Ask the Collective
The questions independent drinks founders ask most — answered. Distilled from years of community knowledge so the good stuff never disappears in the feed again.
What HACCP or food safety certification do gin producers need, and which standard should we aim for?
Gin producers are covered by HACCP requirements. However, the specific standard you'll need depends on your route to market: - **HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point)** — the baseline food safety framework that applies to gin producers - **Salsa** — a common certification that gin makers are working towards; members are currently pursuing this standard - **BRC (British Retail Consortium)** — a higher standard that supermarkets typically require if you're aiming for retail distribution Members recommend checking which certification your target customers (retailers, distributors, supermarkets) actually demand before committing resources, as supermarket supply chains will push you toward the higher BRC standard rather than basic HACCP alone.
What are the costs, timelines, and alternatives for obtaining HACCP certification to enter APAC markets?
Members report that HACCP certification is a hard requirement for many hotels and restaurants in APAC markets. One member shared their situation: facility upgrades in Mexico cost approximately **£80–100k** and take around **9 months** to achieve. Key considerations: - HACCP certification requirements vary by country and buyer type in APAC; some hospitality buyers will not consider products without it - The member's experience suggests exploring whether your facility already has a documented HACCP plan in place, as this may reduce upgrade costs - Members encouraged investigating cost-effective solutions and potential workarounds, though none were explicitly detailed in the discussion No lower-cost alternatives or accelerated pathways were identified in this conversation. If you're facing similar requirements, reaching out to others who've completed the process in your specific APAC market (Mexico in this case) may yield practical cost-saving tactics.