Last Updated on November 18, 2025 by Melissa Lazaro

Why a Quality Manual Still Matters in IFS V8

When I work with food manufacturers preparing for IFS V8, one of the first questions that comes up is:

“Do we really still need a quality manual?”

And honestly, I understand the hesitation. Some standards are moving away from traditional manuals, and teams worry about creating something long, stiff, and impossible to maintain.

But here’s the truth:
A well-structured IFS V8 Quality Manual can make your entire system easier to manage. It becomes the map, not the encyclopedia — a clear high-level guide showing how your organization meets the standard.

Companies that build their manual intentionally avoid duplicated documents, confusion during audits, and constant rewriting. They also use it to onboard new team members, align departments, and prove to auditors that the system isn’t just documents — it’s controlled, understood, and operating.

That’s what we’re aiming for here.

Purpose of the Quality Manual (IFS V8 Documentation Requirements)

The purpose of the Quality Manual is simple:
Define how your company meets the IFS V8 requirements in a clear and structured way.

It doesn’t need to restate the entire standard or include every checklist you’ve ever created. Instead, it acts as a reference:

• What system exists
• Who is responsible
• Where supporting documents live

A short example purpose statement might look like this:

“This Quality Manual describes the food-safety and quality management system implemented at ABC Foods. It explains how the company meets the requirements of IFS V8 through defined processes, controlled documentation, and continuous improvement.”

Pro Tip:
Keep this section short. One paragraph is enough. Long explanations usually add confusion, not clarity.

Scope & Applicability (IFS V8 Scope Statement Example)

The scope defines the boundaries of your certification. This includes the products, processes, and locations included — and also what’s excluded.

A simple example:

“The scope of this Quality Manual covers the receiving, storage, mixing, baking, packaging, and dispatch of frozen bakery products at Site A.”

Common mistakes I see during audits:

• The scope doesn’t match reality.
• Outsourced providers or seasonal products are missing.
• The scope is copied from a previous standard without updates.

A helpful way to structure this:

Scope Element	Description
Site	Site A — Main Production
Products	Frozen croissants, bread rolls
Activities included	Raw material receiving, mixing, baking, packing, dispatch
Outsourced processes	Transport and label printing

This makes the scope crystal clear — for auditors and your own team.

Quality & Food-Safety Policy (IFS V8 Policy Requirements)

The policy sets the tone. It’s your organizational commitment in writing — but it shouldn’t feel like marketing language.

A practical policy could be two tight statements:

“We commit to producing safe, legal, and high-quality food products that meet customer expectations and regulatory requirements.”
“We continuously improve our processes, ensure employee competence, and maintain compliance with the IFS V8 food-safety and quality standard.”

During audits, I often ask operators:
“What does your policy mean to your role?”

If the answer is “No idea, I’ve never seen it” — we have a problem.

Pro Tip:
Make sure the policy is both visible AND understood. A short explanation during induction works wonders.

Organization, Roles & Responsibilities (IFS V8 Accountability Structure)

People need to know who owns what. This section explains how responsibilities are assigned — especially for food safety, document control, training, and risk management.

A simple responsibility matrix helps:

Activity	Responsible	Support	Approver
HACCP Plan	HACCP Team Leader	QA Team	Technical Manager
Calibration	Maintenance Supervisor	QA	Ops Manager
Supplier Approval	QA Manager	Purchasing	Technical Manager

The companies that perform best in audits usually have clear ownership — not “everyone is responsible,” because when everyone is responsible, no one is.

Process Overview & Interaction Map (IFS V8 Process Mapping Requirements)

IFS auditors want to see evidence of process-based thinking. A high-level flow diagram can make this clear in seconds.

A simple example:

Supplier → Receiving → Storage → Production → Packing → Metal Detection → Dispatch

You don’t need fancy graphics — clarity beats aesthetics.

Common pitfall:
Overly complicated maps that no one can explain.

If an operator can walk an auditor through it using real-life examples, you’ve done it right.

Risk-Based Thinking & HACCP Reference

This section doesn’t need to include the HACCP plan itself — just reference it.

Something as simple as:

“Food-safety hazards are analyzed, controlled, and verified through the site’s HACCP Plan (QP-FS-03). The plan is reviewed annually or when significant process changes occur.”

Make it obvious that:

• Risk isn’t a concept
• It’s built into operations

Auditors appreciate clarity more than complexity.

Index of Mandatory Procedures (IFS V8 Controlled Documents List)

Instead of rewriting every procedure, simply reference them in a clean index:

Procedure	Document Code	Owner	Revision
Document Control	QP-DC-01	QA Manager	Rev. 3
Allergen Management	QP-FS-06	Production Manager	Rev. 1
Internal Audit	QP-IA-02	QA Manager	Rev. 2

This keeps the manual current even when procedures evolve.

Document-Control Rules & Record Keeping (IFS V8 Control System Example)

This section briefly explains how documents are controlled, not the full procedure.

A short but meaningful statement might read:

“All controlled documents are reviewed and approved before use, assigned a document code and revision number, and distributed electronically through the Document-Control System. Obsolete versions are removed from use and archived for three years.”

If you can explain the system in one page, it’s usually implemented well.

Supplier Management & Outsourced Processes

Suppliers play a major role in food safety — and auditors want to see that you manage them intentionally.

A simple process flow helps:

Risk Assessment → Required Documents → Approval → Monitoring → Re-Evaluation

What matters most here is consistency. I’ve seen companies with strong systems fail because they approved suppliers once and never monitored them afterward.

Monitoring, KPIs & Continuous Improvement

IFS is performance-driven. This section explains how you measure success.

Common metrics include:

• Customer complaints
• Internal nonconformities
• Allergen changeover failures
• Recall tests
• On-time supplier documentation

A simple sample KPI line might be:

Complaint rate: Target ≤ 1 complaint per 10,000 units — Reviewed quarterly by Senior Management.

KPIs shouldn’t live in spreadsheets no one opens — they should drive decisions.

Conclusion: Your Manual Should Work for You, Not Against You

A strong IFS V8 Quality Manual isn’t long or complicated — it’s clear, controlled, and understood. When built well, it supports your team, strengthens your audit performance, and keeps the entire system aligned.

If you’re at the stage where you’re ready to turn this example into your own working document, I can help you create:

• A downloadable editable manual structure
• Role-based instructions for rollout
• Or a full implementation version aligned to your processes