The Safer Food Group

What The Safer Food Group does

The Safer Food Group, trading under East GB Limited, is a UK-based provider of online accredited food safety and health & safety training courses founded in 2005 and headquartered in Matlock, England. The company delivers self-paced e-learning primarily through its Safer Food training platform, serving five core verticals: catering and hospitality, healthcare and care, education, manufacturing, and retail. Since inception, the company states it has trained over 1 million learners and cites 50+ years of combined team experience in food safety and regulatory training. The platform offers hierarchical certification levels (e.g., Level 2 Food Hygiene starting at £14 per individual seat, dropping to £7 for volumes of 100 or more; Level 3 Supervising Food Safety at £75 per individual) and bundles supplementary content such as allergen awareness, HACCP, and sector-specific courses for healthcare, schools, and early years.

The business operates a multi-channel go-to-market combining product-led growth (direct individual purchase), sales-led enterprise contracts, and a partner ecosystem of affiliates, resellers, hosted LMS integrators, and white-label deployments. Notable commercial relationships include the Early Years Alliance (2024), NHS trusts such as Devon Partnership and University Hospitals Birmingham, and recognition as a Crown Commercial Service Supplier. The platform holds multiple third-party accreditations — Qualifi, RSPH, CPD, EHO-approved, and UKRLP-registered — which function as procurement prerequisites for regulated public-sector and healthcare buyers. The underlying technology stack is straightforward: Vimeo for video delivery, Mailchimp for email marketing, and Google Analytics for web analytics, with no proprietary AI/ML components disclosed.

Revenue mechanics rely on per-seat course fees, volume licensing for teams, and enterprise contracts with periodic refresher cycles. The free Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) 5-Star Rating course functions as a top-of-funnel acquisition tool. The company is privately held, bootstrapped, and has no disclosed external funding, M&A activity, or material leadership changes. Strategic emphasis is on regulatory-aligned product expansion (e.g., pre-emptive Allergy Awareness for Schools course ahead of July 2026 statutory guidance) and vertical deepening rather than technology differentiation.

Name

The Safer Food Group

Legal name

The Safer Food Group

Website

https://saferfoodessentials.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Safer Food Group is a UK-based online accredited food safety and health & safety training provider, founded in 2005 and serving catering, healthcare, education, manufacturing, and retail sectors with self-paced e-learning courses and NHS-trust and council-level enterprise contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Safety Training

akta.pro primary industry

Food Safety, Sanitation & HACCP Training (EDAOAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Food Safety & Workplace Sanitation (HACCP, Hygiene) (EDABAEAN)

Keywords

• Food safety training
• Online food hygiene courses
• HACCP certification
• Allergen awareness training
• Workplace health safety courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Matlock

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual course sales: Individual learners purchase single course codes at standard rates. Courses delivered online with certificate upon completion.
2. Business/bulk course licensing: Organizations purchase multiple course codes at discounted rates based on volume. Business accounts enable allocation, tracking, and management of learner licenses. Revenue scales with team size.
3. Affiliate and referral commissions: Third parties (affiliates, partners) earn percentage commission on sales completed through unique referral links. Commission paid quarterly.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Safer Food Group sells accredited online food safety and health & safety training courses delivered as video-based modules through a proprietary learning management system. Course codes are purchased directly from the website by individuals or in bulk by organisations, with instant PDF certification on completion. The portfolio spans Level 1–3 Food Hygiene, Allergy Awareness, HACCP, Nutrition, Health & Safety, COSHH, Safeguarding, Fire Safety, and specialist courses for healthcare and schools.

Product overview

The Safer Food Group is an online training provider specializing in accredited food safety and health & safety courses for the UK food industry. The portfolio consists of a core set of video-based online courses organized by qualification level (Level 1, 2, 3) and sector-specific versions. The main course categories include Food Hygiene, Allergy Awareness, HACCP, Nutrition, Health & Safety, COSHH, Safeguarding, and Fire Safety, each with sector-specific variants for Catering, Manufacturing, Retail, Schools, and Healthcare settings. The company also offers free supplementary resources including a Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) course. The platform is delivered through a web-based Learning Management System with individual Learner Accounts and Business Accounts for team management. Notable features include FastTrack Rapid Pass for expedited certification. The company pioneered online food safety training in 2005 and continues to innovate with video-based content developed alongside Environmental Health Officers and industry partners such as the Early Years Alliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Level 1 Food Hygiene Certificate Introductory accredited food hygiene training for workers in environments where food is prepared, served, or sold but who do not directly handle or prepare food themselves. Designed for UK hospitality and food retail operators needing baseline EHO-recognised certification.
• Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate Intermediate food hygiene certification for food handlers who prepare, serve, and handle food. The company's flagship course, available in four sector variants (catering, retail, manufacturing, schools). Priced at £14+VAT per individual, from £7+VAT per person for teams of 100+.
• Level 3 Food Hygiene Certificate Advanced food safety training for supervisors, managers, and those in managerial roles in food environments. Covers food safety science and team management principles for hospitality, retail, and manufacturing settings. Priced at £75+VAT individual; from £65+VAT per person for teams. 18–24 hours duration.
• Level 2 Allergy Awareness Training on allergenic ingredients, their effects on the human body, and how to minimise allergen risks. Available in general, catering, retail, and schools versions. Supports Natasha's Law compliance and FSA allergen guidance.
• Level 3 Allergy Awareness Advanced allergen training for leaders, managers, supervisors, and chefs on assessing allergen risk and implementing control measures in food environments.
• Level 2 HACCP Training on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point systems for food safety management. Available in catering and manufacturing versions for food handlers and operators implementing HACCP plans.
• Level 2 Nutrition In-depth nutrition training covering human nutrition principles, developed alongside a PhD Nutritional Specialist. Offered in sector variants for catering and education.
• Level 2 Health & Safety Workplace health and safety training for catering and hospitality staff covering legal responsibilities, risk assessment, accident prevention, and safe working practices. Available in general catering and home worker versions. Priced at £14+VAT individual; volume discounts from £7+VAT. 4 CPD points.
• COSHH Level 2 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health training covering safe storage, use, and disposal of cleaning chemicals in food service environments.
• Safeguarding Level 2 Safeguarding training for individuals working with vulnerable populations in educational, care, and community settings.
• Fire Safety Awareness Fire safety training covering the fire triangle, ignition sources, fire-fighting equipment, and emergency evacuation procedures for the workplace.
• Understanding Listeria Specialist training on Listeria monocytogenes, developed in collaboration with NHS catering teams, for care and healthcare settings handling vulnerable populations.
• Food Service Safety for Healthcare & Care Specialist food safety training developed with NHS catering teams for healthcare and care settings addressing patient meal service and vulnerable population safety.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million learners trained
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Early Years AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Since 2024, SFG courses specifically aimed at Early Years educators have been launched on the EYA members platform. The partnership puts SFG's food safety knowledge into the context of nurseries, childminders and playgroups. EYA added industry expertise and best practice to bring learning to life. Offers EYA members high quality, great value learning experience incorporating EYFS and national regulations.
• Environmental Health Officers (Consultant)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCourses developed alongside consultant Environmental Health Officers to ensure EHO-approved syllabus and compliance with inspection standards. Regular external audit by EHO industry experts.
• Health & Safety SpecialistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with health and safety specialists in course development to ensure comprehensive coverage of workplace safety regulations and best practices.
• FM ResolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate partner adding SFG courses to their range of digital food safety services. As complementary addition to existing services, FM Resolutions increased customer satisfaction through end-to-end solution. Commission earned on sales through affiliate link.
• Blue ArrowminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLeading recruitment company uses free Partner account to manage candidate training locally while centralizing purchasing and financial control. Offers food safety training to candidates demonstrating commitment to quality.
• Royal Society for Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFace-to-face courses assured by RSPH. Partnership with Ofqual-regulated educational charity dedicated to improving public health through accredited qualifications.
• Food Standards AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCourses aligned with FSA guidance and statutory requirements. Free 5-star rating course assists operators in preparing for EHO visits. Allergy training aligned with FSA allergen guidance.
• Hubb Community Kitchen and The Royal FoundationminorOthersFollowing launch of 'Together: Our Community Cookbook', SFG supported Hubb community kitchen and The Royal Foundation by donating training courses. Kitchen was created in response to Grenfell Tower disaster, transforming lives through cooking and sharing food.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Highfield Qualifications: One of the UK's largest awarding organisations offering accredited food safety, HACCP, and health & safety qualifications. Directly competes with SFG in Level 2/3 food hygiene and allergen training, particularly for employer and training-provider customers.
• Virtual College: UK online training provider with a wide portfolio of food safety, health & safety, and social care courses. Closely comparable in product mix, LMS-based delivery, and target buyer (HR/compliance teams at UK organisations).
• Safety Media: UK eLearning provider specializing in food hygiene, health & safety, and fire safety courses. Overlaps with SFG in the SME and hospitality segment with similar video-based training and per-learner pricing.
• iHASCO: UK-based eLearning provider offering accredited health & safety, food safety, fire safety, and safeguarding courses for businesses. Directly competes in the same online workplace compliance category, with similar multi-seat business dashboards.
• SimplyCert: UK online provider of food hygiene and health & safety certifications, also operating a network of approved centres. Competes directly with SFG in affordable Level 2/3 food hygiene and allergen training for UK businesses.
• High Speed Training: UK online training provider offering accredited food hygiene, allergen, HACCP, and health & safety courses. Direct competitor in the SME and individual-learner segment with similar pricing tiers and RoSPA/CPD-accredited content.

Emerging players

• Skillcast: UK-based compliance and eLearning SaaS platform offering modules across regulatory, HR, and workplace compliance. Partial overlap with SFG in health & safety training, with broader enterprise compliance focus.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH): Ofqual-regulated educational charity that directly offers accredited food safety and public health qualifications. Acts as both an accreditation partner to SFG (RSPH-assured) and a competing awarding body issuing similar certifications.
• Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH): UK professional body offering accredited food safety and environmental health training and qualifications. Overlaps with SFG in Level 2/3 Food Hygiene and HACCP, traditionally a dominant player in classroom-based delivery.

Others

• Food Standards Agency (FSA): UK government regulator that sets the statutory framework SFG's courses are aligned with. Not a competitor but a key ecosystem partner whose guidance (allergen, listeria, FHRS) directly shapes SFG's product roadmap and content.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SaferFoodGroup
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpwpLKCoN01DZo7FQ6O7aKg/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheSaferFoodGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2556420
• Instagraminstagram.com/thesaferfoodgroup

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 The Safer Food Group