Amy’s Kitchen Takes On Ultra-Processed Food Myths in National Campaign
Amy's Kitchen pairs a commissioned lifetime-cost analysis with in-store and digital ads to argue ultra-processed foods cost more over time.
Amy’s Kitchen has launched a national campaign challenging the idea that ultra-processed foods are the cheaper choice. The five-week effort runs through November 15, according to Food Dive.
TLDR
- More than 125 Amy’s products, nearly 90% of its offerings, carry Non-UPF Verified certification from the Non-GMO Project.
- A brand-commissioned analysis links a diet high in ultra-processed foods to $359,836 in additional lifetime costs.
- A commissioned survey of 2,000 Americans found nine in 10 eat ultra-processed foods without realizing it.
- The campaign spans Meta, programmatic display, Amazon DSP and Whole Foods Market stores.
Campaign Rollout
The campaign opened in early October on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California. A 40-foot installation anchored the launch. The line “End the Era of Ultra-Processed Food” was projected onto the Clock Tower Building.
Amy’s calls the broader effort its “Cooking. Not Chemistry.” campaign. It targets health-conscious consumers ages 24 to 44, Food Dive reports. A Whole Foods Market activation began October 15. In-store assets include freezer and floor clings, shelf talkers and print ads.
The Cost Analysis
Health economist Lindsay Allen, PhD, designed and conducted the analysis independently. Amy’s Kitchen commissioned it. Allen compared Americans in the top fifth of ultra-processed food intake with those in the bottom fifth.
The model included five conditions: type 2 diabetes, heart disease, colorectal cancer, depression and Crohn’s disease. About $21,417 of the total comes from health-related costs. Roughly $338,419 reflects the economic value of about 10 months of shorter life expectancy.
The release notes the underlying studies are observational. They show association, not causation. “What seems cheap at checkout can have much higher and more consequential costs later,” said Amy’s CEO Paul Schiefer.
What Shoppers Believe
Respondents estimated 16% of their diet is ultra-processed. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data puts it at about 53% of adult calories, the release says. Half were not confident they could tell processed from ultra-processed foods. And 45% rated frozen foods as unhealthy as, or worse than, cookies and chips.
Why It Matters
For food and beverage R&D, regulatory and brand teams, processing claims are moving onto the shelf. The United States has no single official definition of ultra-processed food. Third-party standards like Non-UPF Verified are filling that gap. Amy’s says the standard disallows artificial colors, artificial flavors, non-nutritive sweeteners and certain gums and preservatives. Formulators should expect more questions about how products are made, not just their labels.
Sources: Food Dive; Amy’s Kitchen via PR Newswire; Amy’s Kitchen.