What Qualisud does

Qualisud is a French non-profit association (organisme associatif à but non lucratif) founded in 1965, headquartered in Auzeville Tolosane (Toulouse), and operating as a COFRAC-accredited certification, inspection, and audit organism (accreditation N°5-0700, effective 17 October 2025). It was the first French certification organism for SIQO (outside AB), CCP, PEFC, CE Marking, GLOBALGAP, and Certiphyto to receive ISO/IEC 17065:2012 accreditation. The organization delivers third-party certification and inspection services across agricultural, agrifood, and forestry sectors, with a 140-person team distributed across six French regional offices (Aire-sur-l'Adour, Toulouse, Marmande, Aix-en-Provence, Limoges, Chalon sur Saône) serving more than 70,000 operators and controlling approximately 350 specifications annually.

The service portfolio spans Agriculture Biologique (AB) certification under EU 2018/848, GLOBALG.A.P. (IFA, NURTURE, Chain of Custody, GRASP), CEEA-HVE environmental certification including CE2+ for CAP eco-regime access, SIQO/CCP labels (AOC/AOP, IGP, STG), PEFC forest and wood certification including PEFC RED II/RED III for the wood-energy sector, Certiphyto for phytopharmaceutical distribution, OQUALIM animal feed certification, IFS/BRC food safety (via partnership with DEKRA Certification, COFRAC N°5-0535), Bilan Carbone® carbon assessments, and independent third-party controls under the VIGILANTIA sub-brand for private specifications (INTERBEV meat labels, Lorraine Qualité Viande, Crus Artisans du Médoc). A digital report dematerialization platform, launched in 2022 with Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region co-financing, provides operators with secure individual access to audit reports.

Qualisud operates a direct field-sales model anchored by its six regional offices, with each certification line managed by a dedicated activity manager and personalized quote-based pricing (no public rate cards). Revenue is fee-for-service from certification and audit engagements, structured as multi-year contracts. The customer base spans producers, processors, distributors, importers, and exporters; interprofessional associations and ODGs (e.g., INTERBEV, ODG Minervois, Association des Viticulteurs d'Alsace, Lorraine Qualité Viande, QUALIMAT SUD OUEST); and forestry/wood-energy operators. The geographic footprint is essentially France-dominant, with limited reference to Switzerland, the UK, the USA, South Korea, and EU-wide activity. The organization is member-governed under an associative model, with no parent company, external ownership, or equity funding identified.

Name

Qualisud

Legal name

Qualisud

Website

https://qualisud.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Qualisud is a French non-profit certification, inspection, and audit organism founded in 1965, accredited by COFRAC (N°5-0700), employing 140 staff across six regional offices to certify 70,000+ agricultural, agrifood, and forestry operators under ~350 specifications annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Certification and Inspection Services

NAICS

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (92615)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Safety Certification Bodies (ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, BRCGS, SQF) (AFALAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC), Supplier Quality Assurance & Vendor Approval Programs (AFALALAB), Regulatory Consulting & Compliance Program Management (FDA/USDA/EFSA) (AFALADAC), Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD), Third-Party Verification & Assurance (ISO 14064, ISAE 3000, limited/reasonable) (EUAHADAE)

Keywords

• Organic farming certification
• Agricultural inspection services
• Food safety audits
• Forestry certification
• Environmental certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Auzeville-tolosane

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Certification Services: Qualisud generates revenue through certification, inspection, and audit fees charged to operators across agricultural, agrifood, and forestry sectors. Clients include producers, processors, distributors, importers, and exporters who pay for audits and certification issuance under multiple schemes (AB, GLOBALG.A.P., HVE, PEFC, Certiphyto, IFS-BRC, SIQO). Revenue is fee-for-service based on certification type, operator activity, and audit scope. Each certification line has dedicated pricing request processes via downloadable forms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Qualisud is a French third-party certification, inspection, and audit organism accredited by COFRAC (N°5-0700) that certifies agricultural, agrifood, and forestry operators against multiple official standards including organic farming (AB), GLOBALG.A.P., HVE, PEFC, IFS/BRC, Certiphyto, and SIQO quality signs. The organization delivers these services through 6 regional offices in France with a team of 140 collaborators, serving over 70,000 operators annually across approximately 350 specifications. It also operates the VIGILANTIA brand for independent third-party controls of private specifications.

Product overview

Qualisud is a French certification, inspection, and audit organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of certification services across agricultural, food, and forestry sectors. The core offering centers on organic farming (Agriculture Biologique) certification covering producers, processors, distributors, importers, and retailers, complemented by food safety standards (GLOBALG.A.P., IFS-BRC partnerships), environmental certifications (HVE/CEEA, CE2+), and sector-specific programs (Certiphyto, PEFC for forestry, OQUALIM for animal nutrition). The company also provides independent control services under the VIGILANTIA brand, Bilan Carbone® assessments, and RDUE compliance support for EU deforestation regulations. Services are delivered through 6 regional offices in France (Aix-en-Provence, Toulouse, Chalon sur Saône, Limoges, Aire-sur-l'Adour, Marmande) by approximately 140 employees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VIGILANTIA: Brand for third-party control services, used for independent controls and certification of private specifications such as Lorraine Qualité Viande and GBPAC

Products and services

• Agriculture Biologique (AB) Certification Organic farming certification covering production, processing, distribution, import, and export of organic products for producers, livestock farmers, preparers, distributors, and retailers under EU Regulation 2018/848.
• GLOBALG.A.P. Certification Global agricultural good practices certification including IFA (Integrated Farm Assurance), NURTURE, Chain of Custody (CoC), and GRASP social module for producers and supply chain operators.
• CEEA-HVE Certification Environmental certification for farms at level 2 and level 3 (HVE - Haute Valeur Environnementale), including CE2+ certification for CAP eco-regime access for individual exploitations and collective structures.
• SIQO and CCP Certification Official quality labels and product conformity certification including AOC/AOP wines, protected geographical indications, and traditional specialty guaranteed under the French Signes Officiels de la Qualité et d'Origine (SIQO) framework.
• Certiphyto Certification Certification for companies distributing, applying, or advising on phytopharmaceutical products, including professional and non-professional distribution, service application, and independent advice.
• PEFC Certification (Filière Bois-Forêt) Forest and wood sector certification including PEFC chain of custody, sustainable forest management, and PEFC RED II/RED III for wood-energy compliance with EU renewable energy directives.
• OQUALIM Animal Nutrition Certification Certification for animal feed manufacturers including GBPAC (Guide de Bonnes Pratiques de Fabrication d'Aliments Composés) and STNE (Socle Technique Nutrition Equine) for equine feed.
• Bilan Carbone® Carbon footprint assessment service for organizations to measure and report greenhouse gas emissions.
• IFS-BRC Certification Partnership

Quantifiable outcome

• Controls ~350 specifications and certifies 70,000+ operators annually across France
• +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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ODG Minervois (Syndicat du Cru Minervois)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2015The Syndicat du Cru Minervois, recognized ODG for AOC Minervois, AOC Minervois La Livinière, AOC Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois, and IGP Coteaux de Peyriac, entrusted Qualisud since August 2015 with the inspection and certification of its appellations across nearly 5,000 hectares, 500+ winegrowers, and 200 wine producers. Qualisud ensures external controls of production conditions on vineyard, processing tools, and product compliance.
• QUALIMAT SUD OUESTcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Since 2014, Qualisud has partnered with QUALIMAT SUD OUEST to conduct external audits of animal feed raw material suppliers. Audits are jointly conducted by QUALIMAT members and Qualisud auditors qualified in Good Manufacturing Practice for Compound Feed and Qualimat Transport. Each audit is tailored to the company's activity, covering identification, traceability, contamination control, and customer requirements.
• INTERBEV (Interprofession du Bétail et des Viandes)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2013In February 2013, Qualisud (under its VIGILANTIA brand) was selected by INTERBEV through a competitive tender to perform controls for interprofessional specifications covering Viande de France, Viande Bovine Française, Viande de Veau Française, Viande Ovine Française, Viande de Chèvre et de Chevreau Française, Viande Chevaline Française, Viande hachée 100% muscle, JBE, and Charoluxe. Qualisud provides technical assistance, expertise in control campaigns, and participates in the evolution of these specifications.
• Association des Viticulteurs d'AlsacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013The Association des Viticulteurs d'Alsace (ODG) selected Qualisud to conduct AOC inspections for Alsace, Alsace grand cru, Crémant d'Alsace, and Marc d'Alsace Gewurztraminer. This covers a vineyard of 15,570 hectares across 4,931 exploitations producing 1.16 million hectoliters.
• DEKRA CertificationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIn the context of IFS-BRC activities, Qualisud partnered with DEKRA Certification as co-contractor. DEKRA Certification (COFRAC accredited N°5-0535) brings expertise in IFS Food, IFS Logistics, IFS Broker, and BRC Food certification. Audits are conducted in co-traitance with Qualisud, and clients benefit from DEKRA's digital portal for reports and certificates. DEKRA serves over 5,000 clients with 7,500 certificates and reports >98% client satisfaction.
• Lorraine Qualité ViandecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe association Lorraine Qualité Viande (Laxou, 54) — bringing together livestock farmers, producer organizations, livestock dealers, slaughterhouses, cutting rooms, wholesalers, and distributors — selected Qualisud (VIGILANTIA brand) to control private specifications Viande du Terroir Lorrain 'Origine' and Viande du Terroir Lorrain 'Sélection', guaranteeing the Lorraine origin of meats from local farms.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Eurofins: Global food testing and certification group with strong European presence in agricultural product testing and food safety certification. Comparable to Qualisud's food safety and AB testing-adjacent services, though Eurofins is laboratory-anchored rather than audit-led.
• SGS: World's largest testing, inspection, and certification company. Competes with Qualisud across food safety, agricultural, and forestry certification schemes, but at global scale with broader industry coverage including minerals, oil & gas, and consumer goods.
• Intertek: Global TIC incumbent with significant food and agricultural certification services, including GLOBALG.A.P. and organic programmes. Comparable to Qualisud's certification portfolio but at global scale with broader industry diversification.
• Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) incumbent with extensive food safety, agricultural, and sustainability certification services. Overlaps with Qualisud on IFS/BRC, GLOBALG.A.P., and broader agricultural certification, but operates as a multi-vertical conglomerate rather than a French specialist.
• TÜV Rheinland: German-headquartered global TIC and certification body with food, agricultural, and sustainability certification arms. Competes with Qualisud in ISO-based and sustainability certification across European agriculture and food sectors.
• AFNOR Certification: French national standards body and certification arm of Groupe AFNOR. Provides ISO and sector certification services overlapping with Qualisud's quality, environmental, and certification offerings, with deep institutional relationships in France.
• DEKRA Certification: Global TIC incumbent and Qualisud's existing co-contractor for IFS-BRC food safety audits. Comparable as a broad certification incumbent with overlapping food safety, automotive, and industrial certification; the partnership link with Qualisud illustrates deep product overlap.

Emerging players

• TerraCert: French organic and sustainability certification body with a niche focus on organic farming and environmental certification. Smaller and more specialised than Qualisud, but directly comparable on AB organic certification scope and customer profile.

Direct peers

• Certipaq: French certification body specialising in SIQO (AOC/AOP, IGP, Label Rouge) and organic certification. Directly comparable to Qualisud's SIQO-CCP and AB offerings, serving similar agricultural producer and processor clients in France.
• Ecocert: French-headquartered organic and sustainable certification body operating globally. Ecocert is the most direct competitor to Qualisud's organic agriculture (AB) and sustainable certification activities, with overlapping organic, environmental, and food certification services across France and internationally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Qualisud