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Costco Wholesale was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the first company in the FDA’s Voluntary Qualified Importer Program (VQIP).

The VQIP is a voluntary fee-based program ($16,681 FY2020) that helps expedite the review and importation of foods into the US. One main requirement is for importers to demonstrate they maintain control over the safety and security of the supply chain. As the supply chain reaches overseas, most food importers such as Costco need to ensure the locations of their foreign suppliers are certified by the FDA’s third-party certification program.

If you are a food importer and want to take advantage of benefits offered by being a VQIP, contact experienced customs and trade law attorney David Hsu by phone/text at 832-896-6288 or by email at attorney.dave@yahoo.com.