Certifications Checklist for an Export-Ready Pet Food Co-Packer

Chinese customs authorities have been visiting pet food manufacturers on-site, inspecting raw material warehouses, processing lines, and quality records to verify export compliance. The message is clear: export pet food manufacturing is getting stricter, and not every factory can take cross-border orders.

If you are selecting a pet food contract manufacturer for export, here are the 9 certifications you must verify.

Domestic production credentials

**1. Feed Production License**

Issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, specifying semi-moist or dry pet food categories. Without it, no legal production.

**2. Business license with correct scope**

Must explicitly include pet feed production or sales. A trading company on paper does not qualify.

Export-specific credentials

**3. GACC Export Registration**

This is the hard gate for pet food export to China's customs authority. Approved by the General Administration of Customs, with a dedicated registration number (like 5169xxx). Without it, your shipment cannot clear customs.

**4. US FDA Food Facility Registration**

Required for the North American market. The FCE number must be renewed every two years. Note: this registers the facility, not the product.

System certifications

**5. ISO 9001 Quality Management**

The baseline quality system audit that most B2B buyers expect.

**6. ISO 22000 Food Safety Management**

More food-safety focused than ISO 9001; standard requirement for export buyers.

**7. HACCP**

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points is essential for retort and wet food processes, proving that sterilization and other critical steps are controlled.

Bonus credentials

**8. BRCGS or FSSC 22000**

GFSI-recognized certifications often demanded by international retailers (Walmart, Mars, etc.).

**9. Batch test reports and retention samples**

Not certificates, but audited: every batch's COA, raw material traceability, and retained sample records.

How to verify certificates are real

• Ask for certificate numbers and verify on the issuing body's website
• During factory audits, inspect the originals and match company name and address
• GACC registration numbers are checkable on the customs authority's database

Mixiaoqi (Guangzhou) Pet Technology Co., Ltd. holds a feed production license (Yusi Zheng 2024), GACC export registration (5169PF001), FDA facility registration (FCE 16732633406), and ISO 9001/22000/HACCP triple certifications. Products have been shipped to the Republic of Congo and other markets.

FAQ

**Q: Can I serve a US buyer without FDA registration?**

A: No. Customs entry requires the factory FCE number.

**Q: Is GACC registration the same as the domestic feed license?**

A: No. The domestic license covers local sales; GACC covers export. You need both.

**Q: Is BRCGS mandatory?**

A: Not legally, but most international retailers will not audit you without it.