EuroFIR AISBL

What EuroFIR AISBL does

EuroFIR AISBL is a non-profit international association established under Belgian law in 2009 and headquartered in Brussels. It functions as a sectoral data infrastructure provider, aggregating and harmonising validated food composition data drawn from 40+ national databases and covering more than 52,000 food products across 28 European countries. Its primary members and users are national food composition compilers, government research institutes, academic institutions, and food industry stakeholders that require standardised, interoperable nutritional and compositional data.

The association operates a portfolio of database platforms and standards, including FoodEXplorer (a search and access portal for European national composition databases), eBASIS (bioactive compounds in plant-based foods), ePlantLIBRA, FoodWasteEXplorer, and the EuroFIR Thesauri, which include the LanguaL classification system. It maintains technical cooperation with FAO INFOODS, is involved in EU-funded consortium projects such as ALLIANCE, WATSON, WASTELESS, FlavourFerm, and EUOpenFood, and supports a publication record of more than 100 peer-reviewed outputs.

Commercially, EuroFIR is funded through membership fees from ~48 partner organisations, licensing and pay-per-view access to its data platforms, and participation as a partner or work-package lead in EU research projects. The organisation runs a small operational team of approximately 8–10 staff and is governed by a Board elected from its membership, with a Secretary General role established in 2023 to provide dedicated executive leadership.

Name

EuroFIR AISBL

Legal name

EuroFIR AISBL

Website

https://eurofir.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EuroFIR AISBL is a Brussels-based non-profit association that aggregates, harmonises, and disseminates validated European food composition data to research institutes, national compilers, academia, and the food industry through its FoodEXplorer platform and related databases.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Composition Data Platforms

akta.pro primary industry

Pre-Assessment, Gap Assessment & Certification Readiness Services (AFALACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regulatory Submissions, Registrations & Facility Approvals (FDA/USDA/EU) (AFALADAD), Witness Audits, Office Assessments & Certification Governance Services (AFALACAG)

Keywords

• Food composition databases
• Nutritional data platforms
• Food information resources
• Bioactive compounds databases
• Food data analytics

Headquarters

HQ city

Berchem

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from Full Members, Associate Members, Organisation Members, Individual Members, and Students. Membership provides access to FoodEXplorer, eBASIS, ePlantLIBRA, training, and the EuroFIR network.
2. Data Licensing: Annual fees for software developers and researchers accessing food composition datasets, with fees dependent on total number of food products licensed across all datasets.
3. Pay Per View Access: Temporary access to FoodEXplorer: 1 week (€20), 2 weeks (€35), or 3 months (€75) excluding VAT.
4. EU Research Project Participation: EuroFIR participates as partner in EU-funded research projects (Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, etc.) contributing to project deliverables and receiving funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

EuroFIR AISBL provides a centralised, validated food composition data platform bringing together datasets from 28 countries through tools like FoodEXplorer, eBASIS, ePlantLIBRA, FoodWasteEXplorer, and EuroFIR Thesauri. The organisation serves as a non-profit international association offering standardised, peer-reviewed nutritional and bioactive compound data to members, research institutions, food industry, software developers, and policy makers.

Product overview

EuroFIR AISBL is an international, member-based non-profit association that serves as the leading independent provider of validated food composition and supporting information across Europe. The organization operates a unified platform approach centered around FoodEXplorer, which serves as the primary interface for accessing harmonized food composition data from national databases across 28 countries. This core platform is complemented by specialized databases including eBASIS (for bioactive compounds in plant foods) and ePlantLIBRA (for plant supplements and botanicals), along with thematic tools like FoodWasteEXplorer. The portfolio also includes EuroFIR Thesauri (standardized vocabularies for food data documentation) and eThesaurus Manager for terminology management. All tools are designed to support research, policy-making, and food industry applications through standardized, FAIR-compliant data.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FoodEXplorer: Innovative interface for food composition data allowing simultaneous search of food information from EU Member States, Canada, and USA.
• eBASIS
• ePlantLIBRA
• FoodWasteEXplorer
• EuroFIR Thesauri

Products and services

• FoodEXplorer An innovative web-based interface for food composition data allowing simultaneous search of food composition datasets from EU Member States, Canada, USA, and other countries. Features include search by food name, food groups, and LanguaL descriptors, with the unique ability to compare component values between foods from different countries. Results can be downloaded as Food Data Transport Package (FDTP) or Excel format. For members, software developers, researchers, and food industry users.
• eBASIS EuroFIR Bioactive Substances in Food Information Systems: a unique Internet-deployed food composition and biological effects database for plant-based bioactive compounds with putative health benefits. Covers over 300 major European plant foods and 17 compound classes (phytosterols, polyphenols, glucosinolates, lignans) with data sourced from peer-reviewed literature. Quality assurance supported by standard operating procedures. For researchers, food industry, and regulatory users.
• ePlantLIBRA A database containing information about plant- and plant-food supplements, specifically bioactive compounds in botanicals and herbal extracts with putative health benefits and adverse effects. Based on three existing databases: eBASIS, MoniQA contaminants database, and FERA's HorizonScan database. Includes scientific names, plant families, synonyms, common names in 15 European languages, color photographs, and links to GRIN. For researchers, food industry, and regulatory users.
• FoodWasteEXplorer A tool for exploring how food waste might be better utilized, containing approximately 27,069 data points representing 587 nutrients, 698 bioactives, and 49 toxicants collected from scientific papers, manufacturers' data, and other sources. For researchers, food industry, and policy makers.
• EuroFIR Thesauri Standardised controlled vocabularies (thesauri) for food composition data documentation. Eight thesauri covering Acquisition Type, Component, Matrix Unit, Method Indicator, Method Type, Reference Type, Unit, and Value Type, plus a Food Classification Thesaurus based on LanguaL for harmonised classification of foods. For data compilers, software developers, and researchers.
• FoodBasket Recipe calculation tool allowing users to calculate nutrient values for recipes. For members, food industry, and dietitians.
• eThesaurus Manager A curator tool for maintenance and update of EuroFIR Thesauri, enabling read-only viewing of individual records and access to export reports in multiple formats (tab delimited, XML). Available to guests with read-only access.

Quantifiable outcome

• Access to validated food composition data for 52,000+ food products from 28 countries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• FlavourFerm ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024FlavourFerm (2024-2028) aims to optimise and apply fermentation technologies to enhance flavour, texture, and nutritional quality of plant-based foods.
• WATSON ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023WATSON (2023-2026) aims to detect and prevent fraudulent activities throughout the food chain and accelerate deployment of transparency solutions.
• WASTELESS ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023WASTELESS (2023-2025) aims to develop tools for measuring, monitoring and reducing food loss and waste by at least 20% annually.
• EUOpenFood ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022EuroFIR AISBL is partnered in EUOpenFood (2022-2025) for development, publication and maintenance of an Open Access European Food Composition Database.
• ALLIANCE ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022ALLIANCE (2022-2025) aims to provide a holistic framework for food data integrity and accuracy, increasing traceability and transparency in the food supply chain.
• FAO INFOODScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuroFIR cooperates with FAO Infoods (International Network of Food Data Systems) to advance harmonisation of food composition data globally. This partnership ensures international alignment of standards and facilitates exchange of food composition data across regions.
• EUROFOODScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEUROFOODS is a regional subgroup of INFOODS focusing on harmonisation of food composition data across Europe. Many experts and organisations involved in EUROFOODS are also part of EuroFIR, ensuring knowledge sharing and implementation of standards.
• LanguaL (Langua Alimentaria)coreTechnology or IntegrationEuroFIR has adopted LanguaL, an internationally controlled vocabulary for systematic food description, to ensure standardisation and comparability of food data across Europe. LanguaL is used for food description in all EuroFIR tools.
• FishEUTrust ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFishEUTrust aims to defragment the seafood system to ensure sustainability and a transparent, traceable seafood supply chain.
• Data4Food2030 ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerData4Food2030 aims to enlarge the knowledge base on data economy for food systems and establish monitoring systems for EU policies.
• Zero Hidden Hunger EU ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZero Hidden Hunger focuses on prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies in European populations and strategies to address nutritional inequalities.
• VeriFish ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeriFish will develop a framework of verifiable sustainability indicators for aquafoods based on FAIR data.
• Quisper ASBLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuisper ASBL is a non-profit organisation managing a digital platform for personalised nutrition services, co-founded with EuroFIR involvement.
• Consejo General de Colegios Oficiales de Dietistas-Nutricionistas (CGCODN)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCGCODN offers its dietitian members a 30% discount on EuroFIR membership (€83.30 instead of €119.00) as part of a collaboration to strengthen the profession.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• USDA FoodData Central: The US national food composition database aggregator. Direct peer — it provides harmonized access to multiple US food composition datasets (Standard Reference, FoodData Central Foundation, SR Legacy, USDA Global Branded) and is explicitly integrated with EuroFIR's FoodEXplorer for cross-country comparison.
• FoodCASE (Premotec): Food data management software created by Premotec GmbH, whose founder Karl Presser is EuroFIR's current President. Direct peer — comparable technology offering for managing and generating food composition data, with overlapping scientific and technical leadership.
• RIVM NEVO Online: Dutch national food composition database maintained by RIVM, another EuroFIR Full Member. Direct peer — operates a national food composition database with comparable data scope, quality standards, and contribution relationship to EuroFIR.
• Nutritionix: A commercial food composition data provider and API platform serving app developers, restaurants, and food companies. Direct peer — same customer segment (software developers building diet/nutrition apps) and similar commercial licensing model to EuroFIR's data licensing business.
• ESHA Research: Provider of Genesis R&D nutrition analysis software and food composition databases used by food manufacturers for labeling and formulation. Direct peer — comparable customer base (food industry compliance, labeling, health claims) and similar food composition data licensing business model.
• FAO INFOODS: International Network of Food Data Systems coordinated by the FAO. Direct peer — both operate harmonized food composition data networks across countries, and EuroFIR has an explicit strategic cooperation agreement with INFOODS for global standards alignment.
• ANSES-Ciqual: French national food composition database operated by ANSES, one of EuroFIR's Full Members. Direct peer — operates a national food composition database and contributes its data into EuroFIR's network; comparable in scope and standards alignment.

Broad incumbents

• European Food Safety Authority (EFSA): EU agency providing scientific advice on food safety, including nutritional risk assessment. Broad incumbent — an established EU institution in the food data/policy space with overlapping stakeholder relationships, but with a regulatory rather than data-platform mandate.

Emerging players

• Open Food Facts: A crowdsourced, open-access food product database with global reach. Emerging player — overlaps in use cases (food data for apps, labeling transparency) and competes indirectly for software developer mindshare, but uses a crowdsourced rather than nationally compiled model.

Regional players

• Danish Food Composition Database (DTU Food): Danish national food composition database maintained by DTU and a EuroFIR contributing compiler. Regional peer — operates a comparable national food composition database with similar scope, but serves primarily Denmark rather than the pan-European market EuroFIR addresses.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EuroFIRAISBL
• Facebookfacebook.com/Eurofir
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eurofir-aisbl
• Instagraminstagram.com/eurofiraisbl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 EuroFIR AISBL