Once we'd decided on a name and formulated our first products, I thought things would be easier from there, but boy, was I wrong. Slowly but surely, we were connecting the dots and building Partake day by day, but it was definitely a road filled with curves, speed bumps, and even some mountains that seemed insurmountable.  

One of the speed bumps we hit along the way was obtaining various 3rd party certifications. As an allergy-friendly product, it was a non-negotiable for me that we "made it official" through Gluten-Free and Vegan certifications.  In addition, I wanted to demonstrate our commitment to quality ingredients through Non GMO Project Verification.  

A task as simple as grocery shopping can be made so much more confusing when trying to decipher all of the claims and certifications out there. We wanted to share a bit more on the certifications that our products have:

• Certified Gluten-Free - Our products are certified through the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), the largest and most-recognized gluten-free certification organization in the country. The FDA requires that foods labeled gluten-free have a gluten limit of less than 20 parts per million (ppm). We take this a step further by conducting gluten testing on our finished products at the 10ppm level.
• Certified Vegan - The Vegan Awareness Foundation administers the Certified Vegan label, which certifies that products do not contain animal products or byproducts - and for our products, this means no dairy or eggs - or even honey.
• Non GMO Project Verified - Non-GMO Project certification tells you that a product was made without genetically engineered ingredients. Non-GMO Project Verified products go through extensive vetting to ensure that no GMOs are included in the ingredients (or sub-ingredients) of certified products.
• Orthodox Union Kosher - Kosher is defined by the Jewish dietary laws, and basic rules include not mixing any dairy and meat products, only consuming properly processed meat, and not consuming shellfish. For our products, this means they contain neither dairy nor meat, nor any dairy or meat derivatives. It also verifies that the product was not made on equipment that is also used for making dairy products. 

There's certainly other certifications that exist - such as USDA Organic and Fair Trade. We currently use several USDA Certified organic ingredients, such as organic cane sugar, organic sprouted buckwheat flour, and organic veggies in our products and we are committed to continuing to grow the number of organic ingredients we use in our products. 

Outside of certifications pertaining to ingredients, Partake Foods is also a Certified B Corp (Pending), which asserts our commitment to being a socially responsible company. Obtaining these certifications was no easy feat, but it is at the core of our brand to be fully transparent about our ingredients and practices, and create a truly safe snack line for all to enjoy!