SGS leads fragmented food certification market

By AI, Created 10:26 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – The food certification services market remained fragmented in 2024, with SGS holding the top share and the top 10 players controlling just 18% of revenue. New audit tools, traceability systems and sustainability standards are reshaping competition as certification demand rises across global food supply chains.

Why it matters: - Food certification is becoming more central to global food safety, trade compliance and consumer trust. - A fragmented market gives buyers more choice, but it also raises the bar for accredited testing, inspection and certification providers. - Companies that can combine digital audits, traceability and international standards are better positioned to win business as regulations tighten.

What happened: - Société Générale de Surveillance led global food certification services sales in 2024 with a 3% market share. - Eurofins Scientific SE matched SGS at 3%. - Bureau Veritas, Intertek Group plc, ALS Limited and Underwriters Laboratories each held 2%. - DEKRA SE, TÜV SÜD, Det Norske Veritas and NSF International each held 1%. - The top 10 players accounted for 18% of total market revenue in 2024. - The Business Research Company published a 2026 market report covering the sector through 2035. - The report also listed major market players including AsureQuality Ltd., Kiwa N.V., LRQA Ltd., Perry Johnson Registrars Inc., FoodChain ID Certification, SCS Global Services, INTL Certification Limited, Control Union Certifications, Eagle Certification Group, AssureCloud, AIB International, Merieux NutriSciences, QIMA, ASI Food Safety, Safe Food Alliance, CCOF Certification Services LLC and CIRQ. - Request a free sample of the report.

The details: - SGS’s food certification and inspection services include food safety audits, quality assurance testing, supply chain verification and compliance with ISO, HACCP and GFSI schemes. - The market includes global certification bodies, regional compliance agencies and specialized food safety and quality assurance providers. - Competitive priorities include digital audit solutions, real-time traceability systems, advanced testing methods, regulatory compliance expertise and sustainability and ethical sourcing standards. - The report said market concentration remained moderate because of stringent food safety standards, evolving compliance requirements, demand for traceability and the need for accredited certification capabilities. - Leading firms are building advantage through global laboratory networks, industry partnerships and expertise in international food safety frameworks. - Major raw material suppliers named in the report include Thermo Fisher Scientific, Agilent Technologies, Merck KGaA, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Waters Corporation, Shimadzu Corporation, PerkinElmer, Bruker Corporation, 3M, Neogen Corporation, Danaher Corporation and ZEISS Group. - Major wholesalers and distributors listed include Sysco Corporation, US Foods Holding Corp., Performance Food Group, Bidfood, METRO AG, SPAR Group, DKSH Holding Ltd., Brenntag, Univar Solutions, Lineage Logistics, Americold Realty Trust and Nippon Express. - Major end users include Nestlé, PepsiCo, The Coca-Cola Company, Unilever, Danone, Tyson Foods, JBS S.A., Cargill, Kraft Heinz, Walmart, Carrefour and McDonald’s. - The report also highlighted strategies centered on ingredient integrity, processing compliance, regulatory guidance, packaging safety, chemical compliance and new testing methods.

Between the lines: - The competitive picture favors firms that can prove quality across the supply chain, not just perform one-off audits. - NSF launched a retail food safety audits program in January 2026 across ASEAN and Australia, using a tiered framework for different food businesses. - Cloud-based inspection and reporting tools are becoming a differentiator because they speed up compliance checks and close gaps faster. - The push toward sustainability and ethical sourcing suggests certification is expanding beyond safety into broader supply-chain credibility.

What’s next: - Demand for food safety assurance and transparency is likely to keep driving certification spending across retail, restaurant and hospitality sectors. - Service innovation and expanded accreditation capacity should help leading players defend or grow share. - More digital auditing and real-time traceability tools are likely as companies respond to stricter global trade and food safety rules. - Access the detailed market report.

The bottom line: - The food certification market is still open, but the winners are the firms that can pair global standards with faster, more transparent digital compliance tools.