Seed-based snack brand Go Raw has earned Non-UPF Verification for its Organic Sea Salt Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds, becoming one of the first snack products to carry the independent certification. The Non-UPF (Non-Ultra-Processed-Food) Verified program is run by the nonprofit Non-GMO Project and gives retailers and foodservice buyers a credible, third-party signal that a product has not been excessively processed.
What the Certification Means
The Non-UPF Verified seal joins Go Raw's existing USDA Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified credentials, giving buyers three independently audited quality markers on a single SKU. For operators and retail buyers navigating a snack category increasingly crowded with ingredient-list disclaimers and brand-generated claims, independent certifications carry growing weight as a differentiation tool. The verification aligns with broader consumer demand for transparency that has been reshaping food and beverage purchasing decisions across both retail and foodservice channels.
"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, CEO of Go Raw. "As the conversation around food becomes more complex, shoppers deserve clear, credible standards they can trust."
Packaging and Portfolio Roadmap
Refreshed packaging for the Sea Salt Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds, featuring the Non-UPF Verified seal on the front of pack, is expected to begin rolling out in November 2026. Go Raw frames this product as the first step in a broader effort to extend Non-UPF Verification across its full portfolio, which currently spans Sprouted Seeds, Snacking Granolas, and Snacking Crisps.
The certification push runs parallel to Go Raw's first national brand campaign, built around the tagline "Uncomplicate Snacking." For retail buyers and foodservice operators curating better-for-you snack sets, a front-of-pack third-party seal can meaningfully reduce the research burden at the buyer level — a consideration that has gained traction as snack category transparency standards continue to tighten. Founded in 2004, Go Raw has spent more than two decades positioning minimal processing and organic sourcing as its core commercial differentiators, and the Non-UPF Verification represents an external validation of that long-standing position.
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.
