GFCO a program of Gluten Intolerance Group^®.

GFCO Manual Updates

The GFCO Manual has been updated to version 2025.1, and this new revision can be downloaded at www.gfco.org/certification.

The Manual has been updated throughout to reflect the use of the Compass system. Other important changes include:

• Updates to the corporate and mailing addresses for GIG were also announced in the last newsletter. These new addresses are:
• Corporate Office: 830 Sleater Kinney Rd NE, Suite D, Olympia, WA 98506-5292
• Mailing Address [for submitting payments]: 4250 Martin Way E, Suite 105, PMB 190, Olympia, WA 98516-5317
• An update to the criteria for audit Campus Locations
• A change to the audit cancellation policy, now requiring a minimum of five days' notice of cancellation
• The addition of an automatic appeal for negative certification decisions
• A change in the acceptable documents for ingredient risk reduction. GFCO will no longer accept examples of Certificates of Analysis (COAs) for risk reduction, but current COAs can be submitted along with the plant’s quarterly testing data in order to meet the testing requirement for risk level 3 ingredients. COAs can also be used in place of one data point for risk level 4 ingredients. Please note that any current risk reductions based on COA examples will be honored until their expiration date.
• An extension of the validity of documents submitted for ingredient approval and risk reduction, from one year to two.

All of the changes to the document can be seen at the end under the Summary of Changes section. Clients will have 60 days from the publication of this document (until October 1, 2025) to implement any needed changes to their operations that result from these updates.

GFCO Certified Brands Surpass Industry Benchmarks

GFCO Certified product sales reached $11.7B in 2025, a +13.3% year-over-year increase—well above the gluten-free market’s projected +9.2% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR). Why are GFCO certified brands growing faster?

Over 30% of U.S. consumers are shopping gluten-free for someone they love.

Whether it’s a child with celiac disease, a partner with gluten sensitivity, or a friend they’re hosting dinner—many households switch entirely to gluten-free options to protect and include others. Most shoppers spend 13 seconds deciding what to grab. The GFCO mark is a cheat code—instantly signaling safety, trust, and quality.

That’s why certified products see a +25-30% sales lift over self-labeled “gluten-free” items in the same category. It’s not just what’s in the product; it’s the credibility behind the claim.

GFCO certification builds shopper confidence, strengthens brand trust, and helps drive measurable sales growth.

Curious about what growth opportunities are available?

Let’s talk: GFCOsales@gluten.org