GMA-SAFE - Supplier Assessments for Food Excellence

The GMA-SAFE Program was created in 2001 by leading food industry quality assurance professionals and members of the Grocery Manufacturers Association.

The GMA-SAFE Assessment suite offers the most comprehensive food protection evaluation available, consisting of six industry specific Assessments (Food Protection, Primary Packaging, Aseptic, Warehouse/ Distribution, Spice and Dairy) plus a shorter, but still thorough, SAFE Express Assessment.

SAFE Assessment Process

The GMA-SAFE Assessment process provides a comprehensive, non-scored narrative of a facility’s activities regarding food protection, quality assurance and food defense. Assessments are not biased toward any proprietary standard but rather are “outcome based”, allowing Assessments to respond to the unique requirements of different cultures, regulatory bodies and consumer preference trends.

Market Acceptance

GMA-SAFE is accepted and is currently relied upon by more than 100 of the largest food manufacturers. Safeway, Heinz, The Coca-Cola Company, P&G and General Mills.

GMA-SAFE’s Industry Advisory Group (IAG) is comprised of representatives from major US and international food companies. By earning the support of major food companies and integrating them into the IAG, GMA-SAFE continues to earn a strong foothold as the leading third-party assessment platform for the food protection industry.

• The GMA-SAFE Program is accepted and used by leading food manufacturers.
• The number of GMA-SAFE Assessments has increased steadily since 2001.
• The GMA-SAFE Assessment is the most comprehensive, outcome-based report available to the food industry.
• The narrative format of the GMA-SAFE assessment permits end users to determine whether their suppliers meet their own specific, internal standards.
• Demand for GMA-SAFE Assessments will increase substantially given recent FDA and industry initiatives.

Unlike other auditing systems, the GMA-SAFE Program provides retailers and manufacturers a virtual tour of their suppliers’ facilities, a full verification Assessment of their documented food defense program, a thorough inspection to determine how well suppliers execute their programs and whether said programs are effective.