Australian food safety tester buys into European market

By Ahmed ElAmin

- Last updated on GMT

SAI Global has acquired EFSIS Ltd., one of the food safety
inspection and certification firms companies will be turning to
when checking whether they are in compliance with the EU's new
hygiene regulations.

A package of five hygiene laws came into force on 1 January, aiming to merge, harmonise and simplify complex food safety requirements currently scattered over seventeen EU directives. The single hygiene policy will apply to all food and all food operators.

The EU's unified hygiene regulations include provisions increasing the amount of information required to trace foods and ingredients through the supply chain. They also include information on testing methods for marine biotoxins and fishery products along with requirements for listing approved food companies.

The package introduces also introduces hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP), an internationally agreed set of principles to manage the food safety risks during production processes.

SAI said the acquisition add to SAI's business in the rapidly growing market for food safety certification and inspection. EFSIS was formed in 1989 by the Camden and Chorleywood Food Research Association Group (CCFRA) and the Meat and Livestock Commission (MLA).

It provides independent food safety inspection and certification services to retailers, manufacturers, farmers and caterers. SAI, an Australian company, will pay about €7.4 million in cash for the business. EFSIS is expected to earn about €12.4 million in revenues a year.

"EFSIS currently has a major share of the food inspection market in the United Kingdom and we are the European brand leader in the food sector having become one of the most widely recognised certification bodies among retailers and other purchasers,"​ EFSIS's managing director, Mark Proctor, said about the deal.

John Wilkinson, the group finance director at Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association said the company's new parent will provide the backing the company needs to grow internationally.

"It was a difficult decision to sell our interest which we had nurtured since inception,"​ he stated. "Nevertheless CCFRA considers SAI Global to be well equipped to make EFSIS the international market leader in food inspection."

EFSIS is headquartered in Milton Keynes and has offices in Germany, Spain, France, the Czech Republic and Thailand.

EFSIS's inspection and certification services are accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service to the European Standards EN 45004, EN 54011 and EN 45012.

EFSIS inspects and certifies according to international, European, country specific and corporate standards for quality and food safety including: ISO 9001, HACCP, HACCP 9000, ISO 22000, BRC Global Food Standard, EUREPGAP Produce, UK and Ireland agricultural inspections and second party inspections.

SAI Global is in business publishing, compliance, training and assurance testing through its offices in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, North America and Asia.

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