CAAE

What CAAE does

CAAE (legal entity: Servicio de Certificación CAAE, S.L.U.) is a Spanish for-profit certification body founded in 1991 and headquartered in Sevilla. It provides organic, ecological, food-safety, and sustainability certification services to agricultural producers, livestock farmers, food processing industries, cosmetic companies, agricultural input manufacturers, and restaurants/commercial establishments. CAAE holds exclusive authorizations in Spain across multiple international regimes, including USDA NOP (the only Spanish entity authorized for full NOP scope including livestock), Japanese Ministry of Agriculture JAS, the EU Fertilizer Regulation (NB 2982, the first Spanish notified body), and COSMOS for cosmetics. The company certifies over 20,000 operators and 2 million hectares across the EU, issuing roughly 95% of Spain's organic certificates through the TRACES system, with international subsidiaries in Peru (CAAE América S.A.C.), Mexico (Certificaciones América Latina y El Caribe), Ecuador (CAAE Ecuador S.A.), and a partnership entity in Portugal (Certiplanet).

The company's product portfolio spans 42 certification types across five core verticals — organic food (with EU/US/Japan/Peru/Mexico/Ecuador standards), cosmetics (COSMOS, vegan, cruelty-free), agricultural inputs (UNE 142500, EU 2019/1009 fertilizers, NOP/JAS inputs), food safety (HACCP, GLOBALG.A.P. with add-ons), and eco-sustainability (sustainable restaurant, water legal, sustainable materials). Supporting offerings include CAAE Digital (online certification management platform), CAAE Campus (training for auditors and inspectors), and a mobile app with a catalog of 3,000+ authorized organic inputs. Distribution combines specialized commercial delegates (segmented by sector and geography) with online quote-request forms (Zoho Forms) and physical offices in Sevilla, Valladolid, Albacete, Lima, Mexico City, Machala, and Peniche. Revenue is primarily recurring annual certification fees supplemented by training services, with quote-based pricing not publicly disclosed.

CAAE monetizes through annual subscription-style certification fees, training programs, and proprietary standards (CAAE Vegano, CAAE Cruelty Free, sustainable restaurant seal), targeting a customer mix dominated by SMEs and mid-market enterprises with selective large enterprise references (Coren, Syngenta, Almazaras de la Subbética). The company has received ICEX/FEDER co-funding for international development and is EOCC- and ACA-affiliated, with Technical Director Juan Carlos Pérez appointed EOCC Vice President in April 2025. No external equity investors, M&A activity, or public ownership has been disclosed.

Name

CAAE

Legal name

SERVICIO DE CERTIFICACIÓN CAAE, S.L.U.

Website

https://caae.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CAAE is a Sevilla-based organic certification body founded in 1991, serving 20,000+ agricultural producers, food processors, cosmetic manufacturers, and restaurants across Spain, Latin America, and Portugal. It holds exclusive Spanish authorizations for USDA NOP, Japanese JAS, EU NB 2982 fertilizer, and COSMOS cosmetics certifications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Certification Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Organic Certification Services (AFALAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainability & Environmental Certifications (Carbon, Water, Regenerative) (AFALAMAC), Accredited Certification Bodies (CBs) – ISO 22000/FSSC 22000/BRCGS/SQF (AFALACAA), Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC)

Keywords

• Organic certification services
• Agricultural certification body
• Eco-sustainability certification
• Organic inputs certification
• Food safety certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Sevilla

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Certification Services: Annual certification fees for organic, cosmetic, inputs, food safety and sustainability certifications. Fees vary based on operator type, activity scope, and certification standards required.
2. Training Services (CAAE Campus): Professional training courses for auditors, inspectors and industry professionals including courses on EU organic standards, fertilizers regulation, organic cosmetics auditing. Online and in-person formats available.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CAAE is a private Spanish certification body founded in 1991 that issues organic, ecological and sustainability certifications for agricultural producers, food and cosmetics manufacturers, and agricultural input suppliers. It is the only Spanish entity authorized by USDA for NOP (US organic) certification, the only Spanish entity authorized by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture for JAS certification, and the first Notified Body (NB 2982) in Spain under EU Fertilizer Regulation 2019/1009. CAAE delivers these services across Spain, Peru, Mexico, Ecuador, and Portugal, supported by the CAAE Digital platform, the CAAE Campus training program, and an organic inputs mobile app.

Product overview

CAAE is a certification body providing a comprehensive portfolio of organic and sustainability certification services. The core offering includes organic food certification for multiple international markets (EU, USA, Japan, Latin America), cosmetics certification (COSMOS, vegan, cruelty-free), agricultural inputs certification, food safety and GLOBALG.A.P. certification, and eco-sustainability certification. Supporting services include CAAE Digital (digital platform for certification management), CAAE Campus (training), and operator directories. CAAE operates internationally with offices in Spain, Peru, Mexico, Portugal, and Ecuador, and holds authorizations from USDA (NOP), Japanese Ministry of Agriculture (JAS), and serves as Notified Body NB 2982 for EU fertilizers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CAAE Digital: Digital services platform for certification management and online processes offered by CAAE.
• CAAE Cosmética
• Certiplanet
• CAAE América

Products and services

• Organic Food Certification Certification service for organic food products (crops, livestock, aquaculture, processing and distribution) enabling access to international markets including EU, USA (NOP), Japan (JAS), and Latin America.
• Cosmetics Certification (COSMOS, VEGAN, CRUELTY FREE) Certification for organic and natural cosmetics under the COSMOS standard, plus proprietary CAAE Vegano and CAAE Cruelty Free certifications for cosmetic and personal care manufacturers.
• Agricultural Inputs Certification Certification of agricultural inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, basic substances, post-harvest products) for use in organic production under UNE 142500, NOP, JAS, and EU Fertilizer Regulation 2019/1009 standards.
• Food Safety and GLOBALG.A.P. Certification Food safety certification including HACCP, plus GLOBALG.A.P. certification for produce with add-ons such as NURTURE, GRASP, and LEAF MARQUE.
• Eco-Sustainability Certification Sustainability certification under the proprietary Normas Ecosostenibles CAAE standard, covering restaurants, commerce, water use, sustainable materials, packaging, and eco-sustainable spaces.
• CAAE Digital Platform Online platform for managing certification applications, accessing the organic operators directory, performing operator searches, and handling eSeal electronic certificate issuance and service requests.
• CAAE Campus Training Online training platform offering professional courses for organic production auditors, cosmetics auditors, EU fertilizer regulations, and related industry certifications.
• Organic Inputs Mobile Application Mobile application providing access to a catalog of more than 3,000 authorized inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, basic substances) for organic agriculture, livestock, and industries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000,000 hectares certified in EU territory
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• PROINTURFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 September 2023Strategic partnership for sustainability certification in sports areas. CAAE and PROINTURF collaborate to certify the sustainability of Benito Villamarín stadium spaces and other sports facilities under eco-sustainable space standards.
• RestaurandingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2023Partnership with Restauranding and NGO Rastro Solidario to create the first global sustainable restaurant certification seal under sustainable restoration standards.
• OFDC (Organic Food Development Center)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 June 2023Agreement with OFDC (China) to enable export of organic products to China, strengthening CAAE's presence and capabilities in the Chinese market.
• CertiplanetcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertiplanet - Certificación de Agricultura, Silvicultura y Pesca, Unipessoal Lda. operates as CAAE's partner in Portugal for organic certification services.
• EOCC (European Organic Certifiers Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAAE's Technical Director Juan Carlos Pérez serves as Vice President of EOCC. Certiplanet is also a member of EOCC.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• BCS Öko-Garantie (KIWA BCS): Germany-based organic and sustainability certifier, now part of KIWA, with global operations and one of the largest EU organic certification footprints. A direct competitor in agricultural inputs and food certification, with similar global expansion trajectory.
• Ecocert: French-headquartered global organic and sustainability certification body operating across agriculture, cosmetics, textiles and fair trade. Ecocert is the most direct large-scale competitor to CAAE, with broader geographic coverage but overlapping product standards (organic, COSMOS-equivalent cosmetics, inputs).
• Control Union Certifications: Dutch-headquartered global certification body with strong presence in organic agriculture, sustainable textiles, forestry and agri-commodities. Comparable in international footprint and broad standards coverage, including organic and sustainability schemes; key competitor for global supply-chain certification contracts.

Emerging players

• OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute): US-based non-profit reviewing organic inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, processing aids) for use in NOP-certified operations. Adjacent to CAAE's UNE 142500 / EU 2019/1009 inputs certification business; partial overlap where producers seek input approval for both NOP and EU markets.

Direct peers

• CCPB Srl: Italian organic and food certification body, authorized for EU organic, NOP and JAS, offering comparable services to CAAE in a neighboring Mediterranean market. Highly comparable in size, product portfolio, and customer base (agricultural producers, processors, retailers).
• Argencert S.A. Argentine organic certification body accredited under Argentine, EU, NOP and JAS standards for agricultural producers and processors. A Latin American peer comparable to CAAE's CAAE América operations, competing for the same organic exporter customer segment.
• Letis S.A. Argentine organic and sustainability certification body with strong Latin American presence, accredited for EU, NOP and several LatAm organic standards. Directly comparable to CAAE's CAAE América operations in Peru/Mexico/Ecuador, competing in the same Latin American organic exporter customer base.
• ICEA (Istituto per la Certificazione Etica e Ambientale): Italian organic and ethical certification body covering organic food, cosmetics, sustainable textiles and forestry. Directly comparable to CAAE's organic + cosmetics + sustainability portfolio, with overlapping standards including COSMOS-equivalent and vegan certifications.

Regional players

• Certisys: Belgian organic certification body offering EU, NOP and other organic certifications primarily in the Benelux region. Comparable to CAAE in scale and product focus, though operating in a different national market and competing indirectly via cross-border EU producer clients.
• Soil Association Certification: UK-based organic and sustainability certification body, primarily serving the UK and Irish markets. Comparable product portfolio (organic food, cosmetics, forestry) but with a primarily UK focus; similar scale and similar not-for-profit/standards-owner positioning to CAAE's role in Spain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCMtUCjpJHmvdpGPb9adMOMg/channels
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caae-certificacion-agroalimentaria
• Instagraminstagram.com/cosmetica_ecologica_caae/?hl=es
• Xx.com/caaecert

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 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 CAAE