Certification
BRCGS AA: the grade ladder explained
Nootro holds BRCGS AA, the top grade. Explore the grade ladder and the manufacturing practices, quality systems and food safety controls behind the standard.
What is BRCGS?
The BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety is the benchmark audited food-grade manufacturing standard in the UK and EU. Originally developed by the British Retail Consortium, it's now run by BRCGS and used globally.
Every major UK grocery retailer, pharmacy chain, and private-label supplement buyer expects their manufacturing suppliers to hold BRCGS certification as a minimum. It's table stakes for retail.
GMP and the foundations of BRCGS
Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is a cornerstone of BRCGS. The standard brings together the practical controls, documented systems and food safety planning needed to manufacture products consistently:
- Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP): production and hygiene practices that support consistent product safety and quality, including clean facilities, maintained equipment and trained staff.
- Quality Management System (QMS): documented procedures, checks and records that help control quality throughout manufacturing.
- Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP): a structured approach to identifying food safety hazards and putting controls and monitoring in place.
The BRCGS grade ladder
BRCGS certification grades run from D to AA, the top grade. The grade depends on the number and severity of non-conformities found during the audit. The ladder runs, from lowest to highest:
- D: higher number or severity of non-conformities; follow-up audit required
- C: a higher number or severity of non-conformities; six-month audit cycle
- B: minor or major non-conformities within the grade's limits; annual audit cycle
- A: six to ten minor non-conformities
- AA: zero to very few minor non-conformities
AA is the top BRCGS grade. It reflects a high level of compliance with the standard's food safety and quality requirements.
What this means for a retail buyer
When choosing a supplement manufacturer, ask about their BRCGS grade as well as their certification. The grade helps you assess how the site performed against the standard. Nootro holds AA, the top grade.
We're AA. That's why we put it on every page.
In scope
Everything that touches a batch
A BRCGS AA audit isn't just 'is the factory clean?'. It's a full QMS assessment. The scope includes:
- Senior management commitment: documented policies, regular management reviews, continuous improvement records
- Food safety plan (HACCP): hazard analysis, critical control points, validated monitoring
- Site standards: construction, maintenance, housekeeping, waste management
- Product control: formulation, ingredient approval, allergen management, labelling accuracy
- Process control: in-process checks, equipment calibration, batch records
- Personnel: training, hygiene, competency records
- Traceability: end-to-end from ingredient lot to finished pallet
- Complaint handling: root cause analysis, preventive action, documented closure
Want the audit certificate?
Bring us a real enquiry and we'll send the BRCGS AA audit certificate, QMS summary, and sample COAs with the first-call documentation pack.
Related
Related reading: our full list of quality and accreditations, our Informed Sport capability, and the UK buyer's guide for choosing a contract manufacturer.
