Amazon compliance for grocery and gourmet food brands
LIVELE manages Amazon compliance for grocery and gourmet food brands selling on Amazon.com. We track Food and Drug Administration (FDA) facility registrations, label files with allergen declarations, lot and expiration data and Amazon's category approval documents for every ASIN. FDA food facility registrations must be renewed between October 1 and December 31, 2026, or they expire. Compliance Management costs $3,500/month and does not include PPC.
What FDA rules require of a food brand
Sources were last checked on October 7, 2026.
Facility registration. Facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold food for consumption in the US register with the FDA. Registrations are renewed every other year between October 1 and December 31 of each even-numbered year, so the current window closes December 31, 2026. Renewal has no fee, and a registration that is not renewed expires (FDA, September 2026). Foreign facilities name a US agent in their registration.
Imports. The FDA must receive Prior Notice of imported food before it arrives, from 2 hours ahead by road to 8 hours by water (FDA). Importers must also run a Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) that verifies their foreign suppliers (FDA, May 2026).
Labels. Packaged food carries Nutrition Facts unless an exemption applies (21 CFR 101.9). Allergen labeling covers nine major food allergens: sesame became the ninth on January 1, 2023 (FDA, March 2026).
Traceability. Congress directed the FDA not to enforce the Food Traceability Rule before July 20, 2028, and the FDA has proposed moving the compliance date to match (FDA, July 2026).
Amazon's FBA rules for dated and temperature-sensitive food
Shelf life at check-in. Amazon requires enough remaining shelf life for a customer to use the product in full, plus 90 days. Amazon staff gave the example of a product with 240 daily servings, which needs 330 days left (Amazon Seller Forums, October 2025).
Dates on the box. The expiration date goes on each unit and on the outer box in 36-point type or larger, in a format such as MM-DD-YYYY or MM-YYYY (Amazon Seller Forums, November 2023). Amazon typically makes dated products unfulfillable 50 days or more before expiration, depending on the category (Amazon Seller Forums, August 2026).
Heat and cold. Amazon did not accept meltable inventory at its fulfillment centers from April 20 to September 28, 2026; the window changes each year (Amazon Seller Forums, March 2026). Products that need refrigeration, air conditioning or freezing are not accepted in FBA at any time (Amazon Seller Forums, October 2023).
Selling in Amazon's Grocery & Gourmet Food category
If Seller Central shows an "Apply to sell" button for a grocery product, the category needs approval. Amazon's grocery guide lists the documents it may ask for: invoices for 10 or more units, a brand authorization letter, product photos, safety certifications, FDA or USDA paperwork and a business license. The same guide gives account targets of an order defect rate under 1%, pre-fulfillment cancellations under 2.5% and late shipments under 4% (Amazon, January 2026).
What LIVELE keeps on file for each grocery ASIN
This is what "documentation, certification and regulatory tracking" means in Compliance Management for a grocery brand. We track and file. Your co-packer, importer and labs produce the documents.
| Document | Who issues it | What we track |
|---|---|---|
| FDA food facility registration | Each facility, with the FDA | Registration number, the renewal due by December 31, 2026, US agent for foreign facilities |
| Label file | Your brand | Nutrition Facts, ingredient list and allergen declaration, including sesame, per label version |
| Lot and expiration records | Your brand or co-packer | Date format and 36-point outer-box date, remaining shelf life before each FBA shipment |
| Prior Notice confirmations | The importer or its filer | One per imported shipment, matched to the inbound plan |
| FSVP records | The importer | Verification for each foreign supplier |
| Category approval file | Your suppliers and your brand | Invoices, brand authorization letters, certifications, FDA or USDA paperwork |
| Temperature plan | Your brand | ASINs Amazon treats as meltable, and the inbound calendar around its seasonal window |
- We don't write food labels, run food safety plans or test products. Your co-packer, food safety consultant and labs do.
Who this is for
Who it’s for
- Grocery and gourmet brands with Brand Registry doing roughly $1.5 million or more a year on Amazon.
- Brands that import food or use several co-packers, where registrations, Prior Notice and FSVP multiply.
- Brands with dated or heat-sensitive products, where a date problem at check-in leaves stock that cannot be sold.
Who it’s not for
- Brands selling refrigerated or frozen products through FBA. Amazon does not accept them.
- Brands that need a food safety plan, label design or lab testing. Food safety consultants and labs do that.
- Resellers without Brand Registry, brands under about $1 million a year on Amazon or anyone looking for PPC management.
Questions grocery brands ask
Do we need to renew our FDA food facility registration this year?
Yes, if your facility is registered. The renewal window runs from October 1 to December 31, 2026. There is no fee, and a registration that is not renewed expires.
How much shelf life does Amazon need at check-in?
Enough for a customer to use the product in full, plus 90 days. A product with 240 daily servings needs 330 days left when it reaches the fulfillment center.
When does Amazon stop selling dated inventory?
Amazon says it typically makes dated products unfulfillable 50 days or more before expiration, depending on the category. Plan removals or promotions before that point.
Can we send chocolate to FBA in summer?
Not if Amazon treats it as meltable. In 2026 Amazon did not accept meltable inventory from April 20 to September 28. Amazon sets the window each year, so plan the inbound calendar around it.
Is sesame a major food allergen now?
Yes. Sesame became the ninth major food allergen on January 1, 2023, so it has to be declared like milk, eggs or peanuts.
Can we sell refrigerated or frozen products through FBA?
No. Amazon does not accept products that need refrigeration, air conditioning or freezing in FBA at any time of year.
Talk to an Amazon specialist about your grocery catalog
Tell us how many ASINs you sell and what Amazon has asked for. If a listing is already deactivated or Amazon has set a deadline, choose "Urgent" in the form so we read it first.