Information and Q&A’s on NCO Closure
Freshcare was formally advised on Thursday 26 June 2025 that NASAA Certified Organic Pty Ltd (NCO) had ceased operations, following a public announcement made by NCO’s Directors.
Freshcare was not informed in advance of the closure, which unfortunately meant we were unable to provide prior notice to affected participants.
To support certification continuity, Freshcare has released a Certification Transfer Policy, enabling participants with valid Freshcare certificates issued by NCO to transfer their certification to another Freshcare-approved Certification Body (CB). You can access the CB directory here: Certification Bodies Directory
This process has been developed to uphold the integrity of the Freshcare program and minimise business disruption.
On 8 July 2025, David Trim and Brent Kijurina of Hall Chadwick were appointed as Voluntary Administrators of NASAA Certified Organic Pty Ltd.
Freshcare has been advised by the NCO Board that creditors and employees will be contacted by Hall Chadwick in due course. We have reached out to the voluntary administrators for further information and the next steps in the administration process.
Please note: As NCO’s closure is beyond Freshcare’s operational control, we are unable to intervene in any financial arrangements made between participants and NCO.
Refer to the Questions and Answers (Q&A) below for further guidance. If your query isn’t addressed here, please contact the Freshcare Support Team at [email protected] or (02) 8039 9999.
Questions & Answers – For Businesses Impacted by NCO Closure
1. Why is Freshcare communicating about NCO?
On 26 June 2025, NASAA Certified Organic (NCO) publicly announced it had ceased trading. Freshcare was not informed in advance. We have since released a Certification Transfer Policy to assist impacted participants.
2. Is my Freshcare certificate still valid?
Yes, if your certificate issued by NCO is still within its expiry date, it remains valid. However, you must transfer to a new Freshcare-approved Certification Body within 90 days to maintain certification continuity.
Access the Certification Bodies Directory for the list of Freshcare-approved Certification Bodies and their contact details.
3. What is the process to transfer to a new Certification Body?
Contact a Freshcare-approved Certification Body within 90 days. For efficient processing, email your chosen Certification Body (CB) with the subject line “NCO Transfer Process and Quote” all CBs have been advised to prioritise enquiries with this heading. Once you have selected a CB and agreed to their process and pricing, your new CB will undertake a pre-transfer review and finalise the transfer of your certification through FreshcareOnline.
3. a) Does a transfer to a new Certification Body mean an additional audit?
If your certificate is still valid and there are no outstanding issues, your new Certification Body may complete the transfer based on a pre-transfer review of your existing certification. However, if the certification cannot be verified, there are unresolved non-conformances, or it has lapsed, a new audit may be required. Your new Certification Body will advise based on your circumstances.
3. b) Why can’t Freshcare continue to recognise Certificates issued by NCO?
Freshcare certificates must be issued and maintained by an active, approved Certification Body. Once NCO ceased operations, it could no longer fulfil its obligations as a Certification Body – such as issuing certificates, managing surveillance, or addressing non-conformances. To ensure the integrity of the third-party program, ongoing certification must be transferred to another Freshcare-approved Certification Body.
4. Will I be charged for the transfer?
Certification Bodies may charge a fee for managing the transfer and associated review processes. These fees are set by each Certification Body and may vary, so we recommend contacting your chosen CB directly to confirm any applicable costs.
To support affected businesses, Freshcare will waive its usual administration and participant fees for certification transfers related to the NCO closure.
5. What if I prepaid NCO but wasn’t audited?
Freshcare is unable to influence or intervene in financial arrangements made with NCO.
On 8 July 2025, David Trim and Brent Kijurina of Hall Chadwick were appointed as Voluntary Administrators of NCO.
We recommend that you contact them directly via the following methods:
- David Trim: [email protected] or (08) 8545 8422
- Brent Kijurina: [email protected] or (02) 9263 2600
- Hall Chadwick contact form: https://hallchadwick.com.au/contact-us/
6. I completed a Freshcare sustainability audit with NCO but haven’t received my certificate. What do I do?
Certification cannot be finalised by a Certification Body (CB) that has ceased trading. You will need to:
- Transfer to a new Freshcare-approved CB within 90 days
- Provide your audit report, if available (Freshcare can assist with this if you give written consent)
- Work with your new CB to finalise any outstanding requirements
Access the Certification Bodies Directory for the list of Freshcare-approved Certification Bodies and their contact details.
7. My NCO sustainability certification is about to lapse. What should I do?
You should engage a new Freshcare-approved Certification Body and book your next audit as soon as possible.
Access the Certification Bodies Directory for the list of Freshcare-approved Certification Bodies and their contact details.
8. Will auditors from NCO be redeployed?
Freshcare’s network of approved Certification Bodies ensures ongoing service coverage across all Freshcare Standards. While Freshcare does not manage auditor employment, approved CBs may choose to engage former NCO auditors subject to their internal approval processes.
9. Is the 90-day period a grace period? What happens if my certification lapses during that time?
The 90-day period is the maximum time allowed to transfer your NCO issued certificate to a new CB. It is not a formal grace period. If your certification lapses during this time, you may lose certification status. We recommend acting before your certificate expiry date to avoid disruption.
10. Why have I been contacted by NCO and ACO before Freshcare?
Freshcare was not involved in or informed of any direct communication initiated by NCO or ACO. While Freshcare is not facilitating any automatic assignment to ACO or any other Certification Body, we do encourage participants to review all available options and choose a Certification Body that best suits their needs. A full list of eligible Certification Bodies who can facilitate the transfer process is available below.
Access the Certification Bodies Directory
Support for Affected Businesses
Freshcare is committed to assisting participants through this transition. For further help, contact us at [email protected] or (02) 8039 9999.
This page was last updated 09/07/2025
