The Certification
Go Raw, the Northbrook, Illinois-based seed-based snack brand, has secured verification under the Non-UPF Verified program for its Organic Sea Salt Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds — placing it among the earliest snack manufacturers to achieve the distinction. The program, an independent nonprofit certification administered by the Non-GMO Project, is designed to give grocery shoppers a shelf-level signal that a product has not been excessively processed.
The Non-UPF (Non-Ultra-Processed-Food) Verified mark is a newly launched standard and carries weight in a retail environment increasingly shaped by consumer anxiety over ingredient lists and processing methods. For Go Raw, which already holds USDA Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified status across its range, the addition represents a third independent credential stacked onto the same product.
Packaging and Rollout
Refreshed packaging for the Sea Salt Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds will carry the Non-UPF Verified seal on the front of pack, with retail rollout scheduled to begin in November 2026. The company frames the single-SKU verification as the opening phase of a broader credentialing initiative spanning its full portfolio, which includes Sprouted Seeds, Snacking Granolas, and Snacking Crisps.
"This verification isn't about changing what we make — it's about validating the standards we've held ourselves to for more than 20 years," said Peter Grumhaus, Chief Executive Officer of Go Raw. "As the conversation around food becomes more complex, shoppers deserve clear, credible standards they can trust."
Industry Context
The Non-UPF certification arrives as ultra-processed food labelling moves from academic debate to regulatory and commercial reality. Research linking high UPF consumption to adverse health outcomes has accelerated pressure on food manufacturers, and several major retailers have signalled interest in shelf-set strategies that highlight minimally processed options. For emerging and mid-size natural food brands, front-of-pack certifications from credible third-party bodies have historically translated into measurable velocity gains at natural and specialty grocery retailers.
Go Raw, founded in 2004, operates in a competitive better-for-you snack segment that has attracted significant venture and private-equity interest over the past five years. The brand's move to layer Non-UPF Verified status onto existing organic and non-GMO credentials could differentiate it on shelf as larger CPG players weigh reformulation strategies in response to growing consumer scrutiny of ingredient quality. The rollout also dovetails with the brand's first national campaign, titled Uncomplicate Snacking, which centres on simple-ingredient positioning — a message aligned with trends reshaping the natural snack aisle.
For retail buyers and foodservice operators evaluating the minimally processed segment, Go Raw's certification sequence offers a template for how smaller brands can stack third-party credentials to build credibility without reformulating existing products. Sister publication Food & Beverage Magazine has tracked rising retailer demand for transparent-labelling initiatives as a key driver of category growth in organic and non-GMO snacking.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
