Leatherhead Food Research

What Leatherhead Food Research does

Leatherhead Food Research is a UK-based scientific and regulatory consultancy delivering research, compliance, and technical advisory services to organizations developing and commercializing regulated products. Its core offering spans regulatory strategy, evidence generation, market access, and ongoing compliance support across food, beverage, feed, plant protection, biocides, antimicrobials, and chemicals, with operating reach across the UK, EU, and North America. The firm serves global multinationals, high-growth innovators, and government bodies, indicating an enterprise-level client base requiring deeply specialized expertise.

The business has operated for over 35 years within the regulatory and scientific consulting space and traces its origins to 1919 in food-related research. It now operates as a division of Sagentia Regulatory (formerly TSG Consulting), which is the professional services arm of Science Group plc, a company listed on the London Stock Exchange. Within Sagentia, Leatherhead Food Research sits alongside complementary practices in Innovation, Medical, Defence, and Aviation, enabling cross-disciplinary client engagement.

Revenue is generated through professional services engagements priced on a quote basis tailored to project scope, with the firm executing multi-year regulatory programmes for clients. The go-to-market relies on direct enterprise engagement with executive teams and R&D leadership, complemented by industry conferences and referrals rather than mass marketing. As a wholly integrated unit of a public-listed parent, the entity does not disclose standalone financials, and its revenue mechanics are best understood in the context of Sagentia Regulatory's broader service portfolio.

Name

Leatherhead Food Research

Legal name

Leatherhead Food Research

Website

https://leatherheadfood.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Leatherhead Food Research is a UK-based scientific and regulatory consultancy serving global food, beverage, feed, plant protection, biocides, antimicrobial, and chemical product companies. Operating within Sagentia Regulatory under Science Group plc, it provides regulatory strategy, compliance, and evidence generation services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Epsom

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Services Consultancy: Revenue is generated through consulting engagements providing regulatory and scientific expertise to organizations developing and commercializing regulated products. Services span regulatory strategy, compliance, evidence generation, and technical consulting across food, beverage, feed, plant protection, biocides, antimicrobials, and chemicals markets.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Leatherhead Food Research is a regulatory and scientific consultancy supporting organisations developing and commercialising regulated products. It delivers professional consulting services across food, beverage, feed, plant protection, biocides, antimicrobials, and chemicals markets, helping clients secure, maintain and extend market access across the UK, EU, and North America.

Product overview

Leatherhead Food Research operates as part of Sagentia Regulatory, the regulatory and scientific consultancy division of Science Group plc. The offering consists of professional consulting services for regulated products across plant protection, biocides, antimicrobials, chemicals, and food, beverage and feed markets. Leatherhead Food Research specifically supports food, beverage and feed regulatory activities, delivered alongside broader Sagentia practices including Innovation, Medical, Defence, and Aviation consultancies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sagentia Regulatory (incorporating Leatherhead Food Research) A regulatory and scientific consultancy supporting organisations developing and commercialising regulated products worldwide, covering plant protection, biocides, antimicrobials, chemicals, and food, beverage and feed markets. Operating across the UK, EU and North America with 35+ years of experience.
• Food, Beverage and Feed Regulatory Services Regulatory support services for food, beverage and feed markets, delivered as part of Sagentia Regulatory's global regulatory activities. Provides compliance, market access, and product commercialisation guidance for food industry clients.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Science Group plccoreOthersLeatherhead Food Research is incorporated into Sagentia Regulatory, which is the professional services division of Science Group plc. Science Group plc is an international science and technology consultancy and systems organisation. The relationship is parent-subsidiary, with Leatherhead Food Research operating as part of the Sagentia brand within Science Group.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Campden BRI: UK-based food and drink research organisation providing scientific research, regulatory support, and training to the food and beverage industry. Closest direct peer given overlapping food-research heritage, UK base, and member-driven food/feed regulatory and technical services model.
• Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL): UK-based scientific and consultancy services provider for the food, drink, pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors. Direct competitor in food/feed analytical testing, regulatory consultancy and training with a similar enterprise client base.
• Fera Science: UK-based food, environmental and agricultural science services provider (formerly part of Defra). Highly comparable in offering regulatory and scientific consultancy across regulated product categories, particularly for agri-food and chemicals.

Broad incumbents

• Intertek: Global testing, inspection and certification (TIC) major with a substantial food and agri-commodities practice. Competes in food testing, regulatory support and certification but at much greater scale and across many industries beyond food/feed.
• SGS: World's largest TIC company with extensive food, feed and agro-science services. Overlaps with Leatherhead on regulatory advisory and food safety testing but offers a far broader service portfolio across multiple industries.
• Bureau Veritas: Global TIC group with agri-food and commodity testing capabilities. Comparable to Leatherhead for food/feed regulatory and laboratory services, but Bureau Veritas operates across many verticals and at substantially larger scale.
• Eurofins Scientific: Global leader in food, feed and environmental testing with extensive laboratory network. Overlaps in food regulatory and contaminant testing services, though Eurofins is primarily lab-based rather than a regulatory strategy consultancy.
• Mérieux NutriSciences: International food safety, quality and regulatory services provider. Comparable in food safety testing, regulatory affairs consulting and labelling services for food and beverage manufacturers globally.
• NSF International: Global public health and safety organisation offering food safety certification, testing and regulatory consulting. Comparable to Leatherhead for food/feed regulatory advisory and compliance services, especially in North America.

Others

• TSG Consulting: Former name of the Sagentia Regulatory practice that now houses Leatherhead Food Research; while not a separate competing entity, it is the historical brand and operating context for current Leatherhead activities, making it the closest reference point.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/leatherheadfood
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/40730

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Leatherhead Food Research