What CTIFL does

CTIFL (Centre Technique Interprofessionnel des Fruits et Légumes) is a French interprofessional technical centre founded in 1952 and headquartered in Paris (97 Boulevard Pereire, 75017), operating under articles L521-1 et seq. of the French Research Code as an industrial technical centre. It functions as the reference applied-research body for the French fruit and vegetable sector, employing 313 staff (including 2 PhD students) across 5 research centres (Balandran, Carquefou, La Morinière, Lanxade, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence) and 2 decentralised offices (Rungis, Brindas, Nancy), plus a national experimentation network of 13 partner and 17 regional stations spanning 190 ha of orchards, market gardening, polytunnels, and laboratories.

Its core offering blends certification, training, applied research, laboratory analysis, decision-support software, and publications. The proprietary INFEL® fruit plant certification system (in continuous use since 1952) underwrites close to 5 million certified plants per year, complemented by Plant Passport inspection authority (decree No. 2021-1858). Its virology and molecular biology laboratory conducts nearly 22,000 analyses per year, and the Rungis-based consumer-behaviour laboratory and Saint-Rémy life-cycle analysis work support downstream quality research. A digital product suite — anchored by the Légifel regulatory monitoring tool (new version June 2026) and eight additional OAD applications covering plant material, plant health, fresh-cut processing, sector economics, and conservation — sits alongside recurring periodicals (INFOS CTIFL and Détail Fruits et Légumes, both dating from 1983; INFOS SERRE) and a 132-reference publication catalogue of >10,000 digital resources.

Revenue is generated through a mixed interprofessional model: roughly 52% of the €28M annual budget (≈€14.6M) comes from voluntary contributions collected by Interfel (the French F&V interprofessional association), with the balance from Qualiopi-certified professional training (56+ courses, 441 training days, 2,125 trainees), B2B consulting and laboratory services (71+ offerings), certification/licensing royalties on INFEL®, publication and e-commerce sales (pre-orders €8.90, free above €49 across Metropolitan France), and European project grants. Customers span fruit and vegetable producers, distribution/retail operators, commercial professionals, out-of-home caterers, agricultural advisers, cooperatives (SICA), and research/education institutions, served through a sales-led motion reinforced by 25+ annual technical days (~3,500 participants), 4,000+ research-centre visitors, and the website, mobile apps, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter/X channels.

Name

CTIFL

Legal name

Centre Technique Interprofessionnel des Fruits et Légumes

Website

https://ctifl.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CTIFL is a French interprofessional technical centre founded in 1952 conducting applied agricultural research across 5 research centres for the French fruit and vegetable sector, delivering INFEL® plant certification, Qualiopi-certified training, decision-support software, laboratory analyses, and consulting to producers, distributors, retailers, and educators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Research and Technical Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Regulatory Consulting & Compliance Program Management (FDA/USDA/EFSA) (AFALADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accredited Certification Bodies (CBs) – ISO 22000/FSSC 22000/BRCGS/SQF (AFALACAA), Training & Competency Programs (HACCP, PCQI, GMP) (AFALADAK)

Keywords

• Agricultural research services
• Fruit plant certification
• Professional training
• Decision support applications
• Variety evaluation

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Training Services: Over 56 training courses representing 441 days of training and 2,125 trainees. Training covers six complementary thematic areas: plant material and production/conservation techniques, point of sale merchandising, commercial techniques, product knowledge, and quality approach/work organization. Certified with Qualiopi quality certification.
2. Publications and Books: 132 catalog references including periodic publications (INFOS CTIFL - 6 issues/year, INFOS SERRE, Détail Fruits et Légumes - 10 issues/year), economic studies, variety sheets, practical guides, synthesis notes, observatories, study reports, and impact reports. Also books for sale.
3. Professional Services and Consulting: Over 71 services offered to companies including point of sale improvement, strategic market analysis, certification of fruit plants, health status control, quality evaluation, GEP trials, post-harvest management improvement, and market surveys.
4. Fruit Plant Certification: Nearly 5 million certified fruit plants. Revenue from certification activities for fruit propagation materials under INFEL® brand.
5. Voluntary Contributions: 52% of €28 million budget from voluntary contributions collected by Interfel (Interprofessional Association for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CTIFL is the French interprofessional technical center for fruits and vegetables, providing applied research, experimentation, training, professional services, and certification across the sector from production to distribution. It operates five research centres and two decentralised offices in France, manages a unique national experimentation network with 13 partner stations and 17 regional stations, certifies nearly 5 million fruit plants annually under the INFEL® brand, and runs 56+ training courses covering plant material, merchandising, commercial techniques, and quality management.

Product overview

CTIFL operates as a research and development organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for the French fruit and vegetable sector. The portfolio includes decision-support applications (OAD tools) such as Légifel (regulatory monitoring), Cartographie des applications, and specialized applications for plant material, plant health, fresh-cut processing, economic data, conservation/grading, commerce, and restaurant sectors. CTIFL provides certification services including INFEL® for fruit plants and Plant Passports. Professional training programs cover six thematic areas with Qualiopi certification. Publications include periodicals (INFOS CTIFL, Détail Fruits et Légumes, INFOS SERRE), variety fact sheets, economic studies, practical guides, and regulatory monitoring services. The organization also conducts research across seven thematic areas and operates five research centers across France.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• INFEL®: Private fruit plant certification trademark owned by CTIFL, with rules exceeding official European certification standards
• CTIFL Référence®

Products and services

• Légifel Regulatory and technical monitoring tool dedicated to the French fresh fruit and vegetable sector, providing regulatory intelligence and tracking technical innovations.
• Cartographie des Applications Mapping application enabling fruit and vegetable sector professionals to identify and select the decision-support tools suited to their needs.
• Matériel Végétal (Application) Decision-support application for optimising varietal choices and cold requirements for plant material selection.
• Santé des Plantes (Application) Decision-support application helping professionals anticipate plant health risks via crop defence modelling.
• Fraîche Découpe (Application) Decision-support application providing guidance for fresh-cut processing workshops, improving quality and safety of ready-to-eat produce.
• Économie & Données de la Filière (Application) Economic data analysis tool for understanding market trends and performance of the fruit and vegetable sector.
• Veille Réglementaire & Technique (Application) Application tracking regulatory developments and technical innovations in the French fruit and vegetable sector.
• Commerce & Restauration (Application) Application supporting the optimisation of fruit and vegetable valorisation in restaurant and retail environments.
• Conservation / Équipement Agréage (Application) Decision-support application for optimising post-harvest conservation and grading equipment management.
• INFEL® Certification Private fruit plant certification mark whose rules exceed official European certification standards, with stricter sanitary controls and minimum plant-dimension requirements. Used by nurserymen and fruit producers to certify nearly 5 million fruit plants per year.
• Plant Passport Certification Inspection and control services for the issuance of Plant Passports for fruit propagating materials under CAC standard or certified status, delivered to approved professionals.
• In Vitro Plant Production Service producing plants through in vitro propagation techniques delivered from the Balandran research centre.
• Training Programs Qualiopi-certified professional training covering six thematic areas: plant material and production/conservation techniques, point-of-sale merchandising, commercial techniques, product knowledge, and quality approach/organisation. Delivered through 56+ courses and 441 training days reaching 2,125 trainees.
• INFOS CTIFL Periodic publication (six annual issues) covering CTIFL activities, sector technical results and applied research findings; published since 1983.
• Détail Fruits et Légumes (DFL) Periodic publication (ten annual issues) focused on point-of-sale activities, merchandising and market dynamics for the fruit and vegetable sector; published since 1983.
• INFOS SERRE Periodical publication dedicated to greenhouse cultivation and protected-environment horticulture.
• InfoF L (Mobile Application) Mobile news application distributing CTIFL news and updates to professionals on Google Play and the Apple App Store.

Quantifiable outcome

• 287 research, experimentation and development activities conducted
• +4 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• EUFRIN (European Fruit Research Institutes Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInformal network of universities and research institutes working on fruits. CTIFL is a member of the EUFRIN board as well as several working groups including apple-pear, peach-apricot, nuts, thinning, postharvest and fruit quality, sustainable production to minimize residues, and strategy.
• EUVRIN (European Vegetable Research Institutes Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork created in 2016. CTIFL is associated with the EUVRIN board and Working Groups on genetics, IPM, fertilisation, and quality/postharvest aspects. Co-constructs Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SIRA) with EUFRIN, Arefelh and Freshfel.
• Regional Experimentation StationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner13 partner experimental stations and 17 regional stations forming a unique experimentation network in Europe. CTIFL coordinates and manages experimental methods and technical facilities in partnership with these stations.
• INRAE (Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on International Symposium on Apricot and Plum 2024 in Avignon. CTIFL centre in Balandran hosted workshops as part of this symposium. Joint research and experimental activities.
• ArefelhcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench association of fruit and vegetable research organizations. Co-constructs Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SIRA) for fruit and vegetables in Europe together with EUFRIN, EUVRIN and Freshfel.
• Freshfel EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean fresh produce association. Co-constructs Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SIRA) for fruit and vegetables in Europe together with EUFRIN, EUVRIN and Arefelh.
• ACTA (Agricultural Cooperation for Applied Research)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork member - agricultural cooperation for applied research.
• RobAgriminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork member - agricultural robotics organization.
• Blackbird AgencyminorOthersDigital agency that designed and developed the CTIFL website. Also conducted accessibility audit of www.ctifl.fr jointly with CTIFL using the Ara tool.
• SEFRA (Station Expérimentale de la Retz Atlantique)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExperimental station visited during International Symposium on Apricot and Plum 2024. Collaborative partner in regional experimentation activities.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• NIAB: UK applied crop research and certification organization providing scientific services, plant certification, and crop genetics for the agricultural and horticultural sectors. Closest functional analogue to CTIFL for a national fruit and vegetable sector.
• Agroscope: Swiss federal agricultural research institute conducting applied research across crop production, plant breeding, and food safety. Comparable to CTIFL as a publicly funded national technical center serving the fruit and vegetable value chain with R&D, training, and advisory services.
• IRTA: Catalan agricultural R&D institute operating experimental stations with applied research across fruit, vegetable, and horticulture production. Highly comparable to CTIFL in structure (multiple research sites), mission (applied fruit and vegetable research), and public-sector governance model.
• NIAB EMR (East Malling Research): UK horticultural and fruit research center (now part of NIAB) focused on perennial fruit crops, plant breeding, and applied horticultural science. Most direct technical peer to CTIFL specifically on fruit orchard R&D and industry-facing services.
• IFAPA: Andalusian Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training, with applied R&D and training for Mediterranean horticulture including fruits and vegetables. Comparable regional applied-research structure aligned with CTIFL's experimental farm and training approach.
• ITAB (Institut Technique de l'Agriculture Biologique): French technical institute dedicated to organic agriculture R&D, experimentation, and knowledge transfer. Comparable French structure to CTIFL (technical institute with training, research, and publication activities) but specialized in organic farming.

Broad incumbents

• Wageningen University & Research: Largest agricultural research organization in the Netherlands with global reach across plant sciences, food, and sustainability. Overlaps with CTIFL on fruit and vegetable R&D but operates at a much larger scale and broader remit; relevant incumbent for European comparison.
• INRAE: France's national research institute for agriculture, food, and environment. Confirmed CTIFL partner for the 2024 International Symposium on Apricot and Plum. Operates at a broader and more academic scale than CTIFL but shares the French fruit and vegetable research mission.

Others

• Freshfel Europe: European fresh produce association representing the fruit and vegetable sector at EU level. Listed CTIFL partner; co-constructs the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda with EUFRIN, EUVRIN, and Arefelh. Adjacent trade-body counterpart rather than direct research peer.
• ACTA (Association de Coordination Technique Agricole): Head network for French technical agricultural institutes including CTIFL. Provides coordination and representation for applied agricultural research; comparable as an umbrella organization but at a meta/coordinating level rather than a research peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_Ctifl
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Ctifl7
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ctifl

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CTIFL