Importer or broker courses in South Africa
Trades food without making or storing it.
- SAATCA-registered TC 065
- FoodBev SETA-accredited 587/00337/1900
- QR-verified certificates
- No VAT added
Which courses does a food importer, agent or broker need?
For IFS Broker: Introduction to HACCP, Introduction to IFS Broker Version 3.2, Implementation of IFS Broker Version 3.2 for Trading Companies, Food Fraud (VACCP) and Food Defence (TACCP), Food Fraud Coordinator, Internal and Supplier Auditing Practices based on FSMS, then Labelling Claims and Regulatory Framework. 7 courses, 85 hours. IFS Broker Version 3.2 for Management is optional for directors.
For BRCGS Agents and Brokers: Introduction to HACCP, Introduction to BRCGS for Agents and Brokers Issue 3, BRCGS Agents and Brokers Issue 3 for Management, Food Fraud (VACCP) and Food Defence (TACCP), Food Fraud Coordinator, Internal and Supplier Auditing Practices based on FSMS, then Labelling Claims and Regulatory Framework. 7 courses, 65 hours, nothing optional.
In what order should importer or brokers take these courses, and why?
Traders never touch the food, but both standards still expect a hazard-based system, so Introduction to HACCP comes first. Then pick your standard: IFS Broker (introduction, the optional management course for directors, then implementation) or BRCGS Agents and Brokers (introduction, then management). Food fraud and the fraud coordinator course cover the supplier risk you carry, Internal and Supplier Auditing covers supplier approval, and the labelling course covers what you put on the market.
How long does the importer or broker path take, and what does it cost?
The 7 core courses take about 85 hours of self-paced study and cost R16 490 bought one by one. At 5 hours a week that is about 17 weeks, on a phone or a laptop.
That is about R2 356 a course. Set it against what it protects: a recall, a rejected consignment or a failed audit costs a business far more than any course on this page.
Hours and prices are read from each course page. Last checked 12 October 2026.
What you get on this path
- A certificate per course, the day you passEach carries a QR code that an inspector, auditor or employer scans to verify it.
- Marked the moment you submitEvery assessment has a 70% pass mark and three attempts, with feedback that names the lesson to go back to.
- Access does not expire, so there is no deadline to finish.Start today on a phone or a laptop, stop and resume whenever you like.
- Pay online or by invoiceNo VAT is added. Teams get per-learner pricing and a manager dashboard that tracks every certificate.
Questions importer or brokers ask before they enrol
What is the path for BRCGS Agents and Brokers?
For BRCGS Agents and Brokers: Introduction to HACCP, Introduction to BRCGS for Agents and Brokers Issue 3, BRCGS Agents and Brokers Issue 3 for Management, Food Fraud (VACCP) and Food Defence (TACCP), Food Fraud Coordinator, Internal and Supplier Auditing Practices based on FSMS, then Labelling Claims and Regulatory Framework. 7 courses, 65 hours, nothing optional.
Does a food broker need HACCP if it never handles product?
Yes. Both IFS Broker Version 3.2 and BRCGS Agents and Brokers Issue 3 expect a hazard-based system from a trading company, even one that never stores or touches the food, which is why Introduction to HACCP, 8 hours at R1 195, is the first course in both versions of the path. It gives you the seven principles the standard clauses assume you understand.
Should an importer choose IFS Broker or BRCGS Agents and Brokers?
Ask your customers which certificate they ask for, then pick that version of the path. The IFS Broker path is 85 hours: Introduction to IFS Broker Version 3.2, Implementation of IFS Broker Version 3.2 for Trading Companies and the shared courses, with the management course optional. The BRCGS path is 65 hours: Introduction to BRCGS for Agents and Brokers Issue 3, BRCGS Agents and Brokers Issue 3 for Management and the shared courses.
Can a trading company do these courses with staff in different cities?
Yes. Every course is online, self-paced and gives lifetime access, so a buyer in Durban and a director in Johannesburg can enrol separately and work at their own pace. Implementation of IFS Broker Version 3.2 for Trading Companies alone is 24 hours, so give staff time rather than a deadline.