QAI, Ecocert Form Alliance

QAI, Ecocert Form Alliance

SAN DIEGO--Quality Assurance International (QAI) announced a unique partnership with France-based Ecocert SA--the first between a European and U.S. certifier, according to QAI. Under the terms of the agreement, Ecocert will acquire a stake in QAI's Japanese subsidiary, QAI Japan. The move will enable Ecocert to provide Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS) certification to its clients worldwide and enable its current client base access to the Japanese organic food market. Also under the agreement, QAI's existing Japanese client base will gain greater access to the European market. The new subsidiary will be called Ecocert-QAI Japan Ltd.

"We believe this new partnership will be the beginning of a long, positive experience for both organic producers and consumers in Japan," said William Vidal, Ecocert co-founder and chief executive officer.

Donald Nordeng, president of QAI Japan added, "This agreement comes at a time when the issues of food safety and purity are on the minds of virtually every Japanese consumer. Recent scandals over mislabeled or contaminated food products have increased demand for the services of companies like QAI, as well as overall demand for organic food. We see this partnership with Ecocert as leading to enormous growth for our company and the clients we serve over the coming months and years."