British Egg Industry Council
The British Egg Industry Council is a UK inter-professional trade association founded in 1986, comprising 11 trade associations that represent the British egg industry to Government and regulators and operate the Lion Code of Practice assurance scheme, which covers roughly 95% of UK egg production and is funded by voluntary levies from 41 Lion-registered packer subscribers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
British Egg Industry Council firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- British Egg Industry Council
- Legal name
- British Egg Industry Council
- Website
- https://britisheggindustrycouncil.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The British Egg Industry Council is a UK inter-professional trade association founded in 1986, comprising 11 trade associations that represent the British egg industry to Government and regulators and operate the Lion Code of Practice assurance scheme, which covers roughly 95% of UK egg production and is funded by voluntary levies from 41 Lion-registered packer subscribers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
British Egg Industry Council industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Trade Association
- NAICS
- Chicken Egg Production (112310), Poultry and Egg Production (1123), Poultry Processing (311615)
- SIC
- Poultry Slaughtering And Processing (2015)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Layer Hen Egg Production (Table Eggs) (AFAEADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Egg Collection, Grading & Packing (On-Farm/Producer-Owned) (AFAEADAL), Food Safety & Veterinary Public Health (Meat/Milk Inspection) (HLAMAJAJ), Private label & contract egg processing (toll manufacturing/packing) (AFANAHAI), Egg ingredient manufacturing (albumen, yolk solids, egg protein isolates/hydrolysates) (AFANAHAG)
Keywords
Where British Egg Industry Council is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
British Egg Industry Council business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Voluntary Levy from Lion-Registered Subscribers: BEIC is funded exclusively by a voluntary levy paid by Lion-registered packers and producer/packers who collectively represent more than 90% of egg output in the UK. These subscribers adhere to the Lion Code of Practice which sets higher standards of hygiene and animal welfare than required by UK or EU law.
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
British Egg Industry Council product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) operates the British Lion Code of Practice, the UK's leading farm assurance and food safety scheme covering around 95% of British egg production, which sets higher hygiene and animal welfare standards than required by UK or EU law and requires compulsory Salmonella vaccination. It also administers the Lion Quality Mark trademark, the Lion Training Passport sector training standard, and the Egg Traceability System that allows eggs to be traced from the shell back to the originating farm via Producer Establishment Numbers.
Product overview
The British Egg Industry Council operates as a trade association representing the UK egg industry through a portfolio of interconnected products and services. The core offering is the Lion Code of Practice (Version 8), a comprehensive food safety scheme covering around 95% of British egg production, which includes the Lion Quality Mark applied to eggs, compulsory Salmonella vaccination, and traceability requirements. Supporting this is the British Egg Information Service providing consumer-facing information, the Lion Training Passport offering formal sector training standards, and BEPA representing egg processors. The Council also publishes the Biosecurity Photo Library as a resource for producers. Together these form a unified industry assurance and information ecosystem centered on British Lion Quality Eggs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- British Lion Code of Practice (Version 8) The UK's most successful food safety scheme, covering around 95% of British egg production, requiring compulsory Salmonella vaccination and setting standards of hygiene and animal welfare higher than required by UK or EU law. It is applied to UK egg producers, packers and producer/packers who subscribe to BEIC.
- Lion Quality Mark The trademark of the British Lion Code of Practice, applied to qualifying British eggs as a well-recognised symbol of food safety and welfare standards. It is granted to Lion-registered packers and producer/packers and used on egg shells at retail.
- British Egg Information Service (BEIS) A consumer-facing information service set up by BEIC that distributes leaflets, recipe books, nutrition and food safety information and provides recipes and materials for the general public, teachers, caterers, health professionals and students via egginfo.co.uk.
- Lion Training Passport The official training programme of the UK egg sector establishing a formal training standard delivered consistently across the industry through approved training providers, supporting workforce development for Lion Code subscribers.
- Egg Traceability System A traceability system using Producer Establishment Numbers stamped on eggshells showing production system, country of origin and unique farm ID, with a consumer lookup at lioneggfarms.co.uk allowing verification of British Lion egg provenance.
- BEPA Egg Products Representation British Egg Processors Association representation covering processed egg products including liquid egg, frozen egg, dried egg and cooked egg products served to the food service industry and commercial food processing sector, with independent auditing linked to HACCP principles.
- Biosecurity Photo Library 2025 Edition A published reference library highlighting examples of biosecurity practice for UK egg producers, newly published in 2025 by the Poultry Health and Welfare Group in partnership with Government.
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% of British egg production covered by Lion scheme
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use British Egg Industry Council
Customer profileNamed customers39 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
British Egg Industry Council technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
British Egg Industry Council partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Poultry Health and Welfare Group (PHWG)corePHWG partnered with Government to update the Biosecurity Photo Library, highlighting examples of biosecurity practice. The 2025 edition was newly published, with producers encouraged to apply the highest standards of biosecurity on farm based on these examples.
- ADAScoreBEIC commissioned ADAS to undertake a scientific study of soil and water quality directly associated with free range egg production units within the Rivers Wye and Usk catchment areas. The study addressed allegations about nutrient run-off from free-range egg production and concluded that soil and water samples showed no obvious indication of a link between water quality and range areas.
- Government (UK)coreBEIC is recognised by UK Government as the representative voice of the UK egg industry. Works with Government on policy matters, avian disease outbreaks through APHA, and other regulatory issues.
- European CommissioncoreBEIC represents the UK egg industry in discussions with the European Commission, particularly on the Advisory Group on Eggs and Poultry meat.
- British Egg Marketing Board: Research and Education Trust (BEMB Trust)minorAn associated organisation focused on research and education in the egg industry.
- European Egg Packers and Traders Association (EEPTA)coreBEIC is involved in EUWEP, the umbrella organisation for EEPTA and EEPA. EEPTA is the EU organisation for egg packers and traders.
- European Egg Products Association (EEPA)coreEEPA is the EU organisation for egg processors. BEIC holds key positions in this organisation through membership in EUWEP.
- International Egg CommissioncoreThe global body for egg producers, packers, traders, processors and allied industries. BEIC members hold key positions in this global organisation.
- COPA/COGECAcoreThe EU organisation for producers and cooperatives. BEIC members and staff hold key positions in this organisation.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
British Egg Industry Council competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- International Egg Commission: Global trade body for egg producers, packers, processors and allied industries, of which BEIC is a member and in which BEIC staff hold key positions. It is the most directly comparable inter-professional body at global scale.
- American Egg Board: U.S. national checkoff programme that promotes eggs and funds research and consumer marketing, structurally analogous to BEIC's UK-wide marketing and R&D remit for the Lion brand.
- Australian Eggs: Australian national industry services body representing egg producers and running marketing, R&D and policy advocacy — a near mirror of BEIC's mandate at national level.
- Egg Farmers of Canada: Canadian national egg industry organisation managing supply, standards, marketing and government relations — directly comparable in role and funding model to BEIC.
- European Union of Wholesale with Eggs, Egg Products, and Pullets (EUWEP): Umbrella trade association for European egg packers, processors and pullet traders, in which BEIC holds membership and key positions. Operates one level above national bodies and shares BEIC's inter-professional governance model.
- European Egg Packers and Traders Association (EEPTA): EU-level trade association for egg packers and traders. BEIC is a member and partner; EEPTA performs the continental equivalent of BEIC's packer-representation role.
Emerging players
- British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA): One of the 11 trade associations that constitute BEIC's membership, focused specifically on the free-range segment. Comparable as a narrower-segment UK egg industry body whose members also sit under the Lion umbrella.
- RSPCA Assured: UK animal-welfare certification scheme that operates across livestock sectors including laying hens. Comparable as a UK assurance/certification overlay whose welfare standards intersect with the Lion Code of Practice.
Regional players
- NEPLUVI (Dutch Poultry Federation): Dutch national poultry industry trade association representing egg and meat producers in the Netherlands. Functionally analogous to BEIC but operating in a different national market.
Broad incumbents
- Red Tractor Assurance: UK-wide farm assurance scheme covering multiple protein and produce categories, including eggs. Overlaps with Lion in food-safety and traceability assurance but operates as a broader incumbent across categories rather than a specialist egg scheme.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
British Egg Industry Council social profiles
Digital presenceBritish Egg Industry Council financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
British Egg Industry Council leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
British Egg Industry Council subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
British Egg Industry Council funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
British Egg Industry Council M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about British Egg Industry Council
What does British Egg Industry Council do?
The British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) operates the British Lion Code of Practice, the UK's leading farm assurance and food safety scheme covering around 95% of British egg production, which sets higher hygiene and animal welfare standards than required by UK or EU law and requires compulsory Salmonella vaccination. It also administers the Lion Quality Mark trademark, the Lion Training Passport sector training standard, and the Egg Traceability System that allows eggs to be traced from the shell back to the originating farm via Producer Establishment Numbers.
Is British Egg Industry Council a public or private company?
British Egg Industry Council is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was British Egg Industry Council founded?
British Egg Industry Council was founded in 1986. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is British Egg Industry Council based?
British Egg Industry Council is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does British Egg Industry Council make money?
One revenue line is on record: voluntary Levy from Lion-Registered Subscribers.
Who are British Egg Industry Council's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are International Egg Commission, American Egg Board, Australian Eggs, Egg Farmers of Canada, European Union of Wholesale with Eggs, Egg Products, and Pullets (EUWEP) and European Egg Packers and Traders Association (EEPTA). Emerging players are British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA) and RSPCA Assured. NEPLUVI (Dutch Poultry Federation) is listed as a regional player. Red Tractor Assurance is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does British Egg Industry Council have an API?
No public API is recorded for British Egg Industry Council.
What industry is British Egg Industry Council in?
British Egg Industry Council's product category is Agricultural Trade Association. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAEADAB, Layer Hen Egg Production (Table Eggs), with a secondary code of AFAEADAL, Egg Collection, Grading & Packing (On-Farm/Producer-Owned). Its NAICS code is 112310 and its SIC code is 2015.