What Are the First Steps Toward HACCP Certification for New Facilities?

If you're launching a new food manufacturing facility, getting HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) certified might feel like a daunting task—but it’s one of the most important foundations you can lay. HACCP certification not only helps you comply with regulations, it signals to your customers, partners, and inspectors that you take food safety seriously from day one.

Whether you're building from the ground up or converting an existing space, here are the essential first steps to begin your journey toward HACCP certification.

1. Understand What HACCP Certification Means

HACCP certification is typically granted by a third-party certification body—not a government agency. It validates that your facility has implemented a documented and functional food safety management system based on HACCP principles.

The seven principles of HACCP include:

• Conducting a hazard analysis
  
  

• Identifying critical control points (CCPs)
  
  

• Establishing critical limits
  
  

• Monitoring procedures
  
  

• Corrective actions
  
  

• Verification procedures
  
  

• Recordkeeping and documentation
  
  

This isn’t a box-ticking exercise—it’s a fully integrated process that needs to be tailored to your facility, your products, and your risks.

2. Get to Know Regulatory Requirements First

Before you pursue third-party HACCP certification, make sure you meet your local and federal food safety regulations. In the U.S., that means FDA or USDA requirements, depending on your product type.

For example:

• FDA-regulated facilities must comply with the Preventive Controls Rule under FSMA
  
  

• USDA-regulated plants (meat, poultry, egg) require mandatory HACCP plans
  
  

Understand what’s required by law versus what’s considered a certification standard. Some certification bodies align with GFSI-benchmarked schemes, which go beyond basic regulatory compliance.

3. Assemble a HACCP Team

Certification starts with a knowledgeable team. At minimum, include:

• A HACCP-trained coordinator (this is a must)
  
  

• Operations or production lead
  
  

• QA/food safety personnel
  
  

• Sanitation or maintenance rep
  
  

This team will be responsible for writing the plan, validating it, and keeping it current. If no one on your team has HACCP training yet, that’s step one.

4. Conduct a Facility Assessment

Before writing your HACCP plan, walk through your facility to assess:

• Product flow (from receiving to shipping)
  
  

• Potential hazards at each step
  
  

• Sanitary design and equipment placement
  
  

• Waste flow and employee traffic
  
  

You’ll use this walkthrough to develop a process flow diagram and identify any potential risks or layout issues that need to be addressed before certification.

5. Develop Prerequisite Programs (PRPs)

HACCP only works when it’s built on strong foundational programs. PRPs include:

• Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs)
  
  

• Pest control
  
  

• Employee hygiene
  
  

• Allergen control
  
  

• Equipment calibration
  
  

• Supplier approval
  
  

You must document and implement these before identifying CCPs—they help reduce overall hazard risk and prevent the need for excessive CCPs.

6. Create and Document Your HACCP Plan

With PRPs in place and your hazard analysis complete, build your formal HACCP plan:

• List each process step with its corresponding hazard analysis
  
  

• Identify any CCPs and critical limits
  
  

• Define monitoring, corrective action, and verification procedures for each CCP
  
  

• Build out your recordkeeping system
  

If you're not sure where to start, many facilities use consultants or software platforms to streamline documentation and planning.

7. Train Your Team

Everyone—from production operators to management—must understand their role in the HACCP plan. Provide role-specific training on:

• CCP monitoring
  
  

• Sanitation procedures
  
  

• Documentation and reporting
  
  

Make training a part of onboarding and reinforce it with regular refreshers.

8. Operate the Plan and Collect Records

Before a certification body will audit you, you must show that your HACCP plan isn’t just theoretical—it’s working. That means:

• Following your plan for at least 30–90 days (depending on the certifier)
  
  

• Logging monitoring activities, corrective actions, and verifications
  
  

• Maintaining a clear audit trail
  
  

Digital tools like Protocol Foods can help you stay organized, log tasks in real time, and prep for audit day without drowning in paperwork.

9. Choose a Certification Body and Schedule an Audit

Research reputable certification bodies that offer HACCP or GFSI-aligned certifications. Ask about:

• Pre-audit or readiness reviews
  
  

• Documentation expectations
  
  

• Fees and scheduling
  
  

Make sure your records are clean, your staff is prepared, and your plan reflects current operations before the auditor arrives.

10. Use the Audit as a Learning Opportunity

No audit is perfect—and it doesn’t need to be. What matters most is your facility’s ability to:

• Prove that food safety is part of your daily operation
  
  

• Respond quickly and effectively to non-conformities
  
  

• Show a commitment to continuous improvement
  
  

The audit report can be a valuable guide to further refine your program.

Build It Right From the Start

Starting a new facility is the perfect time to build food safety into your culture—not bolt it on later. Taking the right first steps toward HACCP certification sets the tone for how your team will approach compliance, accountability, and product quality long-term.

With digital support tools, strong documentation, and a trained team, even a brand-new facility can move from startup to certified in a matter of months.

FAQs

Is HACCP certification legally required?

In some sectors (like USDA-regulated meat and poultry), yes. For others, it's not legally required but is often demanded by buyers or used as a competitive advantage.

How long does it take to get certified?

From initial plan development to audit, it usually takes 3–6 months—depending on your readiness and resources.

What’s the difference between HACCP and GFSI certification?

HACCP is a foundational food safety system. GFSI schemes (like SQF or BRCGS) include HACCP principles but add more requirements for traceability, management systems, and continual improvement.

Can I use software to build my HACCP plan?

Yes. Digital tools can streamline everything from hazard analysis to recordkeeping. Just make sure the software aligns with your certifier’s expectations.

What happens if we don’t pass our first audit?

You’ll typically receive a list of non-conformities and a timeline to correct them. Once resolved, you can schedule a follow-up review to earn your certification.