BOULDER, Colo. —
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Trevor Connor
The paleo diet
(720) 350-4089
Jennifer Moore (Public Relations)
Jay Pfeiffer (Investor Relations)
Where does the food come from
(303) 895-3002
THE PALEO DIET® PARTNERS WITH WHERE FOOD COMES TO MANAGE THE OFFICIAL PALEO DIET THIRD-PARTY VERIFIED FOOD CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
New Paleo Food Certification Brings Clarity and Confidence to Manufacturers, Retailers and Consumers
BOULDER, CO – MARCH 10, 2022 – The Paleo Diet, LLC and Where Food Comes From, Inc. (WFCF) (Nasdaq: WFCF), the most trusted resource for independent, third-party verification of food production practices in North America, jointly announce their partnership to provide an industry-leading food certification for paleo nutrition. Through this partnership, Where Food Comes From has agreed to be the exclusive third-party auditor for The Paleo Diet® food certification program, which is the only certification recognized by Dr. Loren Cordain, the founder of the modern Paleolithic nutrition movement. Developed over the years to meet Dr. Cordain’s rigorous scientific criteria, the Paleo Diet® food certification program offers two brand new certifications:
- TRUEPALEO™ foods are in full compliance with Dr. Loren Cordain’s Paleo Diet®, which includes sustainably sourced vegetables, fruits, natural meats, seafood, nuts and seeds. Foods that achieve TRUEPALEO™ certification from The Paleo Diet® are the healthiest available because they meet rigorous scientific standards for human nutrition.
- PaleoFLEX™ Certification The standards recognize that balancing modern living with ancient eating can be a challenge. Foods that achieve PaleoFLEX™ certification from The Paleo Diet® still follow the Paleo principles, but the criteria are more flexible. PaleoFLEX™ certification helps consumers identify and enjoy better-for-you foods that still align with their healthy lifestyle.
The Paleo Diet® certifications were carefully developed over the years by Dr. Cordain’s first and last graduate students, Dr. Mark J. Smith and Trevor Connor, MS, alongside industry experts in food labeling. food, consumer packaged goods and sustainability.
“Where Food Comes From aligns perfectly with our mission to help people achieve better health through better nutrition,” said Trevor Connor, CEO of The Paleo Diet. “By offering third-party verification of our standards, Where Food Comes From will bring trust, transparency and professionalism to Paleo food certification.”
Connor continued, “Where Food Comes From verifies sustainability, organic and gluten-free claims, which complement all of our science-based standards for food safety. Through our partnership with Where Food Comes From, our new food certifications will make it easier for consumers, manufacturers and retailers to identify foods that are better for you on crowded store shelves and online.
“Food certification continues to bring value to brands in the marketplace and we are excited to certify the new programs The Paleo Diet® brings to the space,” said Kathryn Britton, Chief Innovation Officer for Where Food. Comes From, Inc. from beverages to snacks and crunchy foods to raw whole food ingredients, the market for paleo-aligned foods will continue to grow at a rapid pace. We look forward to helping manufacturers stand out from the competition and grow their market share. »
In addition to its new food certification program, The Paleo Diet® is now seeking strategic brand licensing partners through its agency, The Valen Group. Valen is a growth, licensing, strategy and innovation-focused consulting firm that has negotiated long-term strategic brand licensing programs for leading companies such as P&G, Nestlé, Adidas, PepsiCo, Red Robin, etc. “Valen helped The Paleo Diet® rebrand itself and pivot into consumer packaged goods and brand licensing,” Connor said. “Our new CPG-enabled logo reflects the dynamic, energetic lifestyle and range of health benefits that the paleo diet offers, and we look forward to working with brand partners to help them stand out in the market. .”
Jeff Dotson, Vice President of the Valen Group, added, “The Paleo Diet provides much-needed guidance to the food industry, marketers, retailers and consumers by codifying Paleo Diet Standards and making them available to all food manufacturers through Where Food Comes. From.”
For more information on the Paleo Diet® food certification program and brand licensing, please visit thepaleodiet.com/partnerships.
For more information on the paleo diet, visit thepaleodiet.com.
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ABOUT THE PALEO® DIET
The Paleo Diet® is the modern, scientific interpretation of how humans evolved eating before the rise of agriculture. After more than a decade of research, Dr. Loren Cordain founded The Paleo Diet in 2002 with the release of his New York Times bestselling guide. The paleo diet is now backed by thousands of peer-reviewed research studies and has become the most influential diet of the past 20 years. Our free and open source program has sparked related movements such as gluten-free, grain-free, low-carb, ketogenic, anti-inflammatory, and autoimmune nutrition, redefining healthy eating. By inspiring health-conscious shoppers to look closely at where food comes from, how it’s made and what it contains, the paleo diet has led to greater awareness of the links between diet and health and fueled current trends. in terms of food certification and clear labelling. within the traditional grocery and health food industries. Since Dr. Cordain’s retirement in 2019, The Paleo Diet, LLC has been acquired by Dr. Cordain’s last graduate student, Trevor Connor, who is now CEO. Along with Dr. Mark J. Smith, Dr. Cordain’s first graduate student, Connor worked to modernize The Paleo Diet program and its brand, which began with the announcement of its food certification and brand licensing programs. strategic. With a new team and new practical ways to help health-conscious brands and consumers, The Paleo Diet is about to make health simpler, easier and more delicious. Learn more and check out free healthy nutrition resources at thepaleodiet.com. The Paleo Diet® is a registered trademark of The Paleo Diet, LLC.
ABOUT WHERE FOOD COMES FROM, INC.
Where Food Comes From, Inc. is America’s trusted resource for third-party verification of food production practices. Using proprietary technology and patented business processes, the company supports more than 15,000 farmers, ranchers, vineyards, wineries, processors, retailers, distributors, trade associations, consumer brands and restaurants with a wide variety of value-added services added. Through its IMI Global, Validus Verification Services, SureHarvest, WFCF Organic (formerly International Certification Services and A Bee Organic) and Postelsia units, Where Food Comes From is used to verify food claims, optimize production practices and enable supply chains. food supply with data-driven analytics and insights. Additionally, the company’s food-origin retail and restaurant labeling program uses online customer education tools to connect consumers to the sources of the food they buy, increasing meaningful consumer engagement for our customers.
ABOUT THE VALEN GROUP
Valen is a consulting firm focused on growth, licensing, strategy and innovation. Over the past 20 years, Valen’s strategic brand licensing practice has focused on building significant, long-term licensing programs. Our average brand licensing deal is $7.6 million, 15 times more than the typical corporate brand licensing deal. For more than two decades, we’ve partnered with leading companies like P&G, Nestlé, Adidas, Dow, PepsiCo, Martha Stewart Living, Red Robin and IHOP (and more) on strategic projects that explore key issues, strategic partnerships and business. development opportunities that cross all levels of a complex market. Our mission is to help people and organizations do new things. Valen has been named a Top Innovation Consulting Firm and is recognized as one of the Top 25 Global Brand Licensing Firms by License! World review.
