Where Food Comes From, Inc. Announces Launch of RaiseWell® Certified: A New Standard for Natural Livestock Production
Rhea-AI Summary
Where Food Comes From (Nasdaq: WFCF) announced on January 6, 2026 the launch of RaiseWell® Certified, a new third-party standard for natural livestock production focused on verified animal care, no antibiotics or added growth hormones, and source-level traceability.
The program offers retailers, restaurants and brands on-pack seals aligned with USDA FSIS, source-verified supply chains back to the farm of origin, and the ability to bundle RaiseWell with WFCF’s CARE Certified sustainability standard and other verified attributes.
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News Market Reaction – WFCF
On the day this news was published, WFCF gained 0.09%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction. This price movement added approximately $52K to the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $58M at that time.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
WFCF slipped about 1% while peers showed mixed moves: some down (e.g., PMEC -5.66%, TISI -1.5%, SST -1.19%) and others up (DLHC +1.16%, NTIP +1.14%). With no peers in the momentum scanner and no same-day peer headlines, trading appeared stock-specific rather than sector-driven before this announcement.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 03 | Strategic partnership | Positive | +3.1% | Pangea collaboration to deliver CARE Certified sustainable leather traceability. |
| Nov 13 | Earnings report | Positive | -2.8% | Q3 2025 results with higher net income and asset-sale gain. |
| Aug 07 | Earnings report | Positive | -0.9% | Q2 2025 revenue and net income growth plus Progressive Beef stake sale. |
| Aug 05 | Earnings call notice | Neutral | +0.5% | Scheduling of Q2 2025 earnings release and investor conference call. |
Recent fundamentally positive news (earnings, partnerships) has sometimes seen muted or negative next-day price reactions, suggesting a tendency for the stock to underreact or fade on good news.
Over the last several months, WFCF reported stable to modestly growing revenues and rising profitability, highlighted by Q2 and Q3 2025 results where net income increased and gains from the Progressive Beef sale supported earnings. The company also expanded CARE Certified programs with major retailers and partnered with Pangea to bring CARE Certified sustainable leather to automotive brands. Today’s RaiseWell Certified launch continues this theme of building out verification and certification offerings tied to premium, traceable protein and sustainability-focused markets.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement introduces RaiseWell Certified as a new standard focused on verified animal care, natural raising practices, and fully traceable supply chains. It extends WFCF’s strategy of building premium verification offerings alongside CARE Certified and other programs. Investors may track how many retailers, restaurants, and producers adopt RaiseWell Certified, how it integrates with CARE Certified, and whether it supports continued growth in value-added protein markets and ethically raised product demand.
Key Terms
third-party verification technical
USDA FSIS regulatory
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
A Next-Generation Certification Designed for Natural Retailers, Restaurants and Producers Committed to Responsible Sourcing and Verified Animal Care
CASTLE ROCK, Colo., Jan. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Where Food Comes From, Inc. (WFCF) (Nasdaq: WFCF), the most trusted resource for independent, third-party verification of food production practices in North America, proudly announces the launch of RaiseWell® Certified, a comprehensive new standard that sets a new benchmark for animal care, verified natural raising practices, and transparent, fully traceable supply chains.
Developed to meet growing consumer and retailer demand for responsibly raised proteins, RaiseWell Certified provides clear, third-party verified claims for brands, high-end retailers and foodservice operators who want to differentiate on integrity, quality, and certified production practices.
The standard requires that animals are responsibly raised at every stage of life, with rigorous animal care requirements, with no antibiotics or added growth hormones ever, and source-verified back to the source of origin, creating traceability throughout the supply chains that retailers and consumers can trust.
“RaiseWell Certified is about meeting today’s consumers where they are – looking for food that aligns with their values,” said Leann Saunders, President & COO of Where Food Comes From.
“Verification programs not only validate compliance; they also spotlight the practices that set producers apart,” said Sawyer Smith, Ranch Manager, Hillwood Land & Cattle. “Staying enrolled, even as markets shift, builds trust, creates repeat buyers, and strengthens an operation’s reputation for long-term success.”
RaiseWell Certified equips retailers and restaurants with:
- Clearly defined, third-party verified animal-raising claims
- Source-verified livestock and poultry with traceability to the farm of origin
- A transparent supply chain story suited to premium markets
- On-pack seals aligned with USDA FSIS requirements
This structure gives retailers confidence in claim integrity while providing consumers with clarity about how their food was raised.
RaiseWell Certified also integrates easily with WFCF’s CARE Certified standard, which is a comprehensive sustainability standard that addresses three key pillars: animal care, environmental stewardship and people and community. This integration gives producers and retailers the option to bundle claims and create a unified, audit-ready package that can include pasture-raised, outdoor access, grass-fed, and other verified livestock-raising attributes.
RaiseWell Certified represents a strategic expansion of WFCF’s portfolio of third-party verification solutions, supporting continued growth in value-added protein markets and demand for natural, ethically raised products.
High-end natural retailers, foodservice operators, brands and supply chains interested in learning more about RaiseWell Certified can contact WFCF for program requirements and onboarding information.
Learn more at www.wherefoodcomesfrom.com.
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 estimates that it supports more than 17,500 farmers, ranchers, vineyards, wineries, processors, retailers, distributors, trade associations, consumer brands and restaurants with a wide variety of value-added services. Where Food Comes From solutions are 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.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, based on current expectations, estimates and projections that are subject to risk. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and actual events could differ materially from the Company’s predictions. Important factors that could cause actual events to vary from predictions include those discussed in our SEC filings. Specifically, statements in this news release about industry leadership and expectations that the Company’s services will add value for producers, retailers, and consumers; and demand for, and impact and efficacy of, the Company’s products and services on the marketplace, are forward-looking statements that are subject to a variety of factors, including availability of capital, personnel and other resources; competition; governmental regulation of the agricultural industry; the market for beef and other commodities; and other factors. Readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect new information or developments. For a more extensive discussion of the Company’s business, please refer to the Company’s SEC filings at www.sec.gov.
Company Contacts:
Jennifer Moore-Stover
Manager, Livestock Marketing & Communications
jmoore@wherefoodcomesfrom.com
303.895.3002
wherefoodcomesfrom.com
Jay Pfeiffer
Investor Relations Manager
jpfeiffer@wherefoodcomesfrom.com
303-880-9000
FAQ
What is RaiseWell Certified announced by Where Food Comes From (WFCF) on January 6, 2026?
How does RaiseWell Certified affect retailers and restaurants working with WFCF (WFCF)?
Can RaiseWell Certified be combined with other WFCF programs for WFCF (WFCF) customers?
Does RaiseWell Certified prohibit antibiotics and added growth hormones for WFCF (WFCF) participants?
Where can brands and supply chains learn about RaiseWell Certified requirements for WFCF (WFCF)?
When was RaiseWell Certified publicly launched by Where Food Comes From (WFCF)?
