four digital solutions: Horizon (risk management), Directory Pro (supplier management), Confidential Reporting, and Food Safety Culture Excellence. Training is delivered through three modalities (e-learning, classroom, and in-house) plus the BRCGS Professional qualification. The BRCGS Participate platform provides a document library for service package holders, while the Store enables purchasing of standards and booking training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Food Safety Certification Flagship GFSI-recognised global standard for food safety management systems, used by food manufacturers and processors worldwide to demonstrate compliance and access major retailer supply chains.
• Storage and Distribution Certification Certification standard for storage, warehousing, and distribution operations ensuring product integrity and safety throughout logistics, including cold chain assurance.
• Packaging Materials Certification Certification standard for manufacturers of packaging materials used in food and consumer product supply chains, addressing packaging safety and material compliance.
• Consumer Products Certification Certification standard for non-food consumer product manufacturers ensuring product safety, quality, and consumer protection compliance.
• Retail Certification Certification standard for retail operations covering food safety, product handling, and operational practices in store environments.
• Ethical Trade and Responsible Sourcing Certification Certification standard addressing ethical trade practices, responsible sourcing, supply chain transparency, and labour standards compliance.
• Agents and Brokers Certification Global certification standard for trading agents and brokers operating in food and consumer product supply chains, covering trade compliance and agent verification.
• Gluten Free Certification Certification programme for products and facilities meeting gluten-free production standards, supporting credible gluten-free product claims.
• Plant-Based Certification Certification programme for plant-based food products and the manufacturing facilities producing them.
• START Ethical Audit Programme STEP audit and monitoring programme for ethical trade and social compliance across supply chains.
• Horizon Digital Platform Subscription-based digital platform for supply chain risk management, monitoring, and assurance, providing ongoing visibility beyond periodic audits.
• Directory Pro Subscription-based supplier management digital solution that enables brand owners and retailers to find, verify, and manage certified suppliers across the BRCGS network.
• Confidential Reporting Subscription-based digital tool that enables confidential reporting of safety concerns and issues across the supply chain.
• Food Safety Culture Excellence Subscription-based digital solution for assessing and improving food safety culture within organisations.
• E-Learning Training Courses Online training courses for BRCGS standard implementation and audit preparation, delivered through Approved Training Partners globally.
• Classroom Learning Training Courses In-person classroom training courses for BRCGS certification and standard implementation, delivered through Approved Training Partners.
• In-House Training Customised training delivered at client premises for organisations seeking tailored BRCGS standard implementation programmes.
• BRCGS Professional Qualification Professional qualification programme for individuals working with BRCGS standards, providing recognised credentials for practitioners in the field.

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Certification BodiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccredited certification bodies that conduct audits and issue BRCGS certifications to companies worldwide. Part of the core certification infrastructure.
• Approved Training PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal network of training partners authorised to deliver BRCGS training courses including e-learning, classroom, and in-house training.
• BRCGS ConsultantscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCertified consultants who support companies in implementing BRCGS standards and preparing for certification audits.
• Partner OrganisationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVarious partner organisations that collaborate with BRCGS on industry initiatives and supply chain assurance programmes.
• Global PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partner organisations supporting BRCGS operations and certification delivery in global markets.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FSSC 22000 (Foundation for Food Safety Certification): Owner of the FSSC 22000 GFSI-recognized food safety certification scheme. Directly competes with BRCGS Food Safety for the same manufacturer and retailer-mandated slots.
• SQF Institute: Operates the SQF (Safe Quality Food) certification program, a GFSI-recognized scheme competing head-to-head with BRCGS for food manufacturer certifications globally.
• IFS (International Featured Standards): Owns IFS Food and other GFSI-benchmarked certification standards widely used by European retailers, directly competing with BRCGS in food and consumer products certification.
• GlobalG.A.P. Global standards owner for Good Agricultural Practice covering primary production, overlapping with BRCGS in supply chain assurance and increasingly in food safety benchmarking.

Broad incumbents

• Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) incumbent that operates certification bodies across food, consumer products, and supply chain assurance—competing with BRCGS's accredited CB network.
• SGS: One of the world's largest TIC providers, running multiple GFSI-benchmarked audit schemes and competing with BRCGS in certification services and supply chain assurance.
• DNV: Global assurance and certification company active in food safety, supply chain, and management system certification, competing with BRCGS standards and acting as a certification body.
• Intertek: Global TIC provider offering food safety audits, supply chain assurance, and certification services, overlapping with BRCGS's standards and CB ecosystem.
• TÜV SÜD: Global testing and certification body active in food safety and supply chain assurance schemes, comparable to BRCGS standards and serving as a competing CB.

Emerging players

• NSF International: Global public health and safety organization that develops standards and operates certification programs in food, water, and consumer products—adjacent to BRCGS with overlapping retailer relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/brc_standards
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCv_m8YKJjRYYDKaKS3F7Cuw
• Facebookfacebook.com/brcglobalstandards
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brc-global-standards

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BRC Global Standards