What Good Food Foundation does

Good Food Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2016 by Sarah Weiner and Dominic Phillips, building on a 2008 Slow Food Nation event and a 2010 incorporated non-profit. The organization operates three core programs for the values-driven specialty food sector. The Good Food Awards is an annual blind-tasting competition recognizing products that combine exceptional taste with sustainability and social responsibility vetting, spanning 18 product categories and five U.S. regions, with the 2026 cycle drawing more than 1,200 entries and naming 242 winners from 198 crafters. The Good Food Mercantile is a bi-annual one-day trade event held in tandem with the Specialty Food Association's Summer Fancy Food Show (NYC, June) and Winter FancyFaire (San Diego/San Francisco, January), where Good Food Qualified crafters sample products to retail buyers and chefs. The Good Food Qualification program is a standards-based designation recognizing producers that meet Good Food criteria for ingredient quality and responsible production across 19 categories.

The organization generates revenue from multiple transactional streams: $105 per awards entry (with a $95 early-bird window and complimentary entries for Guild members and BIPOC crafters), $15 optional judge feedback per product, $1,250 per Mercantile booth, $150 celebration event tickets, and—following the April 2026 integration—$300 annual SFA membership dues and a $150 Good Food Qualified application fee for non-Guild SFA members. As of April 2026, the former Good Food Foundation has been fully integrated into the Specialty Food Association, a not-for-profit trade association representing more than 4,200 specialty food businesses; core programs continue under SFA stewardship with former Guild and Merchant members transitioned to SFA membership carrying the Good Food Qualified designation. The current operating headquarters is at 99 Wall Street, Suite 3090, New York, with a secondary San Francisco presence. Leadership includes Executive Director Nora Weiser (appointed September 2024) and Board President Sally Rogers.

Name

Good Food Foundation

Legal name

Good Food Foundation

Website

https://goodfoodfdn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Good Food Foundation is a non-profit running the Good Food Awards blind-tasting competition, bi-annual Good Food Mercantile trade events, and Good Food Qualification designation for values-driven specialty food crafters across 18 categories and five U.S. regions; it now operates under the Specialty Food Association following April 2026 integration.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Food Industry Certification and Awards

akta.pro primary industry

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing Certification Services (AFALAMAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Supplier Approval & Second-Party Audit Programs (Retailer/Brand/Manufacturer) (AFALACAF)

Keywords

• Food awards program
• Specialty food certification
• Craft food trade events
• Sustainability standards
• Food crafter membership

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Good Food Awards Entry Fees: Crafters pay a $105 entry fee per product submitted to the Good Food Awards ($95 for early bird entries during July 7-9). Active Guild members receive one free entry as part of their membership benefits. These fees offset the cost of processing entries and organizing the blind tasting and judging.
2. SFA Membership Dues: Following the 2026 integration of Good Food into the Specialty Food Association, former Guild and Merchant members became SFA members. SFA membership dues are $300 annually. SFA membership is required to maintain the Good Food Qualified designation and to exhibit at Good Food Mercantile events.
3. Mercantile Booth Fees: Crafters who exhibit at Good Food Mercantile events pay a booth fee of $1,250. This includes one 6-foot draped table, chair, wastebasket, company ID sign, 3 exhibitor badges, and access to a shared prep area with electric and fridge/freezer space. The Mercantile is a one-day, intimate gathering where crafters sample products to retailers, chefs, and buyers.
4. Good Food Qualification Application Fee: SFA members who are not former Good Food Guild or Merchant members can apply for Good Food Qualified designation for a $150 fee starting summer 2026. This designation recognizes members meeting Good Food standards for their product category and is required to exhibit at Mercantiles.
5. Judge Feedback Fee: Entrants to the Good Food Awards may optionally purchase judge feedback for $15 per product. This provides constructive written feedback from the blind-tasting judges. The coffee category is exempt from this option.
6. Celebration Event Tickets: Tickets to the Good Food Awards Winner celebration event are available for purchase ($150 per ticket). The 2026 celebration takes place on Saturday, June 27 in New York City, the evening before the Summer Good Food Mercantile.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Good Food Foundation runs the annual Good Food Awards, a blind-tasting competition recognizing food and beverage products that meet both taste and sustainability standards across 18 categories and 5 U.S. regions. It also organizes the bi-annual Good Food Mercantile trade events connecting crafters with retailers, chefs, and buyers, and administers the Good Food Qualified designation certifying crafters that meet its responsible-production standards. Following its April 2026 integration into the Specialty Food Association, former Guild members became SFA members carrying the Good Food Qualified designation.

Product overview

The Good Food Foundation operates a portfolio of programs focused on celebrating and supporting values-driven food crafters. The core offerings include the Good Food Awards (an annual blind-tasting competition recognizing products that excel in taste while meeting sustainability and social responsibility standards across 18 categories), the Good Food Mercantile (bi-annual trade show events connecting crafters with retailers and buyers), and the Good Food Qualification program (a designation recognizing SFA members meeting high standards across 19 product categories). The organization also maintains a membership program providing crafters access to awards entry benefits and Mercantile exhibition opportunities. As of 2026, Good Food Foundation has integrated with the Specialty Food Association, with core programs continuing under the SFA umbrella.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Good Food Awards Annual awards program recognizing food and beverage products that exemplify outstanding taste, quality, and responsible production. Products are selected through blind tasting by over 250 judges and judged against rigorous sustainability and social responsibility standards across 18 categories (beer, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate, cider, coffee, confections, drinks, elixirs, fish, grains, honey, oils, pantry, pickles, preserves, snacks, and spirits) and 5 U.S. regions.
• Good Food Mercantile Bi-annual one-day trade show events connecting values-driven food crafters with retailers, chefs, and buyers. Events are co-located with the Specialty Food Association's Fancy Food Shows (Summer Fancy Food Show in New York and Winter FancyFaire in San Francisco/San Diego). Crafters pay a $1,250 booth fee and receive one 6-foot draped table, chair, wastebasket, company ID sign, 3 exhibitor badges, and access to a shared prep area with electric and fridge/freezer space.
• Good Food Qualified Designation Standards-based designation for Specialty Food Association members who have met high Good Food standards for their product category. Spans 19 product categories and signals to buyers that the qualified brand prioritizes ingredient quality, sustainability, and responsible production. Required to exhibit at Good Food Mercantile events.
• Good Food Guild Membership Membership program for food crafters committed to values-driven production. Members receive benefits including one free Good Food Awards entry per year, eligibility to exhibit at Good Food Mercantiles, inclusion in the SFA member directory with Good Food Qualified designation, and access to community networking. Following the 2026 integration with SFA, former Guild members became SFA members at $300 annually.

Quantifiable outcome

• 242 products from 198 crafters earned Good Food Awards recognition in 2026
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Specialty Food Association (SFA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026The former Good Food Foundation has been fully integrated into the Specialty Food Association as of April 1, 2026. Core Good Food programs — including the Good Food Awards and Good Food Mercantile events — continue under the SFA umbrella. Former Good Food Guild and Merchant members became SFA members with Good Food Qualified designation, gaining access to SFA's expanded benefits, networking, and tradeshow access. SFA is a not-for-profit trade association representing the $219-billion specialty food industry with more than 4,200 member businesses worldwide.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• USDA Organic Program: Federal certification program for organic agricultural products. Comparable as the most widely recognized sustainability credential in U.S. food retail, overlapping with Good Food's ingredient-quality and responsible-production standards.
• GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative): Industry-managed organization governing major food-safety certification schemes (FSSC 22000, BRCGS, SQF). Comparable as the umbrella body for food-craft certification standards that buyers rely on, though focused on formal food safety rather than sustainability.
• Rainforest Alliance: Global sustainability certification widely used on food and beverage packaging. Comparable as a third-party sustainability seal that food crafters adopt to signal responsible sourcing to buyers, overlapping with Good Food's sustainability vetting.
• Specialty Food Association: Good Food Foundation's parent organization following the April 2026 integration. SFA runs the sofi Awards and major Fancy Food Shows and represents the broader $219B specialty food industry — a broader incumbent that overlaps in awards, trade shows, and member credentialing.
• Fair Trade USA: The dominant third-party ethical-sourcing certification in the U.S. food industry. Comparable as a buyer-recognizable seal that validates responsible production, but operates as a paid certification program rather than an awards competition.
• B Lab (B Corporation): Certifies companies on social and environmental performance. Comparable to Good Food Qualified as a values-driven business credential that retailers and consumers use to identify responsible producers, though B Corp covers all industries.

Emerging players

• American Cheese Society: Trade organization supporting artisan cheesemakers, where incoming GFF Executive Director Nora Weiser previously served as Executive Director. Comparable as a values-driven specialty food trade body running competitions and member programs.

Regional players

• Edible Communities: Network of hyper-local food magazines that celebrate regional artisan food producers. Comparable as a community-driven platform that connects values-aligned crafters with consumers and buyers, though focused on media/publishing rather than awards.

Direct peers

• James Beard Foundation: Runs the James Beard Awards, the most recognized food and beverage awards program in the U.S. Comparable to Good Food Awards as a tastemaker credential for crafters, chefs, and beverage producers, though its standards focus on culinary excellence rather than sustainability/social-responsibility vetting.
• Slow Food USA: U.S. arm of the global Slow Food movement that originated the values-driven food ethos from which Good Food Foundation was born. Both organizations promote 'good, clean, and fair' food, host events, and build communities around responsible craft producers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/goodfoodfdn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/specialty-food-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/specialtyfoodassociation
• Facebookfacebook.com/SpecialtyFoodAssociation
• TikToktiktok.com/@specialtyfoodassociation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Good Food Foundation