THE PALEO DIET® PARTNERS WITH WHERE FOOD COMES FROM TO MANAGE THE OFFICIAL PALEO DIET THIRD-PARTY VERIFIED FOOD CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

Rhea-AI Summary

On May 10, 2022, The Paleo Diet, LLC announced a partnership with Where Food Comes From, Inc. (WFCF) to provide an exclusive third-party verification for a new food certification program. This program will feature two certifications: TRUEPALEO™, strictly adhering to Dr. Loren Cordain's Paleo principles, and PaleoFLEX™, offering more flexible standards. The partnership aims to increase trust and transparency in the Paleo food market, helping consumers, manufacturers, and retailers identify healthier options. The Paleo Diet seeks to align with strategic brand licensing partners to enhance its market presence.

Positive

• Partnership with Where Food Comes From enhances credibility and trust in Paleo food certification.
• Introduction of TRUEPALEO™ and PaleoFLEX™ certifications attracts health-conscious consumers.
• Strategic brand licensing initiative could increase market share and growth.

Negative

• None.

New Paleo Food Certification Brings Clarity and Trust for Manufacturers, Retailers, and Consumers

BOULDER, Colo., May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.

Where Food Comes From, Inc. is only official third-party verifier of The Paleo Diet's new food certification program.

Through this partnership, Where Food Comes From has agreed to be the exclusive third-party verifier of 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 years to meet Dr. Cordain's stringent, science-based criteria, The Paleo Diet^® food certification program offers two all-new certifications:

• Foods certified as TRUEPALEO^™ by The Paleo Diet are foods are in full compliance with Dr. Loren Cordain's Paleo Diet^® program, which features sustainably sourced vegetables, fruits, natural meats, seafood, nuts, and seeds. Foods that earn TRUEPALEO^™ certification are the healthiest available because they meet rigorous science-based standards for human-friendly nutrition.
• PaleoFLEX^™ certification standards recognize that balancing modern life and ancient eating can be a challenge. Foods that earn PaleoFLEX^™ certification from The Paleo Diet^® still follow Paleo principles, but the criteria are more flexible. PaleoFLEX^™ certification helps consumers identify and enjoy better-for-you foods that still fit their healthy eating lifestyle.

The Paleo Diet^® certifications were carefully developed over years by Dr. Cordain's first and last graduate students, Dr. Mark J. Smith and Trevor Connor, M.S. alongside industry experts from food labeling, consumer packaged goods, and sustainability.

"Where Food Comes From is in perfect alignment with our mission, which is to help people find better health through better nutrition," said The Paleo Diet CEO Trevor Connor. "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 claims related to sustainability, organic, and gluten-free, all of which complement our science-based standards for the healthfulness of foods. Through our partnership with Where Food Comes From, our new food certifications will make it easier for consumers, manufacturers, and retailers to identify better-for-you foods on crowded store shelves and online."

"Food certification continues to bring value to brands across the marketplace and we are thrilled to certify the new programs The Paleo Diet^® is bringing to the space," said Kathryn Britton, Director of Innovation for Where Food Comes From, Inc. "From functional beverages to snacks and craveables to raw whole food ingredients, the market for Paleo-aligned foods will continue to grow at a fast pace. We look forward to helping manufacturers stand out from the competition and grow 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-focused, licensing, strategy, and innovation consulting firm that has brokered strategic, long-term brand licensing programs for leading companies including P&G, Nestle, Adidas, PepsiCo, Red Robin, and more. "Valen has helped The Paleo Diet^® rebrand and pivot toward consumer packaged goods and trademark licensing," said Connor. "Our new CPG-friendly logo reflects the vibrant, energetic lifestyle, and the spectrum of health benefits that The Paleo Diet offers, and we look forward to working with brand partners to help them stand out in the marketplace."

Jeff Dotson, Vice President at The Valen Group added, "The Paleo Diet is providing much-needed guidance to the food industry, marketers, retailers, and consumers in by codifying Paleo Diet standards and making them available to all food manufacturers through Where Food Comes From."

For more information about The Paleo Diet^® Food Certification Program and Brand Licensing, please visit thepaleodiet.com/partnerships.

ABOUT THE PALEO DIET^®
The Paleo Diet^® is the modern, science-based interpretation of the ways 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 best-selling 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, open-source program has sparked related movements like gluten-free, grain-free, low-carb, ketogenic, anti-inflammatory, and auto-immune nutrition—in the process redefining healthy eating. By inspiring health-conscious shoppers to closely examine where food comes from, how it is made, and what it contains, The Paleo Diet has led to better awareness of the connections between food and health and has fueled today's trends in food certification and clear labeling within the mainstream grocery and natural foods industries. Since Dr. Cordain's retirement in 2019, The Paleo Diet, LLC was acquired by Dr. Cordain's final graduate student, Trevor Connor, who is now CEO. With Dr. Mark J. Smith, Dr. Cordain's first graduate student, Connor has been working to modernize The Paleo Diet program and its brand, which has begun with the announcement of its food certification and strategic brand licensing programs. With a new team and new, practical ways to help brands and health-conscious consumers, The Paleo Diet is poised to make health simpler, easier, and more delicious. Learn more and see free healthy nutrition resources at thepaleodiet.com. The Paleo Diet^® is a registered trademark of The Paleo Diet, LLC.

CONTACT
Trevor Connor
Chief Executive Officer
The Paleo Diet | 1320 Pearl St., Ste 310 | Boulder, Colorado USA | (720) 350-4089

ABOUT WHERE FOOD COMES FROM, INC. 
Where Food Comes From, Inc. is America's trusted resource for third party verification of food production practices. Through 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. Through its IMI Global, Validus Verification Services, SureHarvest, WFCF Organic (previously known as 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 food supply chains with analytics and data driven insights. In addition, the Company's Where Food Comes From® retail and restaurant labeling program uses web-based customer education tools to connect consumers to the sources of the food they purchase, increasing meaningful consumer engagement for our clients. 

ABOUT THE VALEN GROUP
Valen is a growth-focused, licensing, strategy, and innovation consulting firm. Over the last 20 years, Valen's Strategic Brand Licensing Practice has focused on building significant, long-term licensing programs. Our average brand licensing deal is $7.6M and that is over 15 times larger than the typical corporate trademark licensing deal. For more than two decades, we have partnered with leading companies such as P&G, Nestlé, Adidas, Dow, PepsiCo, Martha Stewart Living, Red Robin, and IHOP (and more) on strategy projects that explore major issues, strategic partnerships, and business development opportunities that cut across all levels of a complex marketplace. Our mission is to help people and organizations do new things. Valen has been named a top trending innovation consulting firm and is recognized as a Top 25 Global Brand Licensing firm by License! Global Magazine.

Trevor Connor
The Paleo Diet
(720) 350-4089

Jennifer Moore (Public Relations)
Jay Pfeiffer (Investor Relations)
Where Food Comes From
(303) 895-3002

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SOURCE The Paleo Diet LLC

FAQ

What is the new food certification program introduced by WFCF?

WFCF is partnering with The Paleo Diet to provide a third-party verification program for Paleo foods, introducing TRUEPALEO™ and PaleoFLEX™ certifications.

When was the partnership between The Paleo Diet and WFCF announced?

The partnership was announced on May 10, 2022.

How will the new certifications impact consumers?

The new certifications will help consumers easily identify foods that comply with Paleo standards, ensuring healthier choices.

What is the goal of the certification program by WFCF?

The goal is to provide trust and transparency in the market for Paleo-aligned foods.

What opportunities does The Paleo Diet seek through brand licensing?

The Paleo Diet is seeking strategic brand licensing partners to enhance its market presence and growth in the consumer packaged goods sector.