NSF Partners with BeVeg to Launch Vegan Certification Program

Whether for reasons related to health and well-being, animal welfare, or the environment, veganism continues to rise around the globe. As a result, companies are becoming even more innovative in developing products for this lifestyle. Today, there are more products labeled “Vegan” on supermarket shelves and menus than ever before.

To support this market growth while ensuring trust and confidence in vegan labels, NSF has partnered with BeVeg to launch a new Vegan certification program for manufacturers, brands, and retailers in the areas of food and beverage, personal care products, and dietary supplements.

The Vegan certification is based on the BeVeg Vegan technical standard. BeVeg International holds ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation to offer the BeVeg Certification. The standard provides valid Vegan certification for the global market, as it was also built in accordance with ISO 17067 as a conformity assessment program for uniform application. BeVeg is recognized by foreign certification bodies and accredited by National Accreditation Center (NAC), a member of the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC).

“In partnering with NSF, BeVeg further expands our reach to consumers and retail chains worldwide by instilling confidence and accountability through the legal credibility our standard is backed by,” said Carissa Kranz, Esq., Founder and CEO of BeVeg.

NSF provides a third-party validation that products are Vegan, free from animal ingredients and cruelty-free.

“When your lifestyle affects what you can and cannot eat, being able to trust a product label and claim integrity is extremely important,” said Sara Risley, Director of Product Certification, Global Food Safety, at NSF. “NSF is excited to partner with BeVeg International to certify products to the BeVeg Vegan standard — one that is recognized globally for providing trust and transparency to consumers.”

For the plant-based, flexitarian or Vegan consumer, the BeVeg Vegan certification trademark on consumable products means you can rest assured it is 100% plant-based, free from animal material and cruelty-free and that it meets the following criteria:

• Does not contain any animal ingredients, animal byproducts or animal-derived GMOs or genes in the manufacturing and ingredient sourcing of the finished product (no meat, fish, fowl, silk, insect dyes, misleading natural flavoring, eggs, milk, lactose, honey, etc.)
• Comes from a factory that was audited to demonstrate a commitment to Vegan controls and Vegan integrity to prevent cross-contamination with animal materials (purchasing controls, label checks, allergen controls, separation, segregation, and other global food and product safety initiatives are formally confirmed in place)
• Does not involve animal testing and is cruelty-free

Businesses that successfully certify a food, beverage, cosmetic, textile or other consumable product to the BeVeg standard will be able to use the official BeVeg Vegan trademark logo on their product packaging, allowing consumers to recognize instantly that their product is officially Vegan. BeVeg builds brand trust and consumer confidence by eliminating the wishy-washy Vegan claims on product packaging currently made without an official standard.

Businesses can also bundle the BeVeg certification with other NSF certifications, such as non-GMO, organic, gluten-free and kosher, among others. The BeVeg certification involves a four-step process inclusive of facility audits.