SGS boosts North America food safety testing with Murray-Brown buy

BAAR, SWITZERLAND, and COLORADO, UNITED STATES — SGS, a global testing, inspection, and certification company, has acquired Murray-Brown Laboratories, a nationally recognized food testing laboratory based in Denver, Colorado. 

The move significantly expands SGS’s geographic footprint and advanced microbial testing capabilities across the North American market, directly responding to rising regulatory demands and the need for rapid pathogen detection in the food supply chain.

SGS has over 145 years of expertise, employs over 100,000 people, operates more than 2,500 facilities across 115 countries, and offers reliable testing, inspection, and certification services to help clients meet high-quality and sustainability standards. 

Moreover, the firm offers outsourcing services, IT services, Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO), and 24/7 operations support, which generate billions of dollars in revenue annually. These are specialized outsourcing solutions that enable businesses to become more efficient and streamlined, and to retain a competitive advantage in a global market.

Expanding microbial and food safety testing in North America

The move will also enhance technical capacity in the important area of food safety, especially through the implementation of new DNA-based detection practices.

Murray-Brown is also an expert in microbial and analytical chemistry, which is critical to ensuring that food, pet food, and nutraceutical products meet the highest safety standards.

With Murray-Brown’s capabilities, SGS is now able to provide Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technology and other molecular testing technologies to an increasing number of food manufacturers in the North American network.

This technological upgrade comes at an opportune time, given the growing regulatory landscape in the United States.

Year over year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducts the most microbial assays, as microbial detection is becoming increasingly important in preventing foodborne diseases, and, thus, early and accurate detection of harmful pathogens is essential.

Jodi Jurgens, Head of SGS’s Food Group in North America, notes, “With new analytical chemistry capabilities offered by Murray-Brown Laboratories, we are excited to expand our service scope while also strengthening our geographical footprint for microbiological testing services.”

Such integration not only strengthens SGS’s services but also supports public health efforts to accelerate recalls and prevent contamination.

Alignment with corporate growth and sustainability goals

The acquisition of Murray-Brown Laboratories is a strategic move in line with SGS’s overall corporate strategy (Strategy 27) and provides an immediate technical complement.

It is in this project that the company plans to multiply its sales in North America by 2023 through 2027 by focusing on major societal trends, such as increased consumer demand for safe, high-quality foodstuffs and full nutritional disclosure.

The acquisition increases SGS’s customer base among North American producers, manufacturers, and retailers who use third-party verification services to build consumer confidence.

In addition, the acquisition supports the sustainability platform designed by SGS and developed by IMPACT NOW, as it guarantees the integrity of the food supply chain.

The nutraceutical ingredients testing, specialized by Murray-Brown (kratom, kava, and hemp), also enables SGS to serve booming supplement markets that face fierce challenges in purity and safety.

With more than 27 years of experience in food testing across North America and a network of six U.S. labs accredited to ISO 17025, SGS is using this acquisition to strengthen its status as a global service provider.

The move would be meaningful by providing North American manufacturers with the most diverse range of global certifications, making market entry easier, whether in the region or globally, and maintaining the brand promise of trust and reliability.

Jurgens notes, “This addition to the SGS Food Testing Network will of course also allow us to better serve SGS and Murray-Brown Laboratories’ clients while safeguarding the public.”