2021

• Relocation of the SGF office from Nieder-Olm to Saulheim with implementation of the New Work concept in a smaller space

• Go-live of the new IT platform JuiceBase for internal and external users

• First virtual General Assembly and adoption of the new Statutes

• Sure - Global - Fair becomes Safe - Global - Fair

• Decision on the new board structure: Administrative Council replaces IRMA and IQCS Board

• Retirement of Dr Karl Neuhäuser (1998-2013 President, then Honorary President)

2022

• 7th Auditors' Workshop in Mainz, Germany, to update and calibrate our associated auditors

• Open Juice House at our premises in Saulheim

• First meeting of the newly established Administrative Council together with the Executive Committee

• Retirement of our long-term Board member and Vice-President Carlos Abboud from the Executive Committee 

2023

• Resumption of the roadshows after the pandemic with a new logo and the headline "Global Juice Roadshow - SGF and IFU on the way to you". Stops in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Peru

2024

• 50th anniversary of SGF with 3 amazing interactive campaigns. The motto of the PLANT! campaign was Let's plant trees together. We wanted to give something back to nature and make an active contribution to our environment. Our members planted 1025 trees around the world. Our DONATE campaign supported a social project for children in need in partnership with the World Health Foundation. We raised an incredible €25,000. 3 lucky winners were drawn from the participants of our SQUIZ IT! campaign and had their company visited for a day by an SGF technical manager to answer all their open questions.

• Global Juice Roadshow in the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, China and Dubai, where cooperation with the Arab Beverages Association (ABA) was reactivated

• 8th Auditor Workshop to update and calibrate SGF auditors, for the first time in summer

• Incentive trip for staff and Board Members to visit VOG Products in Leifers and some frame activities

• Participation in the Eckes-Granini Sustainability Day in Nieder-Olm with half-hour workshops on SGF throughout the day

• SGF booth in the exhibition "Eating and Drinking - Travelling through Body and Time" at the Reiss Engelhorn Museum Mannheim

2025

• Launch of our anniversary dossier with exclusive insights into our team, SGF's journey over 50 years and our work

• Dirk Schweikert elected as President

• Former President Dr Joachim Tretzel appointed second Honorary President alongside Dr Karl Neuhäuser

• Global Juice Roadshow with stops in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia

2011

• Cooperation agreement with the Chinese Citrus Research Institute (CRI), Chongqing
  focused on safety and authenticity data of Chinese orange juice

• Cooperation agreement with the China Chamber of Commerce of I/E of Foodstuffs, Native Produce & Animal By-Products, Fruit & Vegetables & Industrial Food Dept China (CFNA)

2012

• Project agreement "QUALITHAI" between the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and SGF
  to improve product safety and quality for the Thai fruit juice industry

• Cooperation with the Turkish fruit juice association MEYED

• Contract with the Association of Russian Fruit Juice Producers RSPS
  about an IRMA service programme

• Contract with the South African Fruit Juice Association SAFJA
  about an IRMA service programme

2013

• Dr. Joachim Tretzel new SGF President
  as successor of the former long-time president Dr. Karl Neuhäuser who is nominated as honorary president.

• Pilot Audit Tank Cleaning Stations

2014

• New SGF company logo
  presented at the General Assembly in Antwerp, Belgium

• First digital audit via tablet
  The auditors now handle the data retrieval, data input and data transmission during the audit with the help of the newly developed app through a tablet. This paperless system is environmentally friendly, cost and time efficient and less prone to mistakes.

• SGF International e.V. celebrates 40th jubilee
  during the Juice Summit in Antwerp with a gala evening attended by around 500 guests. From the first analysis of finished products on the market, SGF has developed into the acknowledged global system for fruit juices that serves the industry regarding all aspects of production, quality, authenticity, safety and sustainability.

2015

• Successful conclusion of the SGF-project QUALITHAI
  (project to improve product safety and quality for the fruit juice industry in Thailand) at the “SGF/IRMA Conference Thailand and Far East” 

• Presentation of the SGF corporate movie "Be Part of a Safe System" at the General Assembly in Antwerp, Belgium

• First certification of a German transport company of the fruit juice sector

• Approval of AIJN CoBC with principles on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability is obligatory for SGF members

2016

• 4th Auditors’ workshop in Mainz, Germany,
  regarding current developments at SGF and a new version of the audit app

• SGF/IFU Road Show in five Latin American countries
  in order to intensify the contact to the local members and to inform about new developments of the fruit juice sector

• First successful SGF certification according to ISO 9001:2015
  SGF has implemented and maintains a Quality Management System in the scope of the voluntary self-control of the worldwide juice industry that fulfils the requirements of the ISO 9001:2015 standard

2017

• SGF/IFU ASIA Roadshow in India, China, Thailand and Japan

• New SGF Membership Fee Regulations
  approved by the General Assembly in Antwerp, Belgium

2018

• 5th Auditors’ workshop in Mainz, Germany,
  regarding calibration of the audit process

• SGF/IFU AFRICA Road Show
  in Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Kenia and Algeria

• Participation in the CSR Platform field trip to Brazil

• Founding of the informal “Union of European Juice Control Systems” (EJCS) as successor of the legal entity EQCS

2019

• SGF/IFU EURASIA Roadshow
  in Azerbaijan, Lebanon, Serbia, Turkey and Ucraine

• First SGF Broker Workshop in Hamburg, Germany
  with working groups on Food Safety Management System, HACCP, Organic Products, Pesticides and the Purchase of Non-System Goods

• Co-operation Agreement with ABA Arab Beverages Association
  gives SGF the mandate to control the products that are produced by our members for the Arabian market including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Egypt

• Release of the new member service FFVA
  (Food Fraud Vulnerability Assessment) to assess the probability of food fraud for single fuit types

2020

• 6th Auditors’ workshop in Mainz, Germany,
  regarding current developments at SGF, new audit checklists and the calibration of the audit process

• Start of remote audits due to the Corona pandemia

• Go-live of the new SGF website

• SGF/IFU Roadshow for the first time in an online version for Europe and Africa, Asia and America

• New layout of the SGF News

2000

• Start of SGF hygiene audits
  following a hygiene checklist for all members of the group IRMA/Processing

• Start of Quality Initiative South and East Europe(SGF/Quisee)
  with the goal to initiate local control systems in the EU candidate countries in East-Europe and to support the set-up of such systems in South-Europe

2002

• SGF data base published on the SGF Website
  on the basis of values from authentic samples from all over the world 

• The fruit juice industries of Sweden and Ireland
  join SGF/RQCS to be involved in SGF market and bottler/packer controls

• Start of EU research project "Pure Juice"
  under the leadership of SGF

2003

• SGF/RQCS
  The bottlers of Denmark and Czech Republic join SGF/RQCS for market and bottler/packer controls

• SGF/IRMA
  service expanded into Poland and Czech Republic

2004

• SGF International e.V.
  General Assembly of Schutzgemeinschaft der Fruchtsaft-Industrie e.V. approves the reform of Statutes and Structure on 13 May. Official Headquarter moves from Bonn to Frankfurt/Main. New structure of the Boards: Executive Committee, IRMA-Board, RQCS-Board.

2005

• "Fruit Risk Assessment Project for Pestides" (FRAPP)
  starts

• EU-Project "Pure Juice"
  runs out

• Amendment of the contribution order
  approved by the General Assembly on 24 May

2006

• SGF/IRMA Code of Conduct (CoC) implemented
  Central issues in the Code of Conduct include among others working time regulations, the payment of appropriate wages, the prohibition of child and forced labour and the ban on discrimination. The Code of Conduct also covers sustainability issues related to the environment.

2007

• New method for analysing fruit juice: SGF-Profiling (Spin Generated Fingerprint Profiling)
  Developed by Bruker Biospin in cooperation with SGF, the SGF-Profiling is an efficient pre-screening that makes quality analysis of fruit juice more efficient.

2008

• Success of the Code of Conduct
  Since its introduction in 2007, the Code of Conduct has been endorsed by 90% of all SGF raw material suppliers and traders.

• Change of name of the market and bottler control system
  RQCS (Regional Quality Control System) in IQCS (International Quality Control System)

• "2008 Industrial Award" for the SGF-Profiling
  as efficient pre-screening in fruit juice analysis in the category industrial automation

• Cooperation between GlobalG.A.P. and SGF International e.V.
  in the area of safeguarding minimum ecological and social standards on the level of fruit farmers and suppliers in the fruit juice industry

2009

• Restructuring of the EQCS (European Quality Control System)
  Changing from the legal form of a European Economic Interest Group (EEIG) into the legal form of a non-profit organization under Belgian law (AISBL – Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif) with new statutes and guidelines

• Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for long term cooperation between CIQA and SGF
  From now on, the China Inspection Authority for Import and Export (CIQA) advises all China’s fruit processors to join the SGF, participate in the SGF/IRMA control system and comply with the IRMA audit and inspection standards. Furthermore, all Chinese importers of concentrated fruit juice, purees etc. are advised to purchase from suppliers audited by SGF/IRMA

• Foundation of the Quality Juice Foundation (QJF)
  with headquarters in Mainz. The QJF assumes the SGF’s assets in the improbable event of the SGF going into liquidation

• 20th anniversary of international raw material control by SGF
  SGF/IRMA (International Raw Material Assurance), founded in 1989. The successful work of industrial self-control is being presented by a five-minute video clip

2010

• Cooperation between CBIA (China Beverage Industry Association) and SGF
  Based on mutual association membership the quality of fruit juices and their raw materials on the Chinese market shall be assured

• Mutual membership between CitrusBR and SGF
  The Brazilian Association of Citrus Exporters (CitrusBR) and SGF support the philosophy and commitment of the corresponding partner association

• First SGF/IRMA auditor’s workshop
  to share experience and complete a training programme. In future, it will be held every two years.

1991

• Start of Voluntary Control System in the new German Federal States
  The bottlers from the new German Federal States join the SGF as per decision by their association.

1992

• Regional Quality Control System (RQCS)
  The Regional Control System originates in cooperation with the Austrian Fruit Juice Association. Controls of market, bottlers, and suppliers are expanded beyond Germany for the first time.

1994

• Presentation of FLAIR/BCR project in Parma
  Within the scope of a scientific symposium, SGF presents the results of its EU sponsored study in advanced methods for fruit juice analysis.

• Cooperation of SGF/IRMA with the Swedish fruit juice industry
  After Austria, Sweden is making use of the SGF/IRMA service.

• EQCS (European Quality Control System)
  European control system from different EU countries join under the umbrella of the EQCS.

1995

• SGF service expands into Hungary, Finland, and the Netherlands
  Bottlers from these countries join the control system.

1996

• SGF/IRMA takes over central raw materials control
  in Europe for all local control systems associated with EQCS

1997

• Certification of the Voluntary Control System of SGF
  by EQCS with regard to fulfillment of all requirements, rules and "guidelines"

1998

• Dr. Karl Neuhäuser becomes President of SGF
  succeeding A. Wiesenberger, President for many years

1999

• SGF is the international industrial association with the most members
  namely more than 500 members from about 50 countries

1981

• Expansion of member base
  The work of the SGF shall be supported by all German producers. An identical membership order of VdF and SGF supports double membership in both associations. Most of the VdF members also join SGF.

1986

• Foundation of Voluntary Control System (VCS)
  For the first time, SGF controls compliance with VCS rules on quality assurance at manufacturers, bottlers and their suppliers. This completes the VCS control chain "from the tree to the bottle and back".

1989

• Foundation IRMA (International Raw Material Assurance)
  SGF offers its raw material control service for bottlers in all of Europe. The Danish fruit juice industry is the first to make use of this offer.

1990

• Publication of "Code of Practice" by European fruit juice association AIJN
  The Code of Practice defines a uniform commercial practice for the European market and describes authentic fruit juices taking the RSK system as model.

around 1970

• Industry's image is at risk through adulterated products and unfair competition
  The industry is looking for a solution.

1972

• Foundation of Interessengemeinschaft Zitrussäfte e.V. (IGZ)
  on initiative of the German Verband der Fruchtsaft-Industrie (VdF) for continuous monitoring of quality and labeling of citrus juices on the German market

1974

• Foundation of Schutzgemeinschaft der Fruchtsaft-Industrie e.V. (SGF)
  as instrument of industrial self-control and re-establishing clean and fair market conditions

1975

• Publication: "Steckbrief für Orangensäfte" by VdF
  The "Steckbrief" (Wanted poster) contains standard values and ranges for certain reference numbers (RSK values, Richtwerte und Schwankungsbreiten bestimmter Kennzahlen) for analytical evaluation of products. The self-control of SGF has scored first success. Major quality defects are being eliminated using legal assistance.

1976

• Reorganization
  SGF now operates independently of its sister association VdF from its own office in Zornheim. IGZ merges into SGF.

1977

• Further development of "Steckbrief für Orangensäfte"
  VDF compiles RSK values for other types of fruit juice.