ANN ARBOR, Mich., USA and WAVRE, Belgium – NSF International, a global organization with over 70 years of experience in food safety auditing, training and consulting, has completed the acquisition of Euro Consultants Group (ECG), a leading food safety and quality service company based in Wavre, Belgium.
Both NSF International and Euro Consultants Group share a similar commitment to food safety, training, auditing and consulting, earning them strong reputations within the food service industry. This merger with ECG expands NSF International’s footprint throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) as well as its technical capabilities in food safety and quality, which helps companies and institutions build and integrate effective food safety and quality management systems throughout the global supply chain. Services offered include supply chain and retail food safety auditing, training in food safety and hygiene regulations, as well as in market and legal requirements, and grant-funded consulting projects for the EU Food Safety Authority. Clients supported through these services include major EU retailers, and European food service and QSR sectors. ECG also helps small to medium-sized enterprises and institutions with obtaining financing and market access for their products.
Founder and ECG President Jean-Jacques Adam and ECG CEO Philippe Pierco remain in their roles. The organization will now be called NSF Euro Consultants and will become an important part of the NSF International Global Food Division’s Consulting and Technical Services group, which is led by Managing Director Serban Teodoresco.
ECG, founded in 1990, promotes the one-stop shopping concept and high values of flexibility and services across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, through 14 subsidiaries that span ten countries: Belgium, France, Tunisia, Bulgaria, Romania, Canada, Morocco, Poland, Rwanda and Ivory Coast.
Benefit of Merger to NSF International and NSF Euro Consultants Food Safety Clients
As a result of the merger, NSF International will have a wider geographic footprint for its food safety consulting, auditing, certification and training services, which are offered throughout the EMEA region in support of regional and global food service organizations and retailers. NSF Euro Consultants’ clients now will have access to NSF International’s extensive range of global food safety and quality services, which help food businesses protect their customers and their brands in every market in which they operate. These include accredited services and technical expertise across all supply chain sectors, including agriculture, animal feed and welfare, produce, processing, distribution, dairy, seafood, quality management software, retail and restaurants. Clients also will have the support of NSF International food safety auditors and consultants who operate in more than 160 countries.
Together, NSF International and NSF Euro Consultants provide global services including:
1. Food fraud mitigation – In addition to ECG’s strong consulting expertise, NSF helps companies identify and minimize food fraud risk throughout their complex food supply network. NSF also provides forensic analysis and advanced testing capabilities such as DNA identity testing and chemical analysis to create a comprehensive, science-based approach to predicting and preventing fraud.
2. Supply chain food safety – Together, NSF and ECG can deliver food safety certification services anywhere in the world for companies seeking compliance to Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)-benchmarked standards to gain access to local or international markets. NSF also brings innovative new technologies like TraQtion, an NSF-developed quality and compliance software that helps retailers, restaurants and manufacturers proactively manage their supply chain, sites and product quality all in one place.
3. Retail food safety – ECG’s core competence in retail and foodservice consulting combined with NSF’s leadership in training and commercial food equipment certification delivers a comprehensive training, auditing and consulting approach to food safety, particularly for multinational retail, restaurant and catering companies requiring consistent brand protection measures across all markets.
4. Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) – The addition of ECG’s European operations to NSF’s global auditing capabilities allows both organizations to provide consistent auditing and consulting services for companies producing food both in and outside of the U.S. to verify compliance with FSMA requirements. As Europe is a primary exporter to the United States, the food industry can count on our geographical footprint on both sides of the Atlantic.
5. Consumer insights – NSF clients gain access to ECG’s dedicated sensory analysis labs and market research team, providing clients with market research services related to strategic positioning, commercial potential, feasibility studies, competitive positioning, product benchmarking, customer satisfaction surveys and market research for virtually any consumer product category.
“We can now offer our clients services wherever they need them,” said Jean-Jacques Adam, founder and President of Euro Consultants Group. “This includes expanded testing, training and educational services, and leading-edge supply chain food safety and quality management software from NSF International’s Global Food Division. We are proud to be part of NSF International as we believe they share our values and our passion. This merger will greatly benefit our existing and new clients and it opens new career development opportunities for our employees.”
“Euro Consultants Group brings new and expanded consulting, auditing and training services to our multinational retail, food service and restaurant customers, particularly for our clients operating throughout the EMEA region,” said Tom Chestnut, Senior Vice President of NSF International’s Global Food Division. “Euro Consultants Group has a robust network of experienced consultants and has maintained a strong reputation within the food service industry and at a broader institutional level. We appreciate the stalwart reputation, technical expertise and operational support that they bring to NSF International, along with their proficiency in research, training and supervision to improve food safety and quality.”
Client seeking more information can contact Serban Teodoresco, Global Managing Director of NSF International’s Consulting and Technical Group, at steodorescu@nsf.org or +1-514-457-7029, or Dan Fone, Director of Global Business Development for Food Safety, at dfone@nsf.org or +1-734-214-6241.
Editor’s note: For questions, please contact Kelly Ingerly, Media Manager, at media@nsf.org or +1 734-827-6850 or Candice Adam, Communications Manager for Belgium and France, at c.adam@euroconsultants.be or +32-496-62-08-10.
About Euro Consultants Group www.euroconsultants-group.com/en/
Euro Consultants Group was established in 1990 in Wavre (Belgium). ECG provides a full range of food safety, quality and consulting services. ECG is a one-stop shop that helps to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of a company through management consulting. ECG operates mainly in agri-food and agro-industrial fields and is active in developing business-to-business and business-to-institution activities with its clients. For business-to-business activities, ECG specializes in management consulting to improve the efficiencies for food industries, retailers and caterers. ECG is a fully integrated partner for all stages of development and aims to optimize the systems and processes of production, R&D, after-sales service and marketing. Other services include counseling, advice, training, auditing, operational assistance, laboratory investigations, complaint management and research. ECG offers a broad range of activities in technical and development assistance for business-to-institution activities. When working on development projects and providing technical assistance guidance, ECG is able to rely on its pool of internal specialist experts (e.g. vets, agricultural engineers, MDs) in addition to over 2,000 project management teams as well and specialists. Due to its comprehensive knowledge of both private and public management, ECG has significant experience in seeking institutional funding for organizations in the market. Since 2015, ECG has developed a strategic partnership with the Belgian Bankers Academy.
About NSF International www.nsf.org
NSF International is a global independent organization that writes standards, and tests and certifies products for the food, water and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment (nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. NSF International is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Center on Food Safety, Water Quality and Indoor Environment.
The NSF Global Food Division provides expertise and accredited services across all supply chain sectors, including agriculture, animal feed and welfare, produce, processing, distribution, dairy, seafood, quality management software, retail and restaurants. Services include Global Food Safety Initiative, foodservice equipment and nonfood compounds certification, HACCP validation and inspection, label claims verification and certification, DNA and food package testing, product and process development, and organic and Certified Transitional certification through Quality Assurance International (QAI). NSF also offers expert auditing, consulting and training.
Source: NSF International
