The Food Industrial Research and Technological Development Company (ETAT SA) was founded in 1988 on the initiative of the General Secretariat for Research and Technology (ΓΓΕΤ) of the Hellenic Ministry of Development.

The establishment of ETAT SA was an innovation in Greece, since it emphasized the will of the Greek State to support the technological development of food industry as well as the co-operation between the academic and research communities and enterprises.

The services of ETAT SA primarily aim at the improvement of competitiveness of Greek food and drink products and alimentation services of Greek food and drink enterprises and are mainly centered on the following fields:

• Laboratory tests for the safety and quality control of foods (Microbiological and Chemical Labs accredited by the National Accreditation Council in accordance with the specifications set by the Hellenic Organization for Standardization (ELOT EN ISO/IEC 17025), as well as Labs for Food Sensory Tests and Biotechnological GMO Tests).
• Development and Implementation of Management and Quality Systems (ELOT 1416, HACCP, ISO 22000, ELOT EN ISO 9001:2000, BRC, ISO EN 17025, ISO 14000, OHSAS 18001 etc.).
• Planning and Implementation of up to date Tools and Systems of Entrepreneurial Organisation and Improvement of Operational Functions (Organisation and Internal Communication of Management, Strategies, Innovation’s Management and Entrepreneurial Changes, Marketing etc.).
• Industrial Information (New Technologies and Techniques, Trends and Facts of the Food and Drink Market, Legislation-Regulations-Standards, Investment Plans, Structural Framework and Mechanisms of Support of Research and Innovation, etc.).
  
• Human Resource Training (Training Courses, Seminars for personnel in various subjects, such as: Systems and Common Practices for Quality, Safety and Hygiene Management of nutritional products, etc.).
• Planning and Development of Research Projects (Provision of Information about the “open” calls for proposals, procedures of submission, new partners, subcontracting, consultation and support on project management, support for the dissemination and exploitation of the research results, etc.).
• European Research (Provision of information regarding the ΚΒΒΕ Research Projects and calls of the7th Framework Programme)
• Technological Support (Identification of Technological Needs, Feasibility Studies for the Implementation of new Technologies, Technological Problem Solving, Inquiry of Financial Resources for the Implementation of new Technologies, Support of Innovation Transfer etc.).
• Innovation Transfer (HIRC - Hellenic Innovation Relay Centre) (Innovation Benchmarking, Organisation of Technology Transfer Events, Entrepreneurial Missions, Monitoring and recording of new Technologies etc.).

During these 15 years of its operation, ETAT SA has brought to completion a considerable number of research projects, over 40. Within the framework of various research projects, ETAT SA has closely co-operated with several companies in the sector of Foods and Beverages, institutional organizations actively engaged in nutrition-related issues as well as collective organizations which represent various companies. ETAT also closely co-operates with a great number of educational and research institutions and organizations both in Greece and abroad, which are involved in supporting Small Medium enterprises on technological development issues.