Leading better-for-you snack brand earns independent verification for 20 products under the rigorous new Non-UPF Verified Standard 

• Meeting the Industry’s New Benchmarks for Minimal Processing: Simple Mills is among the first brands to be verified under the Non-UPF Verified Standard.
• Solving the UPF Information Gap for Consumers: With 70% of shoppers struggling to identify ultra-processed foods (UPFs) on shelf, the Non-UPF Verified mark provides the clarity and transparency consumers deserve to make confident decisions.
• Proof of Concept for Large-Scale Food Integrity: Simple Mills has already received verification for 20 of its products without needing to reformulate a single recipe. As a leading natural cracker, cookie, and baking mix brand in MULO+ with distribution in over 30,000 stores nationwide, the brand is proving that high-integrity, non-ultra-processed food is possible at scale.

Simple Mills, a leading provider of better-for-you crackers, cookies, bars, and baking mixes made with purposeful, nutrient-dense ingredients, is proud to announce that it is among the first brands to earn verification under the Non-UPF Verified Standard. This new third-party certification from the Non-GMO Project identifies foods made without excessive industrial processing, while verifying products that are composed primarily of minimally processed ingredients and free from hyper-engineered additives.

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Non-UPF Verified

As a member of the pilot program, Simple Mills drew on more than a decade of rigorous ingredient standards to collaborate with the Non-GMO Project and provide category expertise to help define the new standard. Since its inception, the brand’s mission has been to revolutionize the way food is made, by focusing on simple and nutritious ingredients that offer extraordinary taste and texture. By using nutrient-dense ingredients that maximize nutrition along with thoughtful processing methods that help maintain nutrient-integrity, Simple Mills has successfully reimagined the center aisles of grocery stores with transparency and ingredient integrity in mind.

“From day one we set out to make food differently, by using stunningly simple ingredients that not only offer exceptional taste and texture, but provide meaningful nourishment,” said Katlin Smith, Founder and CEO of Simple Mills. “Our team has always believed in this vision and led the way in reimagining beloved foods by pioneering the use of unique nutrient-dense nut, seed, vegetable, and legume flours that make it easier for consumers to get more from their snacks. We’re thrilled to see the industry establishing a standard that offers consumers the transparency they deserve – and makes it easier for them to choose better options they can feel good about.”

Bringing Purpose Back to the Plate

Simple Mills’ purposeful approach to food design is proof that snacks can be minimally processed, nutritious, and delicious at the same time.

The brand’s commitment to rigorous, high-integrity product tenets has governed its approach to food design since its founding in 2012. Simple Mills’ commitment to using nutrient-dense ingredients in novel ways that maximize nutrition and flavor inherently aligns with the Non-UPF Verified Standard. Each of its ingredients, like nuts, seeds, vegetables, and legumes are whole food sources that offer nutrition, taste, and texture. The brand doesn’t hide its ingredients. It celebrates them and leads with transparency through short ingredient lists that are clearly identified on packaging, so consumers can quickly see exactly what they’re getting in every bite.

Simple Mills’ ingredients are minimally processed using only gentle, physical extraction methods and no harsh chemicals. The brand never uses artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, or isolated gums, and only uses sweeteners like coconut sugar, molasses, honey, and cane sugar. In every product, the brand relies on the inherent properties of its ingredients to do the work.

This staunch commitment to ingredient quality and integrity was well ahead of its time and helped provide an industry-wide blueprint for today’s definition of “Non-Ultra Processed Foods” long before the term ever entered the zeitgeist. By implementing this integrity-based ingredient philosophy across a variety of snacking and baking categories, Simple Mills has created a roadmap on how to deliver nutrient density and greater dietary diversity at scale, while making it easy for consumers to snack with confidence.

Ushering In a New Era of Empowered Shoppers

Americans are increasingly concerned about ultra-processed foods, yet many lack the ability to recognize them. According to research from the Food Integrity Collective, 68% of consumers actively try to avoid ultra-processed foods, while 70% say they struggle to identify them.* The Non-UPF Verified label is designed to help address this gap in education and transparency by providing a clear “green light” marker on shelf.

“These early verified brands, like Simple Mills, have played a critical role in strengthening the Non-UPF Verified Standard through real-world application,” said Megan Westgate, Founder & CEO at the Non-GMO Project. “We are so grateful for their participation because they helped ensure the program is both rigorous and workable, reflecting what responsible food production looks like in practice.”

Simple Mills submitted its entire portfolio across cracker, cookie, bars, and baking mix categories, and to date, 20 products have already been approved. This represents 40% of the total Simple Mills portfolio, with most, if not all, products anticipated to be verified later this year.

To earn Non-UPF Verification, a product must be made primarily from minimally processed ingredients, meet strict formulation criteria, and avoid prohibited additives and high-impact industrial processing methods.

• 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 - NEW

• Baking Mixes

• Regenerative Organic Certified Oat Flour Pancake & Waffle Mix - NEW
• 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

Simple Mills’ portfolio of crackers, cookies, bars, and baking mixes are sold in more than 30,000 stores across the country including Whole Foods, Sprouts, Target, Walmart, and Costco, alongside a strong e-commerce presence on Amazon. For more information on the brand’s commitment to human and planetary health and the Non-UPF Verified program, please visit www.simplemills.com.

About Simple Mills

Founded in 2012, Simple Mills is a leading provider of better-for-you crackers, cookies, snack bars, and baking mixes made with simple and nutritious high-quality ingredients that deliver extraordinary taste.

The brand, which joined the Flowers Foods (NYSE: FLO) portfolio in 2025, has disrupted center-aisle grocery categories, becoming a leading natural cracker, cookie, and baking mix brand in MULO+, with distribution in over 30,000 stores nationwide. Its mission is to revolutionize the way food is made to nourish people and planet. For more information, visit www.simplemills.com.

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.

Sources

* Food Integrity Collective’s report: “Disconnected”

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