Simple Mills Among First Brands Verified Under Non-UPF Standard
Simple Mills, a leading maker of better-for-you crackers, cookies, snack bars, and baking mixes, has become one of the first food brands to earn certification under the new Non-UPF Verified Standard. The third-party certification, launched by the Non-GMO Project, identifies foods that are made without excessive industrial processing and are composed primarily of minimally processed ingredients, free from hyper-engineered additives.
The milestone marks a significant moment in the evolving conversation around ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and greater transparency in grocery aisles. As shoppers increasingly demand clarity about what goes into their food, the Non-UPF Verified label provides a clear, trusted signal to help guide purchasing decisions.
A Founding Participant in the Pilot Program
Simple Mills played an active role in shaping the new certification. As a pilot program participant, the company contributed more than a decade of internal ingredient standards and product development expertise to help define what the Non-UPF Verified Standard would look like in practice.
Since its founding in 2012, Simple Mills has operated with a mission to transform packaged food by focusing on simple, recognizable, nutrient-dense ingredients that deliver both taste and nourishment. Long before “ultra-processed food” became a widely discussed term, the brand built its product philosophy around minimizing industrial inputs and maximizing ingredient integrity.
By collaborating with the Non-GMO Project, Simple Mills helped ensure the new standard reflects real-world manufacturing conditions while maintaining strict criteria around formulation, ingredient sourcing, and processing methods.
A Purpose-Driven Approach to Food Design
From the beginning, Simple Mills has centered its food design philosophy on purposeful, whole-food ingredients. Its formulations rely heavily on nuts, seeds, vegetables, and legumes—ingredients chosen not just for flavor, but also for nutritional value and functional performance.
Rather than depending on artificial additives or highly refined components, the company leverages the natural properties of its ingredients to create structure, texture, and taste. Almond flour, seed flours, oat flour, and vegetable-based ingredients form the backbone of its crackers, cookies, snack bars, and baking mixes.
Simple Mills avoids artificial flavors, synthetic colors, chemical preservatives, and isolated gums. Sweeteners are limited to options such as coconut sugar, molasses, honey, and cane sugar. Processing methods rely on gentle, physical extraction techniques without the use of harsh chemical solvents.
This philosophy inherently aligns with the Non-UPF Verified Standard, which requires products to be primarily composed of minimally processed ingredients and prohibits high-impact industrial processing methods.
Transparency as a Core Brand Value
Transparency is central to the Simple Mills brand identity. Its packaging highlights short ingredient lists that are easy to read and understand, giving consumers clear visibility into what they are eating.
In an era when many packaged foods contain lengthy ingredient panels filled with unfamiliar compounds, Simple Mills has intentionally taken a different path. The company “leads with ingredients,” making them a focal point rather than something to obscure.
This ingredient-forward model has helped the brand reimagine the center aisles of grocery stores—an area often associated with heavily processed foods—by offering alternatives that prioritize integrity and simplicity.
Addressing Consumer Confusion Around Ultra-Processed Foods
Consumer awareness about ultra-processed foods is growing rapidly, yet confusion remains widespread. According to research from Food Integrity Collective, 68% of Americans actively try to avoid ultra-processed foods, while 70% say they struggle to identify them accurately.
The Non-UPF Verified label is designed to close this knowledge gap by offering a clear on-shelf indicator. Rather than requiring consumers to interpret complex ingredient lists or decode manufacturing practices, the certification provides a visible “green light” marker backed by third-party verification.
Megan Westgate, Founder and CEO of the Non-GMO Project, emphasized that early participating brands such as Simple Mills were instrumental in refining the program. Through real-world product submissions and feedback, these companies helped strengthen the criteria to ensure the certification is both rigorous and workable.
Portfolio Verification Progress
Simple Mills submitted its entire portfolio across four major categories—crackers, cookies, snack bars, and baking mixes—for evaluation under the new standard.
To date, 20 products have been approved, representing approximately 40% of the brand’s portfolio. Company leadership anticipates that most, if not all, remaining products will achieve verification later this year.
To qualify for Non-UPF Verification, each product must:
- Be made primarily from minimally processed ingredients
- Meet strict formulation guidelines
- Avoid prohibited additives
- Exclude high-impact industrial processing techniques
This comprehensive evaluation ensures consistency across categories while maintaining integrity at scale.
Verified Product Categories
Crackers
- Organic Seed Flour Crackers, Original
- Organic Seed Flour Crackers, Garlic & Herb
- Organic Seed Flour Crackers, Everything
Cookies
- Sweet Thins, Honey Cinnamon
- Sweet Thins, Chocolate Brownie
- Sweet Thins, Mint Chocolate
- Sweet Thins, Lemon
- Crunchy Almond Flour Cookies, Toasted Pecan
Bars
- Nut & Seed Trail Bar, Toasted Almond Pecan
Baking Mixes
- Regenerative Organic Certified Oat Flour Pancake & Waffle Mix
- Almond Flour Pancake & Waffle Mix, Original
- Protein Almond Flour Pancake Mix
- Pumpkin Almond Flour Pancake & Waffle Mix
- Banana Muffin & Bread Almond Flour Mix
- Pumpkin Muffin & Bread Almond Flour Mix
- Pizza Dough Almond Flour Mix
- Chocolate Muffin & Cake Almond Flour Mix
- Vanilla Cupcake & Cake Almond Flour Mix
- Artisan Bread Almond Flour Mix
- Apple Cinnamon Muffin & Bread Almond Flour Mix
These products showcase the company’s ability to scale minimally processed formulations across multiple snacking and baking formats.
Expanding Access Nationwide
Simple Mills products are widely available across the United States, with distribution in more than 30,000 retail locations. Major national retailers carrying the brand include:
- Whole Foods Market
- Sprouts Farmers Market
- Target
- Walmart
- Costco
In addition to brick-and-mortar distribution, the brand maintains a strong e-commerce presence through Amazon and other digital retail channels.
Pioneering a Blueprint for the Future of Packaged Food
Simple Mills’ early adoption of ingredient integrity principles positioned it ahead of shifting consumer trends. Long before the mainstream spotlight on ultra-processed foods, the company was developing products rooted in nutrient density and dietary diversity.
By earning Non-UPF Verified status, Simple Mills not only reinforces its long-standing commitments but also helps set an industry benchmark for responsible food production. The certification signals a broader transformation within packaged food—one that emphasizes minimal processing, recognizable ingredients, and consumer empowerment.
As the Non-UPF Verified label expands across categories and brands, it may reshape how shoppers evaluate products and how manufacturers approach formulation.
For Simple Mills, the verification is more than a badge—it is validation of a philosophy that has guided the company since its inception: making food differently, with transparency, integrity, and purpose at the center of every bite.
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