International Food and Beverage Alliance

What International Food and Beverage Alliance does

The International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA) is a Geneva-registered, non-commercial, non-profit industry alliance founded in 2008 that convenes seven of the world's largest food and non-alcoholic beverage companies — The Coca-Cola Company, Ferrero, Grupo Bimbo, Kellanova, Mondelez International, PepsiCo, and Ajinomoto — to coordinate collective public health nutrition commitments. The alliance operates with a small secretariat of 1-10 employees based in Geneva, Switzerland, and is funded entirely by membership contributions from its seven member companies; it does not sell products, license technology, or generate commercial revenue.

IFBA's activities are organized around four pillars: (1) product formulation — reducing sodium, sugar, saturated fats, and trans fats, and adding beneficial ingredients such as fibre; (2) nutrition information — supporting front-of-pack labelling systems and nutrition literacy; (3) responsible marketing to children — restricting advertising to children under 13 globally under a policy effective January 1, 2022; and (4) healthy, sustainable living — initiatives aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals 2, 3, 12, 13, and 17. The alliance does not develop, sell, or license any technology product, platform, or software; its "technology" footprint consists of a public-facing website (ifballiance.org), social media channels, and annual progress reports, with no AI, API, SDK, or proprietary data assets.

The alliance operates through stakeholder engagement with the World Health Organization, United Nations agencies, the European Commission, and national governments across more than 53 countries, supported by an extensive network of regional and national pledge programmes (EU Pledge, U.S. CFBAI, Swiss Pledge, GCC Pledge, India Pledge, Brazil Pledge, South Africa Pledge, UNESDA Pledge, and others). It is governed by a General Assembly and an Executive Committee co-chaired by representatives of member companies (currently PepsiCo and Kellanova), with a Secretary-General leading the secretariat. Third-party monitoring has documented high compliance with its Global Responsible Marketing Policy (91.3% TV and 99.82% digital compliance, Ebiquity 2022) and full elimination of industrially produced trans fats across member portfolios by end of 2022.

Name

International Food and Beverage Alliance

Legal name

International Food & Beverage Alliance

Website

https://ifballiance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA) is a Geneva-registered non-profit industry alliance, founded in 2008, that coordinates public health nutrition commitments among seven leading global food and non-alcoholic beverage companies (Coca-Cola, Ferrero, Grupo Bimbo, Kellanova, Mondelez, PepsiCo, Ajinomoto) across 53+ countries, in alignment with WHO and UN frameworks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Alliance and Public Health Advocacy

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

akta.pro primary industry

Nutrition, WASH & Social Determinants Partnerships (Cross-Sector Health Initiatives) (HLAJAOAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social & Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) for Nutrition (BPADAJAK), Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH)

Keywords

• Food industry alliance
• Public health commitments
• Responsible marketing policy
• Nutrition reformulation programs
• Nonprofit industry coalition

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership contributions: IFBA is a non-commercial, non-profit organization funded by its member companies (Coca-Cola, Ferrero, Grupo Bimbo, Kellanova, Mondelez International, PepsiCo, Ajinomoto). The alliance does not sell products or services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IFBA is a non-commercial, non-profit industry alliance that coordinates public health nutrition commitments among seven leading global food and non-alcoholic beverage companies (Coca-Cola, Ferrero, Grupo Bimbo, Kellanova, Mondelez International, PepsiCo, and Ajinomoto). Its work centres on four pillars: product formulation (reducing sodium, sugar, saturated fats, and trans fats; adding beneficial ingredients), nutrition information (front-of-pack labelling and nutrition literacy), responsible marketing to children, and healthy sustainable living. The alliance operates in alignment with WHO and UN public health strategies and publishes annual third-party monitored progress reports.

Product overview

IFBA is not a product or technology company. It is a non-commercial, non-profit coalition of leading global food and non-alcoholic beverage companies (including The Coca-Cola Company, Ferrero, Grupo Bimbo, Kellanova, Mondelez International, PepsiCo, and Ajinomoto) founded in 2008. IFBA's activities center on public health commitments rather than commercial product offerings. The organization does not develop, sell, or license software products, platforms, or technology services. Its work consists of coordinating industry-wide commitments in four core areas: product formulation (reducing sodium, sugar, saturated fats, and eliminating trans fats; adding beneficial ingredients), nutrition information (labeling and front-of-pack systems), responsible marketing to children, and healthy sustainable living initiatives. All referenced products and brands on the website belong to IFBA's member companies, not to IFBA itself.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Product Formulation Commitment
• Nutrition Information Commitment
• Responsible Marketing Commitment
• Healthy, Sustainable Living Commitment
• Global Sodium Reduction Commitment

Quantifiable outcome

• 91.3% compliance rate for television advertising and 99.82% compliance rate for digital advertising under IFBA's Global Responsible Marketing Policy (third-party monitored by Ebiquity, 2022)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.

• GCC Food & Beverage Alliance Pledge on Responsible Marketing and Advertising to Children (8 companies)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018The GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Food & Beverage Alliance Pledge on Responsible Marketing and Advertising to Children was established in 2018, covering 8 companies with 100% compliance in TV, print, and internet advertising as of 2019.
• Governments of Australia and New Zealand (Health Star Rating System)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Developed in partnership with the Governments of Australia and New Zealand, industry, public health and consumer groups. The Health Star Rating front-of-pack labelling system rates the overall nutritional profile of packaged foods from ½ to five stars.
• Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) / SmartLabelminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Led by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), SmartLabel is a voluntary initiative enabling consumers to access detailed product information digitally via smartphones. At the end of 2016, 21 companies, including IFBA members, had begun using SmartLabel.
• Government of British Columbia / Restaurants Canada / Heart and Stroke Foundation (Informed Dining Program)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012The Informed Dining voluntary nutrition information program was developed in partnership with the Government of British Columbia, Restaurants Canada, the B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. and the Yukon. McDonald's Canada implemented a national rollout in over 1,400 locations.
• Government of Canada / Health Canada (Nutrition Facts Education Campaign)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Industry, including IFBA members, partnered with Health Canada to launch the Nutrition Facts Education Campaign (NFEC) in 2010 to increase consumer awareness and use of the '% Daily Value' on nutrition labels. The campaign achieved 160 million media impressions and '% Daily Value' messaging appeared on more than 1 billion product units.
• India Pledge (8 companies)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010India Pledge established in 2010 and expanded/strengthened in 2016, covering 8 companies committed to responsible marketing to children.
• Swiss Pledge (11 companies)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Swiss Pledge established in 2010 with 11 companies. Swiss Pledge companies reduced TV advertising in the children's environment by more than 55% since 2012. Media Focus reported 99.2% compliance for TV advertising in 2020.
• Brazil Public Commitment on Food and Beverage Advertising to Children (11 companies)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Established in 2009 and expanded with Brazil Pledge Nutrition Criteria in 2016, covering 11 companies.
• South Africa Pledge on Marketing to Children (31 companies)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009South Africa Pledge on Marketing to Children established in 2009 with 31 companies committed to responsible food and beverage marketing.
• Choices ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Introduced in 2006 in the Netherlands, the Choices Programme is a multistakeholder initiative designed to help consumers identify healthy food options. At end of 2016, the programme operated in the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, and the Czech Republic, with the Choices logo on over 8,000 products from more than 130 companies.
• EU Pledge (23 companies representing >80% of food and beverage advertising spend)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006The EU Pledge was established in 2007 with 23 companies representing more than 80% of food and beverage advertising spend. It has been expanded and strengthened in 2012, 2014, and 2015, committing to restrict advertising to children under 13.
• UNESDA (Union of European Soft Drink Associations) PledgeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006UNESDA launched its pledge in 2006, expanded and strengthened in 2008 and 2010, committing EU soft drink companies to restrict marketing to children.
• U.S. Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) (19 companies, representing ~70-80% of child-directed TV food advertising)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Established in 2006 and expanded/strengthened in 2010, 2014, 2018, 2020, and 2021. CFBAI participants demonstrated 'excellent compliance' in annual monitoring reports.
• World Health Organization (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFBA was founded in 2008 in direct response to WHO's 2004 Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. The alliance coordinates its members' commitments in alignment with WHO public health objectives and engages in ongoing dialogue with WHO on nutrition policy.
• United Nations (UN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFBA's commitments reflect the mandate to the private sector set out in the 2018 UN Political Declaration on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The alliance supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships).
• European Commission (European Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFBA participates in the European Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, led by the European Commission. The platform provides a forum for over 300 commitments implemented since 2005, including awareness campaigns, labelling initiatives, and salt reduction strategies.
• The Coca-Cola Company (Meetha Sona Unnati Project)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Meetha Sona Unnati project invests in sustainable agriculture training to build the capacity of 48,000+ smallholder sugarcane farmers in Uttar Pradesh, India. Partners include DCM Shriram and International Finance Corporation (IFC), Solidaridad.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NCD Alliance: Global multi-stakeholder network of civil society, academia, and organizations addressing noncommunicable diseases. Comparable as a global nutrition/NCD convening body engaging WHO/UN, though civil-society rather than industry-led.
• FoodDrinkEurope: European food and drink industry confederation that, like IFBA, coordinates industry-wide commitments on nutrition, reformulation, and responsible marketing with EU institutions. Highly comparable mission and member overlap with IFBA's European footprint.
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD): CEO-led business coalition advancing sustainability across industries, with food and nutrition workstreams. Comparable model of CEO-led collective action aligned with UN/WHO frameworks; overlaps with IFBA on SDG alignment.
• World Federation of Advertisers (WFA): Global trade association for marketers overseeing responsible marketing initiatives, including cross-industry pledges. Closely comparable as a parent body for national responsible-marketing pledges that overlap with IFBA's core agenda.
• SUN Movement (Scaling Up Nutrition): Global multi-stakeholder movement led by governments with civil society, UN agencies, donors, and business networks to end malnutrition. Comparable in operating at the intersection of nutrition, public health, and SDG delivery with WHO/UN mandate.
• Food Industry Association (FMI): U.S. food industry trade association running the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) and broader nutrition/policy work. Comparable industry association with overlapping U.S. regulatory engagement on nutrition labeling and marketing.
• International Council of Beverages Associations (ICBA): Global beverage industry association that supports WHO engagement on NCDs and diet-related commitments. Direct peer on beverage-side commitments and public-health policy coordination overlapping with IFBA's mandate.
• The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF): Global industry coalition of consumer goods retailers and manufacturers driving collaboration on health, sustainability, and supply chains. Comparable as a CEO-led business coalition pooling resources to address public-good issues including nutrition.

Broad incumbents

• World Economic Forum (WEF): Global multi-stakeholder platform convening business, governments, and civil society on health, food systems, and SDGs. Comparable convening model but broader scope; engages similar WHO/UN frameworks and includes IFBA member CEOs.

Emerging players

• EU Pledge: European voluntary pledge program on responsible food and beverage marketing to children, run by participating companies. Operationally nested within IFBA's broader agenda and cited in IFBA's regional pledge portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ifballiance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-food-beverage-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Food and Beverage Alliance