The project is headed by Saskia van Ruth, Ph.D., Professor of Food Supply Chain Integrity at University College Dublin School of Agriculture and Food Science.

Initial partners in mobilizing EFF-CoP have a global reach. They include, but are not limited to, Nofima, Wageningen University, Deloitte, Eurofins, SSAFE, Food Fraud Prevention Think Tank, and the International Network for Small and Medium Enterprises.

EFF-CoP’s first goal is to understand the needs of different stakeholders and leverage its network structure to prioritize work and enhance the flow of information. From there, EEF-CoP will engage in a series of activities, such as outreach to share research and innovation resources and educational materials, the development of new resources (e.g., best practices recommendations, factsheets, and case studies), and the facilitation of live and virtual events to encourage collaboration. Proposed initiatives include food fraud festivals, gamified training courses, living labs, a podcast series named Authentic Appetites, the EFF-CoP on Tour program, webinars, virtual cafes, a food fraud incident preparedness workshop, and events geared toward the next generation of professionals.

An example of one way in which EFF-CoP members will learn from and support one another is through a dedicated knowledge-sharing network for small and medium enterprises. In comparison to large corporations, these firms face their own set of unique challenges in ensuring full transparency and authenticity in their supply chain. The network will empower small- and medium-sized businesses to take a lead in combating food fraud.