Partnerships and acquisitions part of Genetic ID plan
Christoph Wiemer said future food testing will be a combination of traditional methods and new areas focusing on speed.
Wiemer has a 15-year career in the food and feed industry, holding leadership roles at companies including TUV Rheinland Group, Bureau Veritas CPS Deutschland, SAI Global and national food labs (e.g., Institut Kirchhoff Berlin, Planton).
His initial focus will be on expanding the firms’ global footprint through partnerships, acquisitions and new services.
Referring to Europe, Asia and the Americas, he told FoodQualityNews that food safety regulatory policy is in flux in all three regions.
“The current decisions in the EU concerning GMO will likely result in more testing and certification. Nevertheless the European market is a price sensitive market with a high degree of competition.
“In Europe the main driver is the retail beyond the regulations made in Brussels and the national authorities.
“Due to the fact that the food market is a global market we have to emphasize our global presence/coverage and tighten our network by partnerships and/or acquisitions. Additional to that we always have to adjust our services to the dynamics in the market.”
Wiemer added it will attempt to foresee market trends by liaising closely with drivers in the market and through input from its international networks.
Genetic ID has ISO 17025 accredited labs or licensees in eight countries.
Thompson returns to USA
Wiemer replaces Bill Thompson, CEO of Genetic ID EU, who will return to the US as executive director, Key Account Programme, for the Global ID Group.
Global ID Group is the parent company of Genetic ID, CERT ID, and FoodChain ID.
Thompson was largely responsible for developing Genetic ID’s Global Laboratory Alliance, a network of laboratories which use the company’s patented technologies, and was instrumental in establishing it in GMO testing.
Thompson had managed Genetic ID’s North American operations and served as co-CEO of Genetic ID North America (NA).
Since 2009, he has led the Augsburg, Germany-based EU division, expanding services throughout the European market and into India.
Thompson will now work to broaden the Key Account Programme, which provides food safety/quality services in the areas of testing, certification, training, and consulting.
“Building upon our 19-year record of excellence in testing and certification, this programme integrates a number of food safety and food quality solutions, giving our clients access to even more essential services,” he said.
Genetic ID EU serves customers in more than 50 countries. In addition to GMO testing services, the company offers testing in food authenticity, animal speciation and allergen content, as well as contract research services.
