Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority

What Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority does

Matvælastofnun (Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority, branded as MAST) is the Icelandic government agency responsible for food safety, animal health, animal welfare, feed control, fisheries inspection, and aquaculture oversight across Iceland. Established in 2008 and operating under the Ministry of Industries and Innovation (Atvinnuvegaráðuneytið), MAST holds exclusive statutory authority under laws 93/1995, 60/2006, and 71/2008 to conduct risk-based inspections, issue licenses and certifications, enforce compliance, manage product recalls, and respond to animal disease outbreaks. The agency is headquartered in Selfoss (Austurvegur 64) with an additional import/export department in Reykjavik, and employs between 101 and 250 staff. It coordinates with Nordic counterparts (Livsmedelsverket in Sweden, Fødevarestyrelsen in Denmark, Helsedirektoratet/Mattilsynet in Norway) on harmonized food labeling and is integrated into the EU RASFF rapid alert and TRACES electronic certification systems.

MAST's operational portfolio is built on a suite of digital regulatory systems: SKYRSLUR.MAST.IS for establishment registry and inspection records; the Heilsa database for veterinarian diagnosis and treatment records; the Mælaborð fiskeldis (Aquaculture Dashboard) for fish farming compliance monitoring; the Kortasjá MAST GIS viewer for geographic visualization of supervised premises; the umsokn.mast.is digital service gateway for licensing and applications; a veterinary on-call service; a public food recall and safety alert system; and a veterinary licensing service. The agency co-oversees the Nordic Keyhole (Skráargatið) nutrition labeling symbol with the Directorate of Health and contracts Matis and Keldur (University of Iceland) as National Reference Laboratories for food/feed and animal health diagnostics.

MAST is funded primarily through Icelandic state budget allocation, supplemented by inspection fees (gjaldskrá), licensing fees, and certification charges for veterinary licenses, import/export certificates, establishment approvals, and operational permits. Its "customers" in the regulatory sense are the food industry, importers and exporters, fish farms, veterinarians, farmers, and animal owners it supervises. The agency does not pursue commercial revenue, has no subsidiaries, no parent other than the Government of Iceland, and operates exclusively within Icelandic jurisdiction while participating in European and Nordic regulatory networks.

Name

Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority

Legal name

Matvælastofnun (The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority)

Website

https://mast.is

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Matvælastofnun (Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority, MAST) is Iceland's statutory government agency enforcing food safety, animal health, animal welfare, fisheries, and aquaculture oversight under the Ministry of Industries and Innovation, serving food businesses, farmers, importers, and veterinarians nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Regulatory Services (Food Safety & Animal Health)

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterinary Regulatory Authorities (Licensing, Compliance & Enforcement) (HLAMAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Safety & Veterinary Public Health (Meat/Milk Inspection) (HLAMAJAJ), Veterinary Public Health, Biosecurity & Disease Control Services (AFAEANAI), Regulatory, Certification & Compliance Veterinary Services (Health Papers, QA Programs) (AFACADAJ)

Keywords

• Food safety regulation
• Veterinary licensing
• Animal health oversight
• Regulatory inspections
• Import export certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Selfoss

HQ country

Iceland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Budget Allocation: Primary funding through state government budget as a regulatory agency
2. Inspection Fees (Gjaldskrá): Fees charged for inspections, permits, certificates, registration, and other official services according to the authority's tariff schedule
3. Licensing Fees: Fees for veterinary licenses, import/export certificates, establishment approvals, and operational permits

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Matvælastofnun (MAST) is Iceland's statutory government regulatory agency that enforces food safety, animal health, animal welfare, and feed controls across the country. It conducts risk-based inspections, issues licenses and certifications for food establishments and veterinarians, manages import/export certification through the TRACES system, issues public warnings and product recalls via the RASFF network, and operates surveillance programs for foodborne diseases, animal diseases, and aquaculture compliance.

Product overview

Matvælastofnun (Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority) is a government regulatory agency that provides regulatory information services rather than commercial products. Its digital offerings include an information portal (mast.is) for food safety guidelines, animal health regulations, and veterinary licensing; the Mælaborð fiskeldis (Fish Farming Dashboard) for aquaculture monitoring; Kortasjá MAST for geographic visualization of establishments; a Þjónustugátt service portal for digital applications; and a veterinary on-call service. The authority operates the Import and Export Department handling TRACES integration, issues food safety alerts and recalls, and manages veterinary licensing for Iceland. These services are interconnected as part of Iceland's unified food safety and animal health regulatory infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Matvælastofnun Website Portal Official government portal providing regulatory information, guidelines, and services for food safety, animal health, veterinary licensing, import/export regulations, and public food safety alerts including product recalls. Used by food businesses, farmers, pet owners, and consumers across Iceland.
• Mælaborð fiskeldis (Fish Farming Dashboard) Interactive dashboard providing monitoring and data visualization for fish farming operations, disease surveillance, and aquaculture compliance tracking. Used by aquaculture operators and regulatory staff in Iceland.
• Kortasjá MAST (MAST Map Viewer) Geographic information system for visualizing establishments under MAST supervision, district offices, and regional veterinary services. Used by inspectors, regulated entities, and the public to locate supervised establishments across Iceland.
• Inn- og útflutningsdeild (Import and Export Department Services) Regulatory services for import/export of food products, live animals, animal products, plants, and equipment including border inspection post operations and TRACES system integration. Used by importers, exporters, and customs brokers handling food and animal products entering or leaving Iceland.
• Þjónustugátt Matvælastofnunar (MAST Service Gateway) Online application portal for submitting requests, licenses, veterinary certifications, and official correspondence with the authority. Used by regulated businesses, veterinarians, and individuals applying for MAST services.
• Dýralæknavakt (Veterinary On-Call Service) On-call veterinary services for animal emergencies, disease outbreaks, and urgent animal health matters across Iceland. Used by animal owners and emergency responders needing veterinary assistance outside business hours.
• Food Recall and Safety Alert System System for issuing public warnings and product recalls including food contamination alerts, unauthorized substances, and foodborne illness notifications. Used by consumers, importers, distributors, and retailers across Iceland.
• Veterinary Licensing System System for issuing Icelandic veterinary licenses, evaluating foreign veterinary degrees, and maintaining the register of practicing veterinarians in Iceland. Used by veterinarians seeking licensure to practice in Iceland and foreign-trained veterinarians requiring credential evaluation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Operates RASFF (Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed) integration for European food safety warnings
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Livsmedelsverket (Swedish Food Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2009Nordic cooperation on the Skráargatið (Keyhole) labeling symbol. Joint development and maintenance of harmonized Nordic nutrition labeling standards. Sweden originally launched the Keyhole symbol in 1989 and the Nordic cooperation began in 2009.
• Fødevarestyrelsen (Danish Veterinary and Food Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2009Nordic cooperation on the Skráargatið (Keyhole) labeling symbol. Denmark participates in the joint Nordic Keyhole labeling initiative for healthier food choices.
• Helsedirektoratet and Mattilsynet (Norwegian Health Directorate and Food Safety Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2009Nordic cooperation on the Skráargatið (Keyhole) labeling symbol. Norway participates in the joint Nordic Keyhole labeling initiative for healthier food choices.
• EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean cooperation on food safety standards, scientific assessments, and antimicrobial resistance monitoring. MAST participates in EFSA conferences and contributes to European food safety initiatives.
• Embætti landlæknis (Directorate of Health)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-oversight of the Skráargatið (Keyhole) labeling symbol in Iceland. The Directorate of Health and MAST jointly oversee the Nordic Keyhole symbol usage in Iceland.
• Heilbrigðiseftirlit sveitarfélaga (Municipal Health Inspection)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint supervision of food establishments and enforcement of food safety regulations at municipal level. MAST and municipal health inspections coordinate on Skráargatið oversight.
• Keldur - Institute for Experimental Pathology, University of IcelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Reference Laboratory for animal health. Provides diagnostic services and research support for animal disease surveillance.
• Matis (National Reference Laboratory - Food & Feed)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational reference laboratory providing analytical services for food and feed safety testing, supporting MAST's regulatory oversight functions.
• Nordic Council of MinistersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsors Nordic initiatives on food safety, including the 2019 symposium on energy drinks and young people organized by MAST during Iceland's presidency.
• Tún (Organic Farming Certification Body)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccredited certification body for organic farming in Iceland, operating under MAST's regulatory framework for organic production oversight.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• European Food Safety Authority (EFSA): EU-level scientific authority on food safety. MAST participates in EFSA scientific networks and conferences; EFSA is a broader, supranational incumbent that sets the standards MAST implements at the national level.
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): U.S. federal food and drug regulator. Macro-level comparison: covers food safety, import/export controls, and standards setting at significantly larger scale than MAST.
• Food Standards Agency (FSA, UK): UK independent food safety regulator. Larger, broader incumbent with a comparable mandate (food safety, labeling, recalls) and a well-developed public-facing alert and recall system analogous to MAST's.

Regional players

• Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA): Canada's federal agency for food safety, animal health, and plant protection. Comparable integrated mandate across food, animal, and import/export inspection, functioning in a different but similarly federalized North American context.
• Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI): Statutory body overseeing food safety and hygiene in Ireland. Comparable scope and statutory enforcement model, operating under EU regulatory frameworks aligned with MAST's EEA participation.
• Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit (BVL, Germany): Germany's federal office for consumer protection and food safety. Functionally analogous to MAST at federal level, with similar responsibilities for coordination, risk assessment, and crisis management in food safety.

Direct peers

• Ruokavirasto (Finnish Food Authority): Finland's national food safety and animal health authority. Comparable regulatory scope (food, animal health, plant health) operating in a similar Nordic/EEA context with EU TRACES integration.
• Mattilsynet (Norwegian Food Safety Authority): Norway's national regulatory authority for food safety, animal health, and animal welfare. Direct Nordic counterpart to MAST and named partner in the Keyhole cooperation, with overlapping mandate and operating model.
• Fødevarestyrelsen (Danish Veterinary and Food Administration): Denmark's combined veterinary and food authority. Direct peer with consolidated food safety and animal health mandate, and a Nordic Keyhole cooperation partner of MAST.
• Livsmedelsverket (Swedish Food Agency): Sweden's central food authority responsible for food safety, labeling, and nutrition. Direct peer; jointly maintains the Nordic Keyhole symbol with MAST and applies comparable inspection and licensing functions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/matvaelastofnun

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority