FoodChain ID acquires Brazilian certification body as EUDR compliance deadline looms
Key takeaways
- FoodChain ID has acquired Brazilian certification body Sbcert, gaining access to the country’s official SISBOV cattle and buffalo traceability system.
- The deal strengthens FoodChain ID’s position in livestock traceability as the food industry prepares for EUDR enforcement in December 2026.
- Cattle is one of seven EUDR-covered commodities, as Brazilian beef supply chains face scrutiny over links to Amazon deforestation.
FoodChain ID has acquired Brazilian certification body Sbcert, gaining direct access to the country’s official cattle and buffalo traceability system as the food industry prepares for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) — now set for enforcement in December 2026 after repeated delays.
Sbcert specializes in audits and conformity certification across agriculture and food production, with a leading position in SISBOV (Sistema Brasileiro de Identificação Individual de Bovinos e Búfalos) — Brazil’s national system for identifying, tracing, and certifying individual cattle and buffaloes throughout the livestock supply chain. The system is a critical requirement for meat exports to the EU and other regulated markets.
“The addition of Sbcert to FoodChain ID is a significant milestone in our mission to provide comprehensive solutions that help companies navigate the complexities of global food safety, traceability, and sustainability,” says Heather Secrist, senior VP of technical services for the Americas at FoodChain ID.
Brazil is one of the world’s largest beef exporters, and its cattle supply chains face heightened scrutiny due to well-documented links between livestock farming and Amazon deforestation. Cattle is one of seven commodities — alongside soy, palm oil, cocoa, coffee, wood, and rubber — covered by the EUDR, which requires companies to prove products sold in or exported from the EU have not originated from land deforested after December 31, 2020.
EUDR delays
The EUDR was originally due to take effect in December 2024, but it has been delayed three times. A provisional agreement reached between the EU Council and Parliament in December pushed the main compliance deadline to December 30, 2026, for large and medium operators, with small and micro enterprises receiving until June 30, 2027.
A mandated simplification review by April 2026 could yet trigger further legislative changes, leaving the final scope of requirements uncertain.
Despite that uncertainty, the certification and compliance services sector is evidently not waiting. FoodChain ID says the acquisition expands its ability to serve customers in more than 100 countries, combining certification, regulatory compliance, testing, traceability, and sustainability programs. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Matheus Witzler, director at Sbcert, says the partnership “allows us to grow further by combining our deep expertise in agri-food traceability and certification with FoodChain ID’s globally trusted knowledge, reach and services, delivering even greater value to our customers and partners, not only in Brazil, but also in other markets.”
The deal reflects a broader pattern of consolidation in food supply chain verification services, as tightening regulations and retailer expectations around origin verification, sustainability claims, and deforestation-free sourcing drive demand for end-to-end compliance solutions — regardless of the precise EUDR timeline.
