Global Food Safety Initiative

Name

Global Food Safety Initiative

Legal name

Global Food Safety Initiative

Website

https://mygfsi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Safety Certification Standards

akta.pro primary industry

Food Safety & Quality Scheme Certifications (GFSI Programs) (AFALAMAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Supplier Approval, Verification & Food Safety Risk Management (GFSI-aligned) (AFALADAH), GFSI Scheme Certification Audits (BRCGS, SQF, FSSC 22000, IFS) (AFALABAA), Regulatory & Compliance Inspections Support (FDA/USDA/Local Authority Readiness) (AFALABAC), Traceability, Mass Balance & Recall Mock Audits (Chain-of-Custody Verification) (AFALABAK)

Keywords

• Food safety benchmarking
• Certification harmonisation
• Food safety standards
• Auditor professional development
• Capability building programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Levallois-perret

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. The Consumer Goods Forum Membership: GFSI is an Industry Solution within The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF). Membership and participation is through CGF membership which comprises global retailers and manufacturers.
2. Certification Programme Owner Recognition Fees: CPOs undergo benchmarking against GFSI Benchmarking Requirements and pay fees for the recognition process.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) develops and maintains the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements against which third-party food safety certification programmes are assessed for GFSI recognition. Through its 'once certified, recognised everywhere' model, GFSI harmonises food safety standards globally in alignment with Codex Alimentarius and ISO 22003, while supporting industry collaboration through Working Groups, capability-building programmes, and public-private partnerships.

Product overview

GFSI does not offer a single software product but rather a portfolio of interconnected programmes, frameworks, publications, events, and tools. At its core is the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements (BMRs) Version 2024, a certification programme benchmarking framework aligned with Codex Alimentarius and ISO 22003. Supporting this are the Race to the Top (RTTT) Framework for transformational change, the Global Markets Programme (GMaP) for capability building, and the Government-to-Business (G2B) Forum for public-private partnerships. Knowledge dissemination runs through the annual GFSI Conference, regional GFSI Focus Days, GFSI Webinars, and GFSI Position Papers (including the Food Safety Culture Position Paper, second edition 2026). Technical guidance is provided via Technical Advisory Notes (TANs) and the Benchmarking and Harmonisation Working Group. The Food Safety Auditor Professional Development Framework addresses auditor competence. A forthcoming digital tool is the Authentication and Repository of Certificates (ARC) platform — a cloud-based online registry for certificate authentication expected to launch in 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GFSI Benchmarking Requirements (BMRs) Version 2024 The foundational benchmarking framework against which food safety certification programmes are assessed for GFSI recognition, aligned with Codex Alimentarius and ISO 22003.
• Race to the Top (RTTT) Framework GFSI's transformational change framework driving improvements in benchmarking, harmonisation, capability building, and public-private partnerships across the global food safety ecosystem.
• Global Markets Programme (GMaP) A capability-building programme designed to help build food safety capacity and aid small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to achieve certification to a GFSI-recognised food safety programme, improving market access.
• Food Safety Auditor Professional Development Framework A framework developed by GFSI to provide a clear and consistent pathway for food safety auditor competence and professional development from entry level to expert, aimed at professionalising food safety auditing as a career.
• Authentication and Repository of Certificates (ARC) A cloud-based online registry platform for certificate authentication, designed to authenticate third-party certification, deliver transparency through an open registry of GFSI-recognised certificates, and enable verification of whether a site holds a recognised certificate.
• Government-to-Business (G2B) Forum A platform for strengthening collaboration between public and private sectors in food safety, convening national, regional, and intergovernmental food safety bodies with GFSI member organisations.
• Technical Advisory Note (TAN) A mechanism providing timely clarification on the intent, interpretation, or expected application of existing Benchmarking Requirements (BMR), supporting consistent and transparent understanding among stakeholders between formal BMR updates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 700+ experts from 50+ countries participate in annual GFSI Conference
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• USAIDcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023Partnership between USAID and GFSI provides a path to reach out to African suppliers for piloting and designing the nascent Capability Building Framework. This public-private partnership supports food safety capacity building in developing regions.
• The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGFSI is an Industry Solution within The Consumer Goods Forum. CGF brings together retailers and manufacturers to advance GFSI's mission of safe food for people everywhere. CGF provides governance and membership infrastructure.
• Codex AlimentariuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGFSI Benchmarking Requirements are aligned with Codex Alimentarius and ISO 22003. Codex updates drive new versions of GFSI Benchmarking Requirements. The G2B Forum engages with CODEX on certification platforms and standard harmonisation.
• ISO (International Organization for Standardization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGFSI Benchmarking Requirements align with ISO 22003 for certification body competence. This alignment ensures GFSI-recognised certification meets international standards.
• Rentokil InitialminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRentokil Initial contributed sponsored content on non-toxic pest control for food businesses, including research on stored product insects and rodent management statistics.
• JD.comminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJD.com recently joined The Consumer Goods Forum. Luo Aijun, General Manager of JD.com's Innovative Retail Quality Control Department, joined the GFSI China Working Group Steering Committee.
• Japan Food Safety Management Association (JFSM)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJFSM is a Certification Programme Owner whose JFS-C Standard Version 3.2 achieved recognition against GFSI Benchmarking Requirements v2024. Represents post-farm gate food safety management standards harmonised to international standards.
• China Chain-Store & Franchise Association (CCFA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in GFSI China Day discussions on co-governance between private sector and regulatory bodies. Highlighted the need for closer collaboration especially as online retail grows.
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates in G2B Forum alongside other intergovernmental organisations. GFSI engages with FAO on Codex efforts and measuring use and impact of Codex Standards.
• CanadaGAPcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertification Programme Owner undergoing benchmarking against BMRs v2024. CanadaGAP is a food safety programme for companies that produce, handle and broker fruits and vegetables.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BRCGS (BRC Global Standards): One of the world's leading global food safety certification schemes and a GFSI-recognised Certification Programme Owner. Operates comparable third-party food safety audits accepted by major retailers, with overlapping ecosystem relationships and similar target customers.
• FSSC 22000 (Foundation for Food Safety Certification): A leading GFSI-recognised food safety certification scheme based on ISO 22000. Operates globally with a comparable certification model targeting food manufacturers, and competes for the same buyer/retailer acceptance.
• SQF Institute: A GFSI-recognised food safety and quality certification program operated within the Food Marketing Institute. Targets the same food manufacturer/retailer buyer base with a comparable third-party certification model.
• IFS (International Featured Standards): A GFSI-recognised umbrella of food and product safety standards widely adopted by European retailers and manufacturers. Operates a similar third-party certification model targeting the same supply chain stakeholders.
• GLOBALG.A.P. A globally recognised farm-level food safety and sustainability certification program currently undergoing benchmarking against GFSI BMRs v2024. Provides a directly comparable certification model for primary production, with overlapping buyers.

Others

• Codex Alimentarius Commission: The international food standards-setting body jointly run by FAO and WHO. Closest analogue to GFSI as a global food safety standard-setter; GFSI's Benchmarking Requirements are explicitly aligned with Codex standards.
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO): The international standards body whose ISO 22000 family is the foundation that GFSI benchmarks against. Operates as an adjacent standard-setter rather than direct competitor, but its standard revisions directly shape GFSI's requirements.

Broad incumbents

• NSF International: A long-established global food safety testing, auditing and certification organisation. Offers a broader portfolio spanning testing, certification, and consulting, overlapping with GFSI's ecosystem on certification and auditor training.
• Bureau Veritas: A global testing, inspection and certification (TIC) major with significant food safety certification operations. Competes for food safety audit and certification work delivered by GFSI-recognised CPOs and targets the same manufacturer/retailer base.

Emerging players

• DNV (Food Safety): A global certification body with growing food safety and management systems certification offerings. Increasingly competes with GFSI-recognised CPOs for FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, and BRCGS audits in key markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/myGFSI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/global-food-safety-initiative
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLLhngS1fzGFHrpgSTFUP_nK2jVDzpUkyc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Global Food Safety Initiative