GMP+ Certification – benefits you’ll experience from day one of working with a new client

Companies operating in the animal feed supply chain are increasingly being asked one question by potential trading partners from the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium or Denmark: “Do you hold GMP+ certification?” This question, which just a few years ago mainly concerned exporters, is now also being asked with increasing frequency in domestic trade. And it is not a rhetorical question – the lack of GMP+ certification means the end of discussions before they have even properly begun.

An open door to markets that remain closed without certification

GMP+ is a standard aimed at all companies within the animal feed supply chain. Entities working with organisations in certain Western European countries, including the Netherlands and Germany, are required to obtain this certification. For Polish producers and distributors of animal feed and feed materials, GMP+ certification is the key to working with partners in these markets – without it, contract negotiations are often pointless.

However, the market benefit of GMP+ certification extends beyond Western Europe. The GMP+ standard is gradually gaining acceptance as an international standard, and currently around 18,000 companies worldwide are already operating in accordance with its requirements. In practice, it is becoming increasingly difficult for organisations that do not opt for certification to operate in the feed market. This means that companies without GMP+ certification are gradually being pushed to the margins of the market – not because their production standards are lower, but because they cannot prove this in a way that their trading partners accept.

GMP+ certification is verifiable via GMP+ International’s public database – meaning that a potential trading partner can check the validity and scope of your certificate within seconds. This eliminates the need to send documentation with every new business contact and reduces the supplier qualification process from weeks to minutes.

Fewer complaints, fewer losses, lower operating costs

The benefits of GMP+ certification extend far beyond commercial relationships. Implementing a feed safety management system in accordance with GMP+ requirements streamlines processes, eliminates ambiguities regarding responsibility and fosters a culture of feed safety, which translates into measurable savings.

Companies that have completed the GMP+ implementation process report a reduction in the number of customer complaints – because the system forces the identification and elimination of the causes of non-compliance rather than a reactive response to problems. Better management of raw materials and production processes means less waste, less downtime and lower costs associated with handling non-compliance.

The requirements of the GMP+ standard are based on good hygiene and manufacturing practices (GHP/GMP) commonly used in the food industry and relate to the HACCP system. Implementing these requirements not only meets the expectations of trading partners – it builds an internal management system that protects the company from costly feed safety incidents. And an incident in the feed industry – contamination, a batch recall, a media scandal – entails costs that far exceed the annual cost of maintaining the certificate.

Credibility that works for you – even when you’re not talking to a customer

GMP+ certification is a selling point that works 24 hours a day – even when no one in your company is actively engaged in sales discussions. Your listing in the GMP+ International database is visible to all participants in the feed market who are looking for certified suppliers. Companies actively seeking business partners start with the database – and if you’re not listed there, you don’t exist in their minds as a potential supplier.

GMP+ certification also strengthens a company’s position in its dealings with financial institutions and insurers. Banks and insurance companies are increasingly taking the existence of certified management systems into account when assessing risk and determining the terms of financing or insurance premiums. A company with GMP+ certification is perceived as one that manages risk in a systematic manner – which translates into better terms of cooperation.

For family-run businesses and SMEs operating in the feed industry, GMP+ certification is also a tool for building a reputation that stands apart from personal business relationships. When an owner retires or the company undergoes a generational transition, the certification remains – and attests to the quality of the system, not just the quality of the individual.