Amy's Kitchen Joins New Non-UPF Verified™ Program to Advance Transparency Around Food Processing

The family-owned, organic pioneer joins an early cohort with the Non-GMO Project supporting a clearer, science-based framework for a more accountable food system

PETALUMA, Calif., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Amy's Kitchen, family-owned pioneer of organic prepared food, is part of the Non-UPF Verified™ program, a new third-party certification initiative from the Non-GMO Project designed to identify products that avoid the core hallmarks of ultraprocessing, including both engineered additives and industrial processes that degrade food structure and function.

As a pilot participant, Amy's shared practical insight from its nearly four decades of cooking and manufacturing food at scale. The brand's longstanding history with intentional food production, rigorous sourcing practices and traditional cooking methods aligned well with the program's criteria, which were developed independently by the Non-GMO Project through scientific review and third-party verification.

"For nearly four decades, Amy's has believed that how food is made matters just as much as what goes into it," said Paul Schiefer, President of Amy's Kitchen. "Participating in the Non-UPF Verified pilot reflects how we've always operated, which is prioritizing thoughtful processing, transparency, and long-term integrity over shortcuts. As consumer interest and concern around ultra-processed foods grow, this program offers a more grounded, evidence-based framework for understanding what people are actually eating."

According to research from the Food Integrity Collective, 68% of shoppers actively try to avoid ultraprocessed foods, and 70% say they struggle to identify them. The Non-UPF Verified program was developed to address this gap, offering a clear, science-informed standard that evaluates both formulation and processing methods at the product level through independent third-party verification. The first Amy's products to be officially verified under the Non-UPF Verified Standard will be announced later this year.

"The conversation around ultraprocessed foods has outpaced the tools available to help people make informed choices," said Megan Westgate, CEO and Founder of the Non-GMO Project. "Non-UPF Verified is designed to bring clarity and credibility to that conversation by establishing a rigorous, transparent standard for food processing. Early pilot participants like Amy's are helping ensure the program is practical, meaningful, and grounded in how food is actually made."

Founded in 1987, Amy's Kitchen has long believed that convenience and care can coexist. That philosophy continues to guide the company's approach to ingredients, cooking methods, and manufacturing decisions, and informs how Amy's engages with new frameworks that bring greater transparency and trust to the food system.

For more information about the Non-UPF Verified program, visit www.nonultraprocessed.org. To learn more about Amy's Kitchen, visit www.amys.com and follow Amy's Kitchen on Instagram @amyskitchen.

About Amy's Kitchen
Amy's Kitchen is an organic prepared food company and Certified B Corporation® whose purpose is to make it easy and enjoyable for everyone to eat well. The company is committed to cooking authentic great-tasting food with high quality, meticulously sourced organic ingredients so consumers can enjoy them in minutes. Amy's Kitchen offers over 150 varieties of organic frozen and packaged foods, and the company is proud to offer options across gluten free, vegan, dairy free, lactose free, soy free, tree nut free, corn free, Kosher D, Kosher DE, and light in sodium categories. Amy's products are widely available in the U.S. as well as more than 11 other countries around the globe.

About Non-UPF Verified and the Non-GMO Project
Non-UPF Verified is a certification launched by the Non-GMO Project under the umbrella of the Food Integrity Collective, continuing the nonprofit organization's commitment to informed choice and a food system that truly nourishes life.

Founded in 2007, the Non-GMO Project is a mission-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to collaboratively creating a retail food system that promotes and restores health in humans, communities, and the broader collective of life on Earth. The Project's Butterfly seal remains North America's most trusted third-party verification for GMO avoidance, backed by rigorous standards and appearing on more than 63,000 verified products. Learn more at www.nongmoproject.org.

SOURCE Amy's Kitchen