Where Food Comes From Stock Price, News & Analysis

Where Food Comes From, Inc. (Nasdaq: WFCF) is a third-party food verification company that focuses on independently verifying food production practices across the supply chain. Classified in the information sector under software publishers, the company combines verification and certification services with software sales and related consulting to support transparency, traceability, and claim integrity in food and agriculture.

The company operates through two primary segments: verification and certification, and software sales and related consulting. According to available information, verification and certification represent the majority of its revenue. Through these activities, Where Food Comes From audits food production and uses verification processes to help ensure that claims made by food producers and processors are accurate.

Core business and customers

Where Food Comes From describes itself as America’s trusted resource for third party verification of food production practices. Using proprietary technology and patented business processes, the company estimates that it supports more than 17,500 entities, including farmers, ranchers, vineyards, wineries, processors, retailers, distributors, trade associations, consumer brands and restaurants. Its services are designed to verify food-related claims, optimize production practices, and enable food supply chains with analytics and data-driven insights.

The company’s customer base spans multiple points in the food value chain. It works with producers and processors that need independent verification of how animals are raised or how crops and ingredients are produced, as well as retailers, brands and foodservice operators that want to substantiate on-pack and menu claims. Where Food Comes From has referenced a family of verifiers and units, including International Certification Services, Validus Verification Services, IMI Global, SureHarvest, WFCF Organic and Postelsia, which support different parts of its verification and certification activities.

Verification programs and standards

Where Food Comes From offers a wide variety of value-added services built around specific verification standards and certification programs. The company has developed and/or manages multiple standards that address animal care, sustainability, and food waste reduction, among other topics. Its programs are used to verify claims such as natural raising practices, non-hormone treatment, source verification, and other livestock-raising and ingredient attributes, as described in its news releases.

One of its notable programs is CARE Certified, which the company describes as a comprehensive sustainability standard addressing three key pillars: animal care, environmental stewardship, and people and community. CARE Certified is used in beef and other supply chains to communicate sustainability practices and to provide retailers, brands and downstream users (including, in some cases, automotive leather customers) with verified claims about how animals were raised and how operations are managed.

The company also manages the Upcycled Certified® program, described as the world’s first and largest provider of certifications for the upcycled food chain and one of the fastest-growing certification seals in the food industry. Upcycled Certified is focused on products and ingredients that use upcycled food inputs, helping participating brands and manufacturers document and communicate their efforts to divert food from waste streams. According to company disclosures, Upcycled Certified has become its fastest growing program, with hundreds of certified products and a growing number of participating companies ranging from start-ups to major food producers.

In addition, Where Food Comes From has launched RaiseWell® Certified, a standard for natural livestock production and cattle verification. RaiseWell Certified is described as a standard that sets requirements for responsibly raised animals at every stage of life, including rigorous animal care requirements, no antibiotics or added growth hormones ever, and source verification back to the origin. The program is designed to provide clear, third-party verified animal-raising claims and traceability for brands, high-end retailers and foodservice operators that want to differentiate on integrity, quality and certified production practices.

Technology, analytics and labeling

Technology is a central part of Where Food Comes From’s model. The company notes that it uses proprietary technology and patented business processes to support verification, data collection and analytics. Its solutions are used to verify food claims, optimize production practices and enable food supply chains with data-driven insights. The company has also highlighted investments in artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and enhance customer experiences, indicating that it is working to integrate AI into aspects of its operations and delivery of customer solutions.

Beyond back-end verification, Where Food Comes From operates the Where Food Comes From® retail and restaurant labeling program. This program uses web-based customer education tools to connect consumers to the sources of the food they purchase. By linking labels and in-store or on-menu identifiers to digital content, the program is intended to increase meaningful consumer engagement for the company’s clients and to help consumers understand the story behind their food.

Industry role and applications

Where Food Comes From participates in multiple segments of the food and agriculture industry. Its verification and certification services cover beef, pork, dairy, eggs and other proteins, as well as non-GMO, Gluten Free, Organic and Upcycled certifications and other standards across multiple food groups. Company communications describe a product portfolio that has expanded from a handful of beef-centric offerings to more than 50 certification standards across multiple food categories.

The company’s programs are used by retailers and brands that want to feature verified beef and other products in stores and on menus, often with labeling that highlights CARE Certified, Source Verified, Non-hormone Treated, Upcycled Certified or other attributes. In some cases, its standards are applied beyond food, such as CARE Certified sustainable leather used in automotive interiors, which still ties back to beef production and animal-raising practices.

Capital markets and corporate structure

Where Food Comes From, Inc. is incorporated in Colorado and files reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under Commission File Number 001-40314. Its common stock trades on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol WFCF. The company has reported using stock buybacks as part of its capital allocation, as reflected in its earnings releases and Form 8-K filings that reference financial results and related conference calls.

According to SEC filings, the company has also held equity investments, such as a prior 10% membership interest in Progressive Beef, LLC, which it later sold pursuant to a Redemption and Purchase Agreement. That transaction involved cash consideration and the surrender of shares of Where Food Comes From common stock, and the company has described Progressive Beef as continuing to be a customer for its auditing services.

Position within the food verification ecosystem

Within the broader food system, Where Food Comes From positions itself as a trusted, independent verifier of food production practices. Its role is to sit between producers, processors, brands, retailers and consumers, providing third-party assurance that specific standards and claims are met. By combining verification and certification services with software, analytics and labeling programs, the company aims to support supply chain transparency and to help its clients respond to consumer and retailer demand for responsibly produced, traceable and certified products.

FAQs about Where Food Comes From, Inc. (WFCF)

• What does Where Food Comes From, Inc. do?
  Where Food Comes From, Inc. is a third-party food verification company that provides verification and certification services, software and related consulting to support accurate food production claims, supply chain transparency and data-driven insights for food and agriculture clients.
• How does the company generate revenue?
  According to available information, the company operates in two segments: verification and certification, and software sales and related consulting. It generates the majority of its revenue from verification and certification services.
• Who uses Where Food Comes From’s services?
  The company estimates that it supports more than 17,500 farmers, ranchers, vineyards, wineries, processors, retailers, distributors, trade associations, consumer brands and restaurants that seek independent verification of food production practices and related claims.
• What is CARE Certified?
  CARE Certified is a sustainability standard managed by Where Food Comes From that addresses three pillars: animal care, environmental stewardship, and people and community. It is used by beef producers and other supply chains to document and communicate sustainability practices and to provide verified claims to retailers, brands and downstream users.
• What is Upcycled Certified®?
  Upcycled Certified is a program described by the company as the world’s first and largest provider of certifications for the upcycled food chain. It certifies products and ingredients that use upcycled food inputs, enabling brands and manufacturers to demonstrate their efforts to reduce food waste and support sustainable production.
• What is RaiseWell® Certified?
  RaiseWell Certified is a livestock production standard launched by Where Food Comes From. It requires that animals are responsibly raised at every stage of life, with rigorous animal care requirements, no antibiotics or added growth hormones ever, and source verification back to the origin to create traceability throughout the supply chain.
• How does Where Food Comes From use technology?
  The company states that it uses proprietary technology and patented business processes to deliver its verification and certification services. Its solutions are used to verify food claims, optimize production practices and enable supply chains with analytics and data-driven insights, and it has highlighted ongoing work on artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and customer experience.
• What is the Where Food Comes From® labeling program?
  The 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. This program is designed to increase consumer engagement for clients by linking labels and menu identifiers to information about production practices and sourcing.
• Is WFCF a U.S. public company?
  Yes. Where Food Comes From, Inc. is incorporated in Colorado and its common stock trades on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol WFCF. The company files periodic and current reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
• Does the company focus only on beef?
  While beef verification has been an important part of its business, company disclosures indicate that its product portfolio has expanded to more than 50 certification standards across multiple food groups, including pork, dairy, eggs and certifications such as non-GMO, Gluten Free, Organic and Upcycled.