FSSC 22000 case study: a food and beverage manufacturer

The organisation and what it needed

This FSSC 22000 case study concerns a manufacturer of food and beverage products. Its people were confident in what left the plant. The difficulty was that confidence is not proof. Buyers, auditors and consumers increasingly want to see how a producer knows its products are safe, and how it keeps them the same from one batch to the next.

The business therefore needed systems that could demonstrate two things at once: that food safety was under control, and that quality was consistent. Belief in the product had to be turned into routines, checks and records that anyone reviewing the site could follow.

What was implemented

Rather than treating quality and food safety as separate projects, the manufacturer built them together around three frameworks: ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 22000 for the food safety management system, and FSSC 22000, the scheme that adds prerequisite programmes and further requirements to ISO 22000.

On the food safety side, the programme put firm controls in place, introduced structured allergen management and shifted the emphasis towards preventing risk before it could reach a product, rather than reacting after the event.

On the quality side, production moved onto standard procedures, so each line worked to the same method. Routine quality checks were built into the working day, and the data those checks produced was analysed so that trends could be seen and acted upon.

What changed

The food safety controls, allergen management and preventive approach reduced the likelihood of product recalls and gave consumers stronger protection. For a food and beverage producer, fewer reasons to withdraw product from the market matter both to the people who eat it and to the brand that sells it.

Standard procedures, regular checks and the analysis of quality data kept output consistent, and customer satisfaction rose as a result. Its plant manager said the change marked a turning point for the business.

About FSSC 22000

FSSC 22000 is a certification scheme owned by Foundation FSSC, not a standard in its own right. It combines three normative parts: ISO 22000:2018, the prerequisite programme standard from the ISO 22002 series that matches the site's food chain category, and the scheme's own additional requirements, which reach topics such as food defence, food fraud mitigation, allergens, environmental monitoring and culture.

Its value to manufacturers lies in recognition. ISO 22000 alone is not recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative, while FSSC 22000 has held that recognition since 2010, which is why many retailers and brand owners ask suppliers for it. Version 7, published on 1 May 2026, is the current edition; Version 6 audits remain allowed until 30 April 2027.

Certification is audited and decided by a certification body licensed by Foundation FSSC and accredited for the scheme. At least one surveillance audit in each three-year cycle is unannounced, and certificates appear on the Foundation's public register. Sterling does not certify.

How Sterling runs a programme like this

What follows describes how Sterling generally approaches an integrated food safety and quality programme; it is not a description of this particular client's engagement.

Work usually starts with a gap analysis of the existing arrangements against each part of the scheme, whether a site begins from a HACCP plan or an established ISO 22000 system. Clients then choose between two alternative levels of support. Under Design™, Sterling develops the system and the client implements it under expert advice and supervision. Under Drive™, Sterling designs and builds the system under the client's approval, fully managed.

Effivity, the management system software used in 50+ countries, is included with the engagement at no additional cost, so registers, records and actions sit in one place. Engagements also include internal auditor training for your audit team, as applicable to your standard. Sterling has supported organisations since 2003, with offices in 21 countries and 8,100+ client engagements in 60+ countries.

FSSC 22000 for food and beverage manufacturers: questions buyers ask