Today, the National Restaurant Association marked a major achievement in the advancement of food safety training nationwide. The Association announced its acquisition of the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP), a U.S.-based certification body. NRFSP focuses on providing certificates for individuals seeking credentials in a variety of food safety disciplines.

"We are thrilled to announce the Association's acquisition of NRFSP," said Sherman Brown, Senior Vice President, Business and Financial Strategy for the National Restaurant Association. "ServSafe represents the industry's gold standard in food safety training. The acquisition of National Registry, another widely respected program, will enhance our work to provide employees with the tools they need to handle food and beverages safely."

"When two great brands in this industry join forces with a common mission and a shared vision, everyone from our customers to our business owners benefit," said Larry Lynch, President of the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals. "As NRA and NRFSP come together, we look forward to combining the strengths of the National Registry program and the ServSafe program to advance the delivery of an actionable food safety culture throughout the industry."

Founded in 1997 as a food manager certification program by leading food industry experts, NRFSP was developed with the goal of being curriculum independent, industry independent and focused on providing an application oriented examination with questions representing real life experiences.

NRFSP's programs have expanded over the years since their original Food Safety Manager program to include the Food Safety Manager Certification (domestic and international), HACCP Manager Certification and Food Handler Training Certificate - accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

The Association's ServSafe program continues to be the industry standard in food safety training, having recently issued over 6 million ServSafe certifications. ServSafe leads the way in providing comprehensive educational materials to the restaurant and foodservice industry. The training and certification program is recognized by more federal, state and local jurisdictions than any other food safety certification. Four areas of training are available: ServSafe Food Protection Manager, ServSafe Food Handler, ServSafe Alcohol and ServSafe Allergens.