Vendor audits are performed to check if a particular or multiple entities involved in processes of a food business operator. A food business operator could have multiple vendors for many different purposes such as procurement of raw materials, labeling, packaging, distribution, etc. Vendor audits help an industry comply with the standards set by the Foods Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).

Importance of vendor audit:

• By only selecting providers who can deliver as agreed, you can avoid wasting money and disappointing your customers
• Make sure the provider upholds strict sanitary standards all the way through production
• Make sure your manufacturer performs profitably and makes ongoing improvements to save expenses
• Analyse if the products being produced adhere to the required specifications

Categories of vendors:

• Vendors for raw ingredients
• Vendors for labeling requirements
• Vendors for packaging and packaging materials
• Vendors for transportation of final products
• Vendors for storage of products