What is Good Food Qualification?
Good Food Qualification is a company-level designation for businesses that meet high standards for product quality and responsible practices.
Good Food Qualified members foster, distinguish and unite tasty, authentic and responsible food manufacturers, offering concrete support for their businesses and amplifying the impact of their individual choices to do what’s right rather than what’s easy. A variety of benefits await Good Food Qualified businesses, including the exclusive opportunity to show at the industry-only Good Food Mercantile.
What are the benefits of being Good Food Qualified?
- One free entry ($105 value) to the Good Food Awards.
- Access to exhibit at the Good Food Mercantile.This one-day gathering is an opportunity for thoughtful, responsible food makers to connect with retailers who value quality, care, and craftsmanship.
What does the evaluation entail?
Your company and products will be vetted against industry-specific sustainability, workplace, and social welfare criteria for your industry category.
What are the requirements for Good Food Qualification?
Specific category requirements for Good Food Qualification are unique to each product category. Please click here to view all categories and the rules for Qualification.
To become Good Food Qualified, 50% of your products must meet the standards listed for that category, which include factors like sustainability, locality, ingredient sourcing, and more.
If you do not know which category to apply for, please reach out to [email protected].
Items including Ice Cream, Bread, Baking Mixes, Flours, Spices, Loose Leaf Teas, Frozen Meals belong in the “More” category.
“More” category companies CAN exhibit at the Mercantile, but these products are NOT eligible for the Awards benefit.
NOT ELIGIBLE for Qualification: Pet food, foods containing CBD or THC, non-food items, and nutritional/health supplements (such as vitamins or amino acids that are intended to supplement one's diet and are not considered food).
How long does the vetting process take?
This process takes a minimum of two weeks, up to one month. It may require follow-ups from the SFA team for more information about your application, like order receipts, certifications, and other sourcing documentation.
What is the fee for the Good Food Qualification process?
There is a one-time $150 evaluation fee. This fee will be refunded if you do not meet the category-specific standards and are thus ineligible for Good Food Qualification.