Food Directions
Food Directions LLC is a Washington, D.C.-area food policy and regulatory consulting firm founded in 2010, advising food manufacturers, restaurants, and trade associations on FDA/USDA rulemaking, labeling, and legislative strategy through a six-person expert team.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersSouth Dennis, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Food Directions does
Food Directions LLC is a Washington, D.C.-area food policy and regulatory consulting firm founded in 2010 by Elizabeth (Beth) Johnson, a former FDA, USDA, Senate Agriculture Committee, and National Restaurant Association professional with 25+ years of policy experience. The firm operates at the intersection of food science, legislation, and regulation, providing strategic counsel, public comment drafting, oral testimony development, labeling services, and competitive landscape assessment to food manufacturers, processors, restaurants, and foodservice operators. Core offerings include nutrition facts panel development, menu labeling support, label training workshops, health and nutrient content claim guidance, and regulatory and legislative impact assessment spanning federal, state, and global jurisdictions.
The firm monetizes primarily through project-based and retainer consulting engagements, supplemented by productized research reports (the annual 2026 Crystal Ball outlook priced at $500 and the State SNAP Waiver Landscape Brief available free as a lead-generation asset) and a free weekly newsletter that functions as a top-of-funnel thought-leadership channel. Distribution is sales-led and relationship-driven, relying on Capitol Hill and federal agency relationships, referrals from trade associations and public health groups, industry conference participation (e.g., SNX 2026), and direct outreach. The team comprises six professionals including a Founder/Principal, a Partner, a Vice President, a Senior Director, and two Managers, several of whom are registered dietitians with prior agency, association, and communications backgrounds.
Food Directions is a privately held, founder-controlled LLC with no disclosed institutional capital, no parent company, and no subsidiaries. Its competitive position rests on the rarity of practitioners who combine deep regulatory expertise with active government relationships, and on its ability to translate rapidly evolving policy themes (MAHA, front-of-pack labeling, GRAS modernization, state-level fragmentation) into actionable client strategy. The firm has signaled continued investment in productized research, coalition advocacy (Americans for Ingredient Transparency), and snack-industry vertical expansion.
Food Directions firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Food Directions
- Legal name
- Food Directions LLC
- Website
- https://fooddirectionsllc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Food Directions LLC is a Washington, D.C.-area food policy and regulatory consulting firm founded in 2010, advising food manufacturers, restaurants, and trade associations on FDA/USDA rulemaking, labeling, and legislative strategy through a six-person expert team.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Food Directions industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Food Policy Consulting
- NAICS
- Special Food Services (7223)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Label Artwork/Regulatory Review & Compliance Consulting (FDA/USDA/EFSA; format, allergens, QUID) (AFALAHAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Food Standards, Labeling & Claims Regulation (HLAJAEAB)
Keywords
Where Food Directions is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South Dennis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Food Directions business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Regulatory and Policy Consulting Services: Consulting services providing strategic counsel on food policy, regulatory compliance, labeling requirements, and legislative impact assessment for food companies and restaurants.
- Research Publications and Reports: Sale of annual policy outlook reports and specialized briefs including the 2026 Crystal Ball report and State SNAP Waiver Landscape Brief.
- Newsletter Subscription: Weekly newsletter providing updates on food policy landscape across U.S. and global governments, NGOs, and research journals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | 2026 Crystal Ball Annual Report |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | State SNAP Waiver Landscape Brief |
| Subscription | Weekly | Weekly Newsletter |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Food Directions product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Food Directions is a food policy and regulatory consulting firm that advises food companies and restaurants on FDA/USDA regulations, food labeling requirements, menu labeling, health and nutrient content claims, and legislative impact. The firm also publishes research products including the annual 2026 Crystal Ball outlook report ($500), the free State SNAP Waiver Landscape Brief, and a free weekly newsletter covering U.S. and global food policy developments.
Product overview
Food Directions is a food policy consulting firm offering advisory services, research reports, and informational products. The core offerings include regulatory and legislative impact assessment, food labeling services (nutrition facts panels, menu labeling, label training), competitive landscape evaluation, and stakeholder engagement support. The product portfolio consists of fee-based research reports (2026 Crystal Ball at $500, State SNAP Waiver Landscape Brief free), a weekly newsletter, and ongoing advisory engagements. The company operates at the intersection of food science, policy, legislation, and regulation, serving food companies and restaurants.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Food Labeling Services Advisory services for food manufacturers and restaurants covering nutrition facts panel development, restaurant menu labeling, label training workshops, innovation and renovation label guidance, and health, nutrient content, structure/function, and qualified health claims support.
- Regulatory and Legislative Impact Assessment Strategic counsel on global food policy, regulatory and legislative impact evaluation, and public comments and oral testimony development for engaging federal, state, and global regulators.
- Competitive Landscape Assessment Evaluation of the global nutrition and sustainability landscape and assessment of the competitive landscape for food companies and restaurants.
- Food Directions 2026 Crystal Ball An 8-page annual report providing insights on the food policy landscape and the impact of the Trump Administration on food policy in 2026, priced at $500.
- State SNAP Waiver Landscape Brief A free downloadable brief analyzing the state SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) waiver landscape.
- Weekly Newsletter A free weekly newsletter providing insight on food policy updates from U.S. and global governments, NGOs, and research journals, covering food and nutrition, food safety, agriculture, and global topics.
Companies that use Food Directions
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Food Directions technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Food Directions partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- SNAC InternationalcoreSNAC International is the snack industry trade association. Food Directions works with SNAC International on regulatory proposals, with consultant Maggie Gentile presenting at SNX 2026 on MAHA's impact on snack makers. SNAC International advocates for science-based labeling approaches and engages regulators on ultra-processed food definitions and front-of-pack labeling requirements.
- Americans for Ingredient Transparency coalitioncoreSNAC International recently joined the Americans for Ingredient Transparency coalition to push for a national ingredient standard rather than a patchwork of state regulations. Food Directions, as an advisor to SNAC, is involved in this coalition effort to establish consistent ingredient transparency requirements across states.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Food Directions competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- EAS Consulting Group: EAS Consulting Group provides FDA-regulatory and labeling advisory services to food, dietary supplement, and cosmetics companies — the closest direct analog to Food Directions' food labeling and regulatory compliance work.
- Kelley Drye & Warren (Food and Drug practice): Kelley Drye's food and drug practice offers FDA/USDA regulatory counseling, labeling compliance, and policy advocacy to food manufacturers — directly overlapping Food Directions' core service lines.
- Forbes Tate Partners: Forbes Tate Partners is a bipartisan strategic advisory and government relations firm serving food, agriculture, and consumer products clients on regulatory and legislative strategy — a directly comparable DC-based food policy consultancy.
Broad incumbents
- Hogan Lovells (Food and Beverage practice): Hogan Lovells' global food and beverage practice covers FDA/USDA regulatory, labeling, and legislative advocacy for major food companies — a broader, larger-scale competitor in the same regulatory advisory category.
- Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath (Food and Drug practice): Faegre Drinker's food and drug regulatory practice provides FDA/USDA labeling, policy, and litigation counsel to food companies — a larger incumbent with overlapping food regulatory expertise.
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld (Food practice): Akin Gump's food industry practice combines regulatory, legislative, and policy advisory work for major food and agribusiness clients — a broader incumbent with the same FDA/USDA policy interface as Food Directions.
- APCO Worldwide (Food, Beverage and Agribusiness): APCO Worldwide's food and agribusiness practice provides global public affairs, regulatory strategy, and stakeholder engagement — a broader incumbent serving overlapping food industry clients.
Emerging players
- Consumer Brands Association (formerly GMA): Consumer Brands Association is the CPG trade association where Allison Graham previously led food labeling and regulatory work — a stakeholder/coalition counterparty in the same food policy ecosystem Food Directions serves.
Others
- SNAC International: SNAC International is the snack industry trade association and an active client/partner of Food Directions — represents the same buyer persona and is directly cited as a key customer relationship.
- Mintel (Food and Drink): Mintel publishes syndicated food and drink market research and policy-aligned trend reports — a thematically adjacent information provider that competes for similar buyer attention with Food Directions' Crystal Ball and newsletter products.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Food Directions social profiles
Digital presenceFood Directions financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Food Directions leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Food Directions funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Food Directions M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Food Directions
What does Food Directions do?
Food Directions is a food policy and regulatory consulting firm that advises food companies and restaurants on FDA/USDA regulations, food labeling requirements, menu labeling, health and nutrient content claims, and legislative impact. The firm also publishes research products including the annual 2026 Crystal Ball outlook report ($500), the free State SNAP Waiver Landscape Brief, and a free weekly newsletter covering U.S. and global food policy developments.
Is Food Directions a public or private company?
Food Directions is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Food Directions founded?
Food Directions was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Food Directions based?
Food Directions is headquartered in South Dennis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Food Directions make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Regulatory and Policy Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are research Publications and Reports and newsletter Subscription.
Who are Food Directions's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are EAS Consulting Group, Kelley Drye & Warren (Food and Drug practice) and Forbes Tate Partners. Broad incumbents are Hogan Lovells (Food and Beverage practice), Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath (Food and Drug practice), Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld (Food practice) and APCO Worldwide (Food, Beverage and Agribusiness). Consumer Brands Association (formerly GMA) is listed as an emerging player. Others are SNAC International and Mintel (Food and Drink).
Does Food Directions have an API?
No public API is recorded for Food Directions.
What industry is Food Directions in?
Food Directions's product category is Food Policy Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFALAHAL, Label Artwork/Regulatory Review & Compliance Consulting (FDA/USDA/EFSA; format, allergens, QUID), with a secondary code of HLAJAEAB, Food Standards, Labeling & Claims Regulation. Its NAICS code is 7223.