Do You Need GFSI to Sell Pet Food at Walmart?

Saro Loucks
Saro Loucks

Last updated: March 5, 2024

Do You Need GFSI to Sell Pet Food at Walmart

Do you want to get your dog food, cat food, dog treats, or cat treats sold at Walmart? Like Whole Foods, Walmart has certain expectations in the way of food safety.

Let’s pretend Walmart wants to sell your dog or cat food at their stores. Besides having a good product, what do you need to get your pet food on their shelves?

You need to make sure your pet food is safe for animals to eat of course! Now more than ever consumers and retailers are becoming more cautious about the safety of their pet’s food. Consumers are also demanding less processed ingredients for their animals which can add more layers to your food safety system.

Walmart Requires a GFSI Certification

Walmart requires a Global Food Safety Initiative certification (GFSI certification) to be obtained and maintained properly at all of your production facilities before Walmart will carry your pet food brand.  As part of your GFSI certification and GFSI audit, you must also have a HACCP plan in place.

Just like human food, pet food requires food safety for production and record keeping for a successful pet food recall. You might have seen stories in the news about a pet food recall due to unsafe ingredients.

When toxic ingredients are found in pet food it’s important to know if the toxic ingredient is present in any of your products. And Walmart needs to know which batch must be removed during a recall so contaminated food does not go out to their customers.  This is why batch management is so important and one of many reasons why Foodready is a great choice for food safety software. Our software does batch management so you can be “recall ready” at any moment. We offer complete food traceability capability.

FoodReady is a food safety software and consulting company. Our software has a HACCP builder, food traceability, you can create your own checklists to manage your HACCP plan or track other items, ingredients, tasks, or events. With our Enterprise program you will have access to food safety quality assurance professionals like our GFSI consultant who can help you with the GFSI audit, SQF audit, GMP, SOP, BRC, CGMP, HACCP, gap analysis, or prepare for audits like the Costco audit, the Whole Foods audit, Publix audit, Kroger audit, Safeway audit, Meier audit, HEB audit and more.

FAQs

Yes, small pet food manufacturers can compete by focusing on quality and safety. By implementing a robust food safety management system, obtaining GFSI certification, and leveraging technology like FoodReady for traceability and compliance, small manufacturers can meet Walmart’s requirements and appeal to consumers looking for high-quality, safe pet food options.
Food traceability is important in the pet food industry for several reasons: ensuring the safety and quality of products, facilitating efficient recalls when necessary, and building consumer trust. It allows manufacturers and retailers to track the movement of ingredients and products through all stages of production, processing, and distribution.
Yes, FoodReady’s software and consulting services are designed to assist with a variety of audits, including but not limited to Costco, Whole Foods, Publix, Kroger, Safeway, Meijer, HEB, and more, ensuring manufacturers meet the specific requirements of each retailer.

In this article

Saro Loucks

Saro Loucks

HACCP Certified, food safety enthusiast.

Try it out today!

Give the FoodReady platform a try for free for 14 days.

Related Blogs

transparent line icon
Why FoodReady Food Safety Software is Necessary for FSMA rule 204

I wrote an earlier article about FDA FSMA rule 204 which is all about FOOD TRACEABILITY. And here I am again telling you why FoodReady’s food safety software is what

Management Review Process for SQF Compliance

In my experience within the industry, a notable challenge is the development and implementation of an effective Management Review Program, a mandatory element of the SQF Standard. A common obstacle

Internal Audit Program For SQF Compliance

Internal Audits are vital in ensuring the health and effectiveness of an organization. They not only evaluate the efficacy of a company’s internal control. They also ensure compliance with laws