Selling Private-Label to Australian and New Zealand Supermarkets
Australian and New Zealand grocery is dominated by Woolworths and Coles in Australia (with ALDI Australia, IGA/Metcash and Costco completing the picture) and by Foodstuffs (Pak'nSave, New World, Four Square) and Woolworths NZ (now Countdown rebranded to Woolworths NZ) in New Zealand.
In Short
- Layer 1 is farm assurance — Freshcare (Australian fresh produce), AusGAP, NZ GAP, GlobalG.A.P. where export-relevant, the Australian Pork Industry Quality Assurance…
- Woolworths Quality Assurance (WQA) is a GFSI-recognised standard owned and operated by Woolworths, applied across the bulk of its own-brand supply.
- Coles' Supplier Quality Requirements (CSQR) layer above BRCGS/SQF with category-specific testing schedules, declaration-accuracy expectations and complaint-rate ceilings.
Suppliers stack farm assurance (Freshcare, AusGAP, NZ GAP, GlobalG.A.P., the Australian Pork Industry Quality Assurance Program, the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework) under BRCGS, SQF or the retailer-specific GFSI-recognised schemes — WQA (Woolworths Quality Assurance) and HARPS (Harmonised Australian Retailer Produce Scheme) are the regional anchors.
The Aus/NZ stack — WQA, HARPS, BRCGS or SQF, retailer code
Layer 1 is farm assurance — Freshcare (Australian fresh produce), AusGAP, NZ GAP, GlobalG.A.P. where export-relevant, the Australian Pork Industry Quality Assurance Program (APIQ), the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework, the New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme (NZFAP). Layer 2 is the GFSI processor scheme — BRCGS and SQF widely accepted; WQA (Woolworths Quality Assurance) is a GFSI-recognised retailer-specific scheme used heavily across Woolworths' supplier base; HARPS (Harmonised Australian Retailer Produce Scheme) consolidates produce requirements across Australian retailers.
More on the Aus/NZ stack — WQA, HARPS, BRCGS or SQF, retailer code
Layer 3 is the retailer code: Woolworths Supplier Excellence; Coles' Supplier Quality Requirements; ALDI Australia's supplier manual; IGA/Metcash supplier programme; Foodstuffs and Woolworths NZ standards.
Woolworths Australia — WQA and Supplier Excellence
Woolworths Quality Assurance (WQA) is a GFSI-recognised standard owned and operated by Woolworths, applied across the bulk of its own-brand supply. WQA covers food safety, quality, integrity, animal welfare and sustainability with category-specific modules.
More on woolworths Australia — WQA and Supplier Excellence
Above WQA, Woolworths' Supplier Excellence programme structures complaint thresholds, sustainability commitments (Sustainability Plan 2025), animal welfare expectations (cage-free egg commitment, sow-stall-free pork) and packaging requirements (APCO targets). Woolworths technical visits are announced and unannounced and reviews are at least quarterly.
Coles — Supplier Quality Requirements
Coles' Supplier Quality Requirements (CSQR) layer above BRCGS/SQF with category-specific testing schedules, declaration-accuracy expectations and complaint-rate ceilings. Coles' 'Together to Zero' sustainability framework and the Coles Brand portfolio drive specific commitments on packaging, carbon and animal welfare.
More on coles — Supplier Quality Requirements
Coles technical visits and complaint dashboards work on a similar cadence to Woolworths.
ALDI Australia, IGA/Metcash and Costco Australia
ALDI Australia applies the ALDI group supplier programme described in the DACH guide, adapted for Australian origin and welfare expectations and integrated with HARPS for produce. IGA/Metcash runs a wholesaler-distributor model with the IGA Quality programme.
More on aLDI Australia, IGA/Metcash and Costco Australia
Costco Australia runs Kirkland Signature requirements. HARPS is the produce-side common denominator across the big retailers — a single HARPS audit covers Woolworths, Coles, ALDI, IGA and Costco for in-scope produce, which materially cuts supplier audit burden.
New Zealand — Foodstuffs and Woolworths NZ
New Zealand grocery is a duopoly: Foodstuffs (Pak'nSave, New World, Four Square, in North Island/South Island co-ops) and Woolworths NZ (formerly Countdown, rebranded to Woolworths). NZFAP (New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme) is the national livestock farm scheme.
More on new Zealand — Foodstuffs and Woolworths NZ
Foodstuffs operates own-brand programmes (Pams, Value, Pams Plus) with category-specific supplier standards. Woolworths NZ applies the Woolworths group apparatus adapted for NZ origin and welfare law. NZ origin claims (Made in NZ vs Product of NZ) are nationally distinctive and verifiable on demand.
Questions
Is WQA a substitute for BRCGS or SQF?
WQA is GFSI-recognised in its own right, so for Woolworths supply it can be the GFSI-recognised certificate. Many Woolworths suppliers carry WQA only. If you also supply other retailers, BRCGS or SQF is usually more portable and many suppliers carry both.
What does HARPS cover?
HARPS (Harmonised Australian Retailer Produce Scheme) covers produce-side legal, food safety and ethical requirements across Woolworths, Coles, ALDI, IGA and Costco Australia. A single HARPS audit serves all those retailers, which materially reduces audit burden for produce suppliers.
How tight are Aus/NZ welfare expectations?
Tight and accelerating. Cage-free egg commitments (most major retailers transitioning by 2025-2026), sow-stall-free pork commitments, antibiotic-stewardship expectations and growing pressure on broiler stocking density are all live conversations. Sustainability claims (carbon, packaging via APCO) are increasingly listing-critical.
Practical orientation, not legal advice. Rules differ by jurisdiction; your quality and compliance team decides what applies.
The Food Processing Operations Guide
Safe changeovers. Right labels. Every lot traceable.
- The rules and the plan
- Supplier to filled tray
- Allergen changeovers and pack checks
- Trace, recall and record review
Plus Evidence map and four worksheets.
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The Food Processing Operations Guide
Safe changeovers. Right labels. Every lot traceable.
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