Amy’s Kitchen Takes “Cooking. Not Chemistry.” Nationwide

Amy’s Kitchen is making food processing the central subject of its latest national marketing campaign. Under the “Cooking. Not Chemistry.” banner, the family-owned organic food producer is combining consumer research, public installations, digital advertising and retail activity to explain how its meals are made and promote its growing range of Non-UPF Verified products.

From a California farmhouse to an international food brand

Andy and Rachel Berliner founded Amy’s Kitchen in 1987 after struggling to find convenient organic meals while Rachel was pregnant with their daughter Amy. The business began in a California farmhouse kitchen with a vegetable pot pie and grew into a producer of organic frozen and packaged foods sold across the United States and internationally.

The company remains family-owned. In its January 2026 announcement about joining the Non-UPF Verified program, Amy’s described a range of more than 150 varieties, including vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and lower-sodium options. The company is also a Certified B Corporation and reported that its products were available in more than 11 countries outside the U.S. Its emphasis on sourcing and cooking methods is now becoming a more prominent part of its advertising.

A new verification mark becomes part of the message

Non-UPF Verified is a third-party certification program launched by the Non-GMO Project under its Food Integrity Collective. The program examines ingredients and production methods, including formulation and structural changes to food during processing. It is intended to give shoppers information about manufacturing that may not be apparent from an ingredient list alone.

Amy’s was among the first seven brands with products earning verification earlier in 2026, alongside companies including Simple Mills, Spindrift and Chomps. In an October 19 announcement, Amy’s said more than 125 of its products were certified, representing nearly 90% of its offerings. The brand is using that designation to make its approach to food production easier to recognize in advertising and on grocery shelves.

A public launch in Santa Monica

Campaign activity began in early October at the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California. A 40-foot installation accompanied a projection on the Clock Tower Building carrying the message “End the Era of Ultra-Processed Food.” The activation gave the company’s food-processing message a public setting beyond its packaging and the frozen-food aisle.

The consumer confusion Amy’s wants to address

Amy’s commissioned Talker Research to survey 2,000 Americans with internet access between September 3 and September 8, 2026. Half of respondents said they were not confident they could distinguish processed from ultra-processed foods, and 37% believed any level of processing made food “bad.”

The findings also revealed a challenge for a company selling prepared meals: 45% of respondents considered frozen foods as unhealthy as, or worse than, ultra-processed foods such as cookies and chips. Amy’s is using the research to explain differences in ingredients and preparation within the frozen-food category and draw attention to its verified products.

Connecting the campaign with grocery purchases

According to Marketing Dive, the campaign targets health-conscious adults aged 24 to 44 and runs through November 15. Meta and programmatic advertising support the effort. Whole Foods Market activity began October 15, with in-store digital ads in selected markets and targeted advertising through Amazon DSP. Freezer, floor and shelf materials reinforce the message near the products.

MikMak retargeting connects interested consumers with retailers through an add-to-cart function. This gives Amy’s a way to carry its certification message from awareness into shopping, with product information and retail access supporting the same campaign.

Sources

1. Marketing Dive — Amy’s Kitchen tackles ultra-processed food myths in national campaign — October 19, 2026.
2. Amy’s Kitchen press release via NOSH — Research announcement, survey methodology and verified product figures — October 19, 2026.
3. Non-UPF Verified — First certified products and participating brands — Press release dated February 25, 2026.
4. Amy’s Kitchen via PR Newswire — Joining the Non-UPF Verified program — January 22, 2026.