What RQA Group does

RQA Group is a UK-headquartered management consultancy, founded in 1997 and registered as RQA Europe Ltd, that specializes in product risk, product recall, crisis management, business continuity, food safety, and consumer product safety. The firm delivers services through a global network of over 120 experienced senior consultants operating across 36 countries, organized around three client segments: manufacturers (recall incident management, recall preparedness, crisis management, crisis communications, business continuity, food safety audits and consultancy, consumer product safety), insurance companies (crisis consultants with 24/7 incident support, claims support, risk engineering), and law firms (expert witness and consultancy for product liability defence). Its differentiated offering is the 'Plan Train Test' preparedness methodology, in which clients annually review their recall plan, train response teams, and run scenario-based simulations.

The firm's business model is professional services: bespoke consultancy engagements scoped to client needs, delivered through direct enterprise sales and supplemented by thought-leadership content (industry articles, annual Product Recall Bulletins across food, consumer products, and automotive sectors) and conferences. Major disclosed clients include Danone, Barilla, Pernod Ricard, De'Longhi Group, Associated British Foods, Greencore, and Speedibake, with the firm stating that its food safety experts work with 6 of the top 20 global food companies and that it has advised on over 1,500 live recalls.

RQA is privately held and owner-operated under Managing Director Vince Shiers, with no identified PE/VC ownership, M&A activity, or external funding. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is custom per engagement. The firm's primary addresses are Reading (Swallowfield), UK, with global delivery via its consultant network.

Name

RQA Group

Legal name

RQA Europe Ltd

Website

https://rqa-group.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

RQA Group is a UK-founded management consultancy (est. 1997) delivering product risk, recall, crisis management, food safety, and business continuity services to manufacturers, insurance companies, and law firms worldwide through a 120+ consultant network across 36 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Product Risk and Crisis Management Consulting

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Third-Party Risk, Vendor Due Diligence & Supply Chain Compliance (BPAEAPAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK), Policy Management, Training & Ethics/Whistleblowing (BPAEAPAI), Supplier Quality Assurance & Vendor Approval Programs (AFALALAB)

Keywords

• Product recall consulting
• Crisis management services
• Food safety consulting
• Business continuity planning
• Product risk management

Headquarters

HQ city

Reading

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Consultancy Services: RQA Group generates revenue through providing specialized consultancy services in product risk, crisis management, product recall, food safety, business continuity, and related advisory services to manufacturers, insurers, and law firms. Services include crisis consultancy support, risk engineering, training, expert witness services, and incident management.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

RQA Group is a global management consultancy that provides specialized advisory and training services in product recall, crisis management, product risk, food safety, business continuity, and consumer product safety. The firm serves manufacturers, insurance companies, and law firms through a delivery model built on a global network of over 120 experienced consultants operating across 36 countries, anchored by the proprietary "Plan Train Test" preparedness methodology.

Product overview

RQA Group is a management consultancy, not a software platform. They do not offer a unified product with modules, but rather provide a portfolio of professional services organized around three client segments: Manufacturers (product recall, crisis management, food safety, consumer product safety, business continuity), Insurance (crisis consultants, claims support, risk engineering), and Legal (expert witness and consultancy services). Their core methodology follows a 'Plan Train Test' approach for product recall preparedness. Services are delivered through an extensive global network of over 120 experienced consultants operating in 36 countries. The firm also publishes annual Product Recall Bulletins analyzing global recall trends across Food, Consumer Products, and Automotive sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Recall Incident Management Crisis response consultancy providing expert support during live product recall events, including incident assessment, recall strategy development, and stakeholder coordination for manufacturers.
• Product Recall Preparedness Annual preparedness program following the Plan Train Test philosophy: reviewing recall plans, training teams, and conducting scenario-based product recall simulations for manufacturer clients.
• Crisis Management Strategic consultancy helping organizations prepare for, respond to, and recover from product-related crises, including scenario planning and post-incident review.
• Crisis Communications Expert guidance on managing communications during product safety incidents and recalls, including media relations and stakeholder messaging for manufacturers.
• Business Continuity Consultancy services helping manufacturers maintain operational resilience during and after product safety incidents or recalls.
• Food Safety Audits Independent audit and assessment services evaluating food safety management systems against industry standards for manufacturer clients.
• Food Safety Consultancy Comprehensive food safety advisory services including HACCP implementation, TACCP/food defence strategy, and food fraud mitigation for manufacturers. RQA's food safety experts work for 6 of the top 20 global food companies.
• Consumer Product Safety Expert consultancy on consumer product safety issues, including supply chain risk assessment, incident risk assessments, and regulatory compliance for manufacturers.
• Crisis Consultants (Insurance) Specialist product recall crisis consultancy for the insurance industry, providing 24/7 incident support to insureds and pre-incident risk management.
• Claims Support (Insurance) Expert support services for insurance claims related to product recalls and product safety incidents.
• Risk Engineering (Insurance) Risk assessment and engineering services for product recall insurers, evaluating risk exposures and supporting underwriting decisions.
• Legal Services Consultancy and expert witness services for lawyers handling product liability defence or claims, leveraging deep expertise in product recalls and product incidents.
• Product Recall Bulletins Annual analysis reports covering global recall trends in Food, Consumer Products, and Automotive sectors, available for download.

Quantifiable outcome

• Advised on over 1500 live recalls
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• SGS: SGS is a leading global TIC firm offering food safety, product safety, and supply chain risk services. Its scale and global footprint make it a broad incumbent competitor to RQA's specialist recall and food safety work.
• Intertek: Intertek provides product testing, certification, and advisory services including food safety and consumer product safety—comparable to RQA's core product safety and risk engineering service lines at greater scale.
• Bureau Veritas: A global TIC leader offering food safety audits, product testing, and supply chain risk services at massive scale. While its recall advisory is part of a broader portfolio, it competes directly with RQA for enterprise food manufacturer consulting budgets.
• Kroll: Kroll provides risk consulting, incident response, and corporate advisory services globally. Its broader risk and investigations portfolio overlaps with RQA's crisis management and incident response work for enterprise clients.
• Eurofins Scientific: Eurofins is a global food testing and product safety services group with audit and consulting adjacencies. Its scale and lab network position it as a broad incumbent in food safety services overlapping with RQA's food safety practice.

Direct peers

• Control Risks: Control Risks is a specialist risk consultancy offering crisis management, incident response, and product security advisory services to multinational corporations—directly comparable to RQA's crisis management and product risk consultancy.
• NSF International: NSF provides food safety consulting, auditing, and certification services across the food and consumer products value chain, directly comparable to RQA's Food Safety Audits and Food Safety Consultancy practices.
• Stericycle Expert Solutions: Stericycle's Expert Solutions division provides product recall management, crisis response, and remediation services directly overlapping RQA's Recall Incident Management and Crisis Management offerings for manufacturers and insurers.
• AIB International: AIB International specializes in food safety audits, training, and consulting for food manufacturers, directly comparable to RQA's food safety audit and food defense/HACCP consultancy services.
• Mérieux NutriSciences: Mérieux NutriSciences provides food safety and quality testing, auditing, and consulting services to global food manufacturers, overlapping with RQA's food safety consultancy and audit offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rqa-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 RQA Group