AsureQuality
AsureQuality is a New Zealand state-owned enterprise providing accredited laboratory testing, auditing, certification, inspection, sustainability assurance and food-safety training to the food and primary industries in New Zealand, Australia and Southeast Asia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1875
- HeadquartersWellington, New Zealand
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
AsureQuality firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AsureQuality
- Legal name
- AsureQuality Limited
- Website
- https://asurequality.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1875
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- AsureQuality is a New Zealand state-owned enterprise providing accredited laboratory testing, auditing, certification, inspection, sustainability assurance and food-safety training to the food and primary industries in New Zealand, Australia and Southeast Asia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AsureQuality industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Food Assurance Testing and Certification Services
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food Testing Laboratories (Microbiological, Chemical, Allergen) (AFALAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Food Safety Certification Bodies (ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, BRCGS, SQF) (AFALAAAC), Food Safety Training & Competency Programs (HACCP, Preventive Controls) (AFALAAAN), Regulatory Compliance Testing (Microbiological, Chemical, Allergen) (AFALADAA), Specialty Certification Services (Organic, Non-GMO, Halal, Kosher, Gluten-Free) (AFALAAAM), Supplier Approval, Verification & Food Safety Risk Management (GFSI-aligned) (AFALADAH)
Keywords
Where AsureQuality is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wellington
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
AsureQuality business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Laboratory Testing Services: Fee-for-service analytical testing for food, dairy, horticulture, pharmaceutical, environmental and primary products, including microbiological, residue, GMO, vitamin, lactose and pathogen testing. Billed per sample/test with customers submitting samples online.
- Auditing and Certification: Independent auditing and certification services against multiple schemes (FSSC22000-Q, NZGAP, GLOBALG.A.P., LEAF Marque, organic, organics plus, AsureQuality Organic Standard, MPI Official Organic Assurance Programme, USDA NOP, Canadian Organic Regime, IFOAM). Revenue from audit fees and certification marks.
- Inspection Services: Recognised NZ government meat inspection agency and plant/seed health inspection services. Includes Seed Sampling and Phytosanitary Inspection; revenue from inspection fees and authorised officer services.
- Training Academy Courses: NZQA-recognised Category 1 Private Training Establishment offering paid training courses (e.g. Building a Food Safety Culture at NZD $510 + GST, with early bird NZD $459). Approximately 600 industry courses delivered annually to 5,000+ learners. Course fees are the primary revenue stream, with in-house delivery also available.
- Credit Account Terms of Business: Customers can apply for credit accounts with AsureQuality on standard written terms (AsureQuality Limited, AsureQuality Audit Services Limited, AsureQuality Terms and Conditions of Certification, AsureQuality Academy Terms and Conditions), supporting B2B recurring service relationships.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Per seat | Pay-as-you-go | Building a Food Safety Culture course: 4.5 hours, NZD $510 + GST per person (NZD $459 early bird); available as in-house delivery at customer workplaces |
| Other | Annual | Laboratory, auditing, certification and inspection services: quote-based pricing under standard credit terms |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
AsureQuality product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AsureQuality provides independent food assurance, biosecurity, laboratory testing, auditing, certification and inspection services to New Zealand's food and primary production sectors. Its accredited laboratories (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Lincoln) deliver microbiological, chemical, residue, GMO and molecular testing for food, dairy, horticulture, pharmaceutical and environmental products, while a separate workforce issues third-party certifications under schemes such as FSSC22000-Q, NZGAP, GLOBALG.A.P., LEAF Marque and the AsureQuality Organic Standard.
Product overview
AsureQuality offers a unified suite of food-assurance services delivered through seven core service lines: Laboratory Testing, Auditing and Certification, Inspection, Sustainability Assurance, AsureQuality Organic Certification, AQ Intelligence, and Training (AsureQuality Academy). Together these comprise a platform-plus-modules architecture in which the core testing laboratories and the auditing/inspection workforce are augmented by AQ Intelligence — a new suite of digital products that includes the AuditPro platform (built on the Intact audit-management software) and LabConnect — and supported by standalone digital offerings (CrateScan mobile app, Ako Tahi Māori Cultural Intelligence App, and the Agribase farm-mapping database) plus specialised certification programmes such as Organics Plus and structured training courses (Food Safety Governance, Building a Food Safety Culture, Seed Sampling and Phytosanitary Inspection, HACCP, Auditing Skills, Food Fraud, Food Defence & TACCP and Petfood Inspection AM & PM).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AQ Intelligence: AsureQuality's suite of digital products designed to simplify and enhance food safety and quality management.
- CrateScan
- Ako Tahi
- AsureQuality Academy
- AsureQuality Organic Certification
- Mérieux NutriSciences AQ (MNAQ)
Products and services
- Laboratory Testing
Quantifiable outcome
- AsureQuality's GENE-UP PCR can shorten release times for ready-to-eat products, allowing an additional 3 days of shelf-life in market
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use AsureQuality
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
AsureQuality technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability6 records
Feature11 records
AsureQuality partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.
- Mérieux NutriSciencesflagshipMérieux NutriSciences AQ (MNAQ) is a joint venture between AsureQuality and Mérieux NutriSciences, officially launched on 2 June 2025. It operates in Australia (Melbourne office) and South-East Asia (Singapore office), extending AsureQuality's testing network across these regions and supporting NZ exporters with in-region food assurance services.
- Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI)minorAsureQuality hosted an SLSI delegation at its Auckland Lab in January 2025 to advance NZ-Sri Lanka cooperation in food safety and laboratory testing.
- Institute of Directors (New Zealand)minorAsureQuality Academy partnered with the Institute of Directors and New Zealand Food Safety to launch a new Food Safety Governance training course (28 January 2025) for directors and CEOs. The course is delivered in partnership with the NZ Institute of Directors.
- LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming)coreAsureQuality became an approved LEAF Marque Certification Body in June 2024 — the only one in New Zealand. LEAF Marque is a leading global assurance system recognising more sustainably farmed products, currently operating in 19 countries and required by UK supermarkets including Tesco, ASDA and Marks and Spencer.
- IntactcoreIntact is a market leader in quality assurance software solutions for food industry certification. AsureQuality is partnering with Intact to implement a new Audit Management System (the first phase rolled out to the Food Auditing team) — a key investment in AsureQuality's technology innovation roadmap and a core pillar of its strategy.
- Apiculture NZ (ApiNZ)coreAsureQuality collaborated with Apiculture NZ and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to introduce advanced verification training supporting honey operators transitioning from six-monthly to annual verification frequency (Step 7) under Risk Management Programmes. Training is offered to ApiNZ members via the AsureQuality Academy.
- Toitū EnvirocarecoreAsureQuality and Toitū Envirocare partnered to launch NZ's first Farm Carbon Certification Programme (25 August 2020), supporting farmers in meeting environmental responsibilities. AsureQuality also conducts on-farm verification for Toitū certification of Pāmu farms.
- AOAC INTERNATIONAL (SPIFAN Stakeholder Panel)coreAsureQuality developed a new analytical method for total proteinogenic amino acids in infant formula and adult nutritionals, approved for Official Methods of Analysis First Action status by AOAC INTERNATIONAL's SPIFAN Expert Review Panel on 7 September 2019, and adopted by ISO, IDF and CODEX as a global standard.
- Bureau VeritasflagshipBureau Veritas AsureQuality (BVAQ) joint venture formed January 2019 to extend AsureQuality's testing network into South-East Asia. Bureau Veritas is a world leader in laboratory testing, inspection and certification services (TIC), with 66,000 employees in 1,400 offices and laboratories globally. Earlier partnership (2016) saw AsureQuality and Bureau Veritas jointly acquire Dairy Technical Services (DTS), Australia's leading food/dairy microbiology and chemistry lab.
- NZ Champions of Cheese AwardsminorAsureQuality sponsors the Champion Dutch Style Cheese Award at the NZ Champions of Cheese Awards; 2016 winner Meyer Tasty Gouda (Meyer Gouda Cheese). Event held at The Langham, Auckland.
- Fonterra (Te Awamutu site)flagshipFonterra's Te Awamutu site was the first dairy site in the world to gain FSSC22000-Q certification, which was issued by AsureQuality. The Co-operative Group's NZ Manufacturing Director Mark Leslie said the certification highlights Fonterra's commitment to safe food, safe people and world-class quality.
- Massey University (NZ Food Awards)minorAsureQuality sponsors the Food Safety and Quality Award at the NZ Food Awards, which is run by Massey University and Awards Partners. 2015 winner was Brink's Chicken for its chicken product.
- Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New ZealandflagshipMPI is the NZ government regulator for primary industries. AsureQuality works with MPI on the bee product RMP verification framework and on freshwater farm plan certification/auditor appointments under the Resource Management (Freshwater Farm Plans) Regulations 2023. Joint honey verification training programme launched December 2021.
- New Zealand Food Safety (MPI)minorCo-presenter with Institute of Directors and AsureQuality Academy on the Food Safety Governance training course launched 28 January 2025; previously jointly presented a panel discussion on food safety governance in 2024.
- NZ Zero StandardminorAsureQuality's Environmental Assurance team worked with founders Mike Casey and Angus Curry on the concept of a 'zero fossil fuel' standard for food producers — a new approach to climate action distinct from carbon footprinting.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
AsureQuality competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ALS Limited: Australia-headquartered global testing services provider with food, environmental and life-sciences laboratories. Comparable as a regional peer with overlapping food/pharmaceutical laboratory services across Australasia.
- NSF International: Global food safety certification, auditing and testing body. Directly comparable in food safety certification schemes, GFSI-aligned auditing and training services — competing for the same multinational customers.
- Control Union: Global certification and inspection body active in organic, sustainable agriculture and food assurance (GLOBALG.A.P., organic, LEAF Marque). Directly competes with AsureQuality in horticultural and organic certification in international markets.
- Eurofins Scientific: Global leader in food and feed testing with a network of accredited laboratories offering microbiological, chemical and molecular testing — directly overlapping AsureQuality's core laboratory testing offering.
- Bureau Veritas: Global TIC major (66,000 staff, 1,400 labs); was AsureQuality's JV partner in BVAQ from 2019 to 2024 and jointly acquired Dairy Technical Services (DTS) in 2016. Offers overlapping food testing, inspection and certification at global scale.
- Mérieux NutriSciences: Global food testing, auditing and certification specialist and AsureQuality's JV partner in MNAQ (Australia and SE Asia). Directly comparable services portfolio across microbiology, chemistry, shelf-life and sensory testing for the food industry.
- Hill Laboratories: New Zealand's largest privately owned testing laboratory, providing food, environmental, water and soil testing. Most direct domestic competitor to AsureQuality's NZ laboratory testing business.
Broad incumbents
- Intertek: Global TIC major with a substantial food testing and agri commodity assurance business. Comparable at the broad service-line and customer-base level, though far larger and more diversified than AsureQuality.
- SGS: World's largest testing, inspection and certification company with extensive food and agri testing capabilities globally. Comparable at the broad service-line level, though AsureQuality's focus is narrower on food assurance.
- DNV (Business Assurance): Global certification body providing management systems certification (FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, ISO 9001) — overlapping AsureQuality's auditing and certification services for food producers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks3 records
Key highlights1 record
Customer concentration
AsureQuality social profiles
Digital presenceAsureQuality compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance9 records
AsureQuality financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AsureQuality leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
AsureQuality subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
AsureQuality funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AsureQuality 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 AsureQuality
What does AsureQuality do?
AsureQuality provides independent food assurance, biosecurity, laboratory testing, auditing, certification and inspection services to New Zealand's food and primary production sectors. Its accredited laboratories (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Lincoln) deliver microbiological, chemical, residue, GMO and molecular testing for food, dairy, horticulture, pharmaceutical and environmental products, while a separate workforce issues third-party certifications under schemes such as FSSC22000-Q, NZGAP, GLOBALG.A.P., LEAF Marque and the AsureQuality Organic Standard.
Is AsureQuality a public or private company?
AsureQuality is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was AsureQuality founded?
AsureQuality was founded in 1875. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is AsureQuality based?
AsureQuality is headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does AsureQuality make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Laboratory Testing Services are the primary driver. The others are auditing and Certification, inspection Services, training Academy Courses and credit Account Terms of Business.
Who are AsureQuality's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ALS Limited, NSF International, Control Union, Eurofins Scientific, Bureau Veritas, Mérieux NutriSciences and Hill Laboratories. Broad incumbents are Intertek, SGS and DNV (Business Assurance).
Does AsureQuality have an API?
No public API is recorded for AsureQuality.
What industry is AsureQuality in?
AsureQuality's product category is Food Assurance Testing and Certification Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFALAAAA, Food Testing Laboratories (Microbiological, Chemical, Allergen), with a secondary code of AFALAAAC, Food Safety Certification Bodies (ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, BRCGS, SQF). Its NAICS code is 541380 and its SIC code is 8734.