Select Whole Foods Non-UPF Application

Qualifying minimally processed foods may be eligible for a lower fee tier as outlined below.

Who This Application is For

Use this application if your product is:

  • 100% fresh produce with no added ingredients
    Example: bagged lettuce without preservatives

  • Single-ingredient, uncooked legumes, grains, and nuts and seeds in their whole form
    Example: dry black beans, quinoa, raw cashews

 These foods qualify for a lower administrative fee.

How it Works

Submitting an application does not guarantee approval. The Non-UPF Program reserves the right to approve or deny any application at its sole discretion based on internal standards and scientific review.

A non-refundable $50 application fee is required and will be credited toward the annual certification fee if approved.

We offer a discounted, tiered pricing structure for foods that qualify for the Minimal Application:

  • 1–10 products: $75 total

  • 11–20 products: $150 total

  • 21–40 products: $200 total

  • 41–60 products: $275 total

  • 61–80 products: $350 total

  • 81–100 products: $425 total

  • 101+ products: $500 flat fee

What Is Excluded

UPF are excluded from our certification. UPF are industrial formulations that contain ingredients (i.e.,high-fructose corn syrup, modified starches) and/or additives (i.e., flavors, colors, artificial sweeteners) not commonly found in your kitchen. UPF also include foods that have gone through prefrying, extrusion, or molding.

For more details, see Nova Group 4 classification.

The Non-UPF Program has worked extensively since we trademarked our certification in June 2024 to identify additives and ingredients classified as Nova Group 4. We will evaluate whether your product excludes any ingredients in Nova Group 4 and whether it falls under Nova 1-3 categories.

Additional Preservatives Excluded

Nova Group 4 allows the use of preservatives, but some are emerging as potentially harmful. For the non-UPF application, we are excluding these additional preservatives:  

  • BHT, Butylated Hydroxytoluene  

  • Synthetic Nitrites and nitrates  

  • Propylparaben 

  • BHA, Butylated hydroxyanisole

  • TBHQ, Tert-butylhydroquinone

  • BVO, Brominated vegetable oil

We reserve the right to update the criteria.