001 · An independent standard
Simple food.
No confusion.
We identify real food using strict ingredient criteria — and approve the products that meet them.
02 · The problem
Supermarkets are confusing.Most products are ultra-processed and difficult to understand.
Labels are dense. Ingredients are unfamiliar. Marketing claims rarely match what's actually inside the package. People shouldn't need a chemistry degree to buy food.
03 · The standard
We created a standard for real food.
The product is Real Food Approved.
It carries the badge. Consumers can trust it at a glance.
The product is not approved.
No badge. No exceptions. The standard is binary by design.
Official Real Food Approved Criteria
Products that meet the following standards may be granted Real Food Approved status:
- •No seed oils (rapeseed, sunflower, soybean, corn, grapeseed, vegetable oil blends)
- •No ultra-processed ingredients including additives, preservatives, emulsifiers, modified starches
- •Simple ingredient lists that are short and easy to understand
- •Recognisable ingredients commonly used in home cooking
- •No added sugars of any kind
Examples of oils NOT accepted
- Rapeseed oil
- Sunflower oil
- Soybean oil
- Corn oil
- Grapeseed oil
Examples of added sugars NOT accepted
- Glucose syrup
- Fructose syrup
- High-fructose corn syrup
- Cane sugar
- Dextrose
04 · The mark
The Real Food Approved Badge
The badge represents a simple idea: if a product carries this mark, it meets strict ingredient standards.
One symbol. Faster decisions. No label-reading required.
05 · A personal note
From the founder
Why Real Food Standard exists.
Real Food Standard was created out of a real problem. I found myself spending hours in supermarkets checking ingredient lists, trying to work out what food was clean and what wasn't.
Most products include ultra-processed ingredients, artificial preservatives, seed oils, and added sugars — even those marketed as 'healthy'. It shouldn't be that difficult to choose good food.
The goal is to make it simple. When a product carries the Real Food Approved mark, consumers can trust that it has been checked and is free from unnecessary additives.
We check the ingredients. You just choose what you eat.
06 · Criteria
Five rules. No exceptions.
v1.0 / 2025
- 01
No seed oils
No sunflower, canola, soybean, rapeseed or similar refined oils.
- 02
No ultra-processed ingredients
Whole-food ingredients only. No industrial derivatives.
- 03
No additives or emulsifiers
No synthetic stabilisers, preservatives or texturisers.
- 04
No gums
No xanthan, guar, locust bean or similar thickeners.
- 05
Only simple, recognisable ingredients
If you can't picture it growing, it doesn't qualify.
07 · Process
How it works.
Step 01
Products are reviewed
Brands submit a product. We log it into the standard's review queue.
Step 02
Ingredients are checked
Every ingredient is assessed against the five criteria — no shortcuts.
Step 03
Approved products receive the badge
Qualifying products are licensed to display the Real Food Approved mark.
08 · For brands
Communicate ingredient quality, clearly.
Real Food Standard helps brands signal what's inside their products — without long claims or fine print.
Apply for certification- 01Build trust+
- 02Stand out+
- 03Simplify messaging+
- 04Gain recognition+