Organic and Kosher Pasta Manufacturing: What Certifications Retailers Look For
The certifications retailers most often look for in a pasta manufacturer are GMP (good manufacturing practices) for food safety, organic certification for any pasta labeled organic, and kosher certification for shoppers who keep kosher. Intermountain Pasta, an artisan pasta manufacturer in Salt Lake City, is GMP certified, a certified organic handler for our organic einkorn pasta, and Scroll K kosher certified.
Certifications can feel like alphabet soup. But for a grocery buyer or a food brand, they’re the foundation of trust. They decide which claims can go on your packaging, which stores will take a product, and how confident you can be in what’s inside the bag. Here’s what each one means, in plain language, and what to ask before you sign on with any pasta partner. You can see our current certifications on our quality and certifications page.
Why certifications matter to retailers
- They protect your brand. If your name is on the bag, your reputation rides on how it was made.
- They unlock shelf space. Many retailers require proof of food safety practices before they’ll list a product.
- They back up claims. Words like “organic” and kosher symbols can only be used when the product is properly certified.
- They reach more shoppers. Organic and kosher shoppers actively look for those marks.
GMP: good manufacturing practices
GMP stands for good manufacturing practices. In the food world, these are the basic rules for running a clean, safe, well-controlled facility. In the US, the FDA sets current good manufacturing practice requirements for food facilities, and GMP certification shows a manufacturer follows them.
GMP covers things like:
- Clean, well-maintained equipment and facilities
- Employee hygiene and training
- Pest control
- Safe handling and storage of ingredients
- Records that show how products were made
For buyers: GMP is the baseline. If a manufacturer can’t show it, keep looking.
Organic: what “organic handler” means
To sell a product labeled “organic” in the US, it has to meet the USDA National Organic Program standards. That includes the farm that grows the ingredients and the facilities that handle and process them.
A certified organic handler is a facility that’s certified to process organic ingredients into organic products. That means it follows rules for:
- Using certified organic ingredients
- Keeping organic and non-organic ingredients separate
- Cleaning equipment properly between runs
- Keeping records that trace organic ingredients from receiving to finished product
For buyers: If you want to put “organic” on your packaging, your manufacturer has to be certified to handle organic products. We are.
Our organic pasta is einkorn
At Intermountain Pasta, “organic” means our einkorn pasta. Our traditional pasta is made from un-enriched durum wheat semolina and isn’t sold as organic.
Our organic einkorn is grown and stone-milled by Grand Teton Ancient Grains, the farm and mill our same family, brothers Jade and Jaxon Koyle, also runs in Teton, Idaho. Then it’s made into pasta in our Salt Lake City kitchen. Learn more about the grain in our einkorn buyer’s guide.
Kosher: Scroll K certification
Kosher certification means a rabbinic agency has reviewed a facility’s ingredients, equipment and processes and confirmed that its products meet kosher requirements. Certified products can carry the agency’s symbol on the package.
We are Scroll K kosher certified. Kosher certification matters to shoppers who keep kosher, and many other shoppers see it as another sign of careful oversight.
For buyers: Before you put a kosher symbol on your packaging, confirm with us that your specific product is covered.
Other things retailers often ask about
Every retailer has its own vendor requirements. Beyond the certifications above, buyers often ask about:
- Allergen information. Pasta made with wheat must declare wheat as an allergen, and that includes einkorn.
- Ingredient traceability. Where the flour came from and how lots are tracked.
- Product specifications. Ingredient lists, shelf life and nutrition information for your packaging.
If your retailer has a vendor checklist, send it to us. We’ll go through it with you.
How certifications shape your packaging
| Certification | What it supports | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| GMP | Safe manufacturing practices | Current certificate |
| Organic handler | “Organic” claims and the USDA Organic seal on qualifying products, like our organic einkorn pasta | The product and its ingredients are certified |
| Scroll K kosher | The Scroll K symbol on covered products | Confirm your product is covered |
Clean ingredients go beyond certificates
Certificates are important, but they’re not the whole story. We make premium dried pasta the traditional Italian way: bronze-cut, slow-dried, with clean ingredients and always real food. We color and flavor pasta with real food ingredients like spinach, beet root and butternut squash.
Certified pasta for your shelves or your brand
We offer wholesale for approved accounts, private label (you pick the pasta, we fill our bags, your brand goes on the tag) and custom manufacturing. For private label and custom manufacturing, our minimum is between 700 and 1,200 lbs, depending on the cut and how much it takes to fill a dry room. Filling the whole room is how the pasta dries evenly and gets the flavor and texture you love in artisan pasta. Most orders ship in 4 to 6 weeks.
Need certificates or a quote?
Ask us for current certificates or send us your vendor checklist. Request a quote, email sales@intermountainpasta.com, or call 801-977-9077. Call anytime and talk to a real person.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What does GMP mean in food manufacturing?
GMP stands for good manufacturing practices: the basic rules for running a clean, safe, well-controlled food facility.
What does a certified organic handler mean?
It means the facility is certified to process organic ingredients into organic products under USDA National Organic Program rules.
Do I need an organic handler to sell organic private label pasta?
Yes. To label a pasta organic, the facility that makes it must be certified to handle organic products. At Intermountain Pasta, our organic pasta is einkorn.
What does a kosher symbol on pasta mean?
It means a rabbinic agency has reviewed the ingredients, equipment and process and certified the product as kosher.
More answers in our Buyer FAQ.