In this episode of R&D Radio, hosted by food scientist Adam Yee, Adam sits down with Esther Levy, founder of Evolve Food Consultants, to unpack the real decision-making process behind third-party certifications — organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher, and beyond. Esther holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and an MBA, brings over 15 years of experience in manufacturing, regulatory compliance, food labeling, and food safety, and spent a decade specializing in organic juice before founding her own consulting firm.
Esther and Adam get into why "getting certified organic" sounds simple but rarely is — breaking down the three forces that make or break a certification decision: ingredient supply, cost, and manufacturer availability. From an organic potato chip project that turned out to be nearly impossible to source, to the difference between making a substantiated claim versus paying for the trademarked logo, this episode maps out exactly what founders are getting into before they commit.
Listen in as they cover:
Why organic is often "doable" in theory but category-dependent in practice — and what determines whether it's a launch-day decision or a year-two goal
The real cost gap between organic and conventional ingredients, from pricing to minimum order quantities
Why an "organic potato chip" is one of the hardest products in food to actually source and produce
The difference between making a substantiated claim (like "non-GMO") and paying for a certification logo like the Non-GMO Project butterfly
How Esther uses hard data and real supplier quotes — not theoretical debate — to help founders make fast, informed certification decisions
Why even simple three-ingredient products are often the most complex to certify and manufacture at scale
The evolving nature of formulation and branding, and why almost no retail brand launched exactly as it exists today
Current food trends Esther is watching: upcycled and novel fibers, prebiotic claim substantiation, and rising demand for ingredient transparency
Why unsubstantiated claims — even from small brands — can trigger costly legal exposure, using the Poppi prebiotic lawsuit as a cautionary example
Why staying organized with documentation isn't just a nice-to-have — it's what protects a brand when a claim gets challenged
Episode Links:
Esther Levy – Founder, Evolve Food Consultants: LinkedIn
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