The article is devoted to the study of issues related to the development and implementation of a quality management system at food enterprises. The process of implementing a quality management system at food industry enterprises in Russia is a whole complex of activities aimed at a full, deep and holistic analysis of the actual state, real opportunities and prospects for the company's development. The quality management system in many countries of the world allows to optimize the activities of the enterprise, tune in to prevent failures and inconsistencies and produce products that best meet the expectations and preferences of consumers. The introduction of QMS at enterprises is associated with a change in the modern economic model, which requires more demands of the products. In order to ensure that Russian products are competitive in the world market, it is necessary to fulfill the requirements of international standards in the field of food quality assurance. In the paper, the main harmonized (reduced to the unity with the world requirements) normative acts in the field of food quality assurance, applied in Russia, are analyzed. It was revealed that introduction of QMS will allow to identify, assess and manage risks at food enterprises on time, and also to increase their competitiveness. The author substantiates the necessity of introducing the system of quality and safety at food enterprises. It was revealed that the principles of the quality management system, oriented to the consumer, in accordance with GOST R ISO 10001-2009, will ensure the efficiency and progress of food enterprises. © 2018 Latvia University of Agriculture. All rights reserved.