Let’s talk about some of our key designations and what they mean.

Certified Organic

USDA certified organic foods are grown and processed according to federal guidelines addressing, among many factors, soil quality, animal raising practices, pest and weed control, and use of additives. Organic producers rely on natural substances and physical, mechanical, or biologically based farming methods to the fullest extent possible.

Certified Vegan

Distributed and recognized globally, the Certified Vegan Logo is a registered trademark, similar in nature to the kosher mark, for products that do not contain animal products or byproducts and that have not been tested on animals.

Certified Gluten Free

Gluten-free certification is a process designed to protect consumers with celiac disease and other gluten-related disorders by confirming that a food, drink or supplement meets strict standards for gluten-free safety.

Note that in addition to this being written on the product, it is also noted on our store tags for easy recognition.

A great new Gluten Free item we are featuring this week is Mama Mel’s Gluten Free Pizza Dough at $5.99/ea.

Oliver’s Deli Coordinator James Schwedhelm states: “We have a wonderful new addition to the delis this month. We’ve brought in Mama Mel’s Gluten Free pizza dough as an option on our grab n go wall. We currently use Mama Mel’s gluten free bread in the delis for sandwiches. It’s a wonderful local company out of Petaluma and all their products are made in a dedicated gluten free kitchen. We hope you will give Mama Mel’s Gluten Free Pizza Dough a try. It is also available out of our Pizzeria at the Stony Point location.”

Certified Paleo

The Certified Paleo designation requires that a product be Grain-Free, Legume-Free, Dairy-Free, and have no artificial coloring, artificial preservatives, artificial sweeteners and artificial flavor enhancers. These standards apply to all products certified by The Paleo Foundation for the Certified Paleo Program. Only certified products following these standards are explicitly given the rights to use Certified Paleo logos, trademarks, and certification marks.

A great Certified Paleo item we are featuring this week is the Birch Benders Paleo Pancake and Waffle Mix, 12 oz. Bag – REV, $4.29. The Birch Benders products are very popular with Oliver’s customers, so Paleo fans should definitely consider giving this a try this week.

Certified Non-GMO

Non-GMO means a product was produced without genetic engineering and its ingredients are not derived from GMOs. Non-GMO Project Verified additionally means that a product is compliant with the Non-GMO Project Standard, which includes stringent provisions for testing, traceability, and segregation.

Our shelves are full of products bearing this seal, including Made Good Organic Crispy Squares, 6 Count Box $2.69.

CCOF

California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) is a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-accredited organic certifying agency and trade association, located in Santa Cruz, California. Formed in 1973, CCOF was the first organic certification entity in the United States

Other Certifications

While shopping, be sure to watch out for products bearing an array of helpful designations, including Fair Trade Certified, American Heart Association Heart Check Certified, and Certified B Corp these certifications as well.

Shopping at Oliver’s Made Easy

We work to make our tag system both as simple and as helpful as possible. We want our customers to be able so spot sales of different types, and find Local products and Gluten Free products easily. Here is a quick guide to our tags. Want to learn more? Visit the “Shopping at Oliver’s Made Easy” page on our website.

Weekly Ad Specials – Weeks begin on Wednesday at Oliver’s Market. Our Weekly In-Store Ad runs from Wednesday to Tuesday of each week. You can find a copy near each store entrance – just look for the mailboxes! While you’re shopping keep an eye out for the orange Weekly Ad tags to find products on sale.

Manager’s Specials – Sometimes department or store managers have an over-abundance of a product or get a rockin’ deal out-of-the-blue from a vendor. We pass those additional savings to you in products marked with the blue Manager’s Specials tags.

Real Everyday Values (REV) – Why settle for week-long specials when you can enjoy savings on hundreds of products for three whole months? Our Real Everyday Values (nicknamed REV) is a great compliment to our Weekly In-Store Ad. Our Buying Team secures long-term special pricing each quarter, and we pass the savings on to you! Every January, April, July, and October grab a REV Flyer, watch for the teal REV tags throughout the store, and enjoy the savings!

Gluten Free Tag – Struggling with Celiac, or know someone who’s going gluten-free? We know that finding products that fit into dietary restrictions are important. That’s why we’ve called out every certified gluten-free product in each department with our purple Gluten-Free tags throughout our store.

Local Product Tags – Have we mentioned that, to us, Local Means Sonoma County? Supporting and highlighting local companies throughout Sonoma County is very important, so we’ve designated a shelf tag to call those companies out. Look for the green Local tags while you shop and you can feel confident that your dollars are supporting a local, Sonoma County businesses, our tax base, and jobs.

As a customer, we encourage you to use all of this information to make informed choices about the products you buy, whether for political, dietary, or economic reasons, or just because you love the way something tastes! Happy shopping!