Knott’s Foods Sets New Gold Standard with Gluten-Free Certification

Cedric with Mildred's famous southern sandwiches

Knott's First Fleet

Chloe's fan-favorite fried pickle dip

From small-town spreads to national shelves, a family-owned business is raising the bar on trust for gluten-sensitive consumers

TN, UNITED STATES, October 8, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- It's not common knowledge, but in the middle of America, in a northern Tennessee town called Paris, can be found a 1:20 replica of the Eiffel Tower. Fittingly, both Parises share not just a name but also a story of enduring tradition.

In the American Paris, back in 1947 just after World War II, Cedric and Mildred Knott saw an opportunity to turn their family recipes into a business.

Each morning at 2:30 a.m., they would prepare their wares, then Cedric would pedal through town on his bicycle, delivering sandwiches and spreads to local stores.

Since refrigeration in retail was still in its infancy, Cedric would return the next day to collect unsold food, restock fresh items, and tally the earnings.

“After years of toiling away, the family-owned business saved enough to buy its first truck,” recalls current CEO and third-generation leader, Josh Knott. “That one truck eventually grew into a fleet, distributing across the country.”

As Knott’s Foods grew, so did its deli and snack product lineup, until recently Josh’s daughter, Chloe, added something new: fried pickle dip. She’s also started to focus on a new challenge.

“A couple of years ago,” Chloe explains, “my sister Jessica was diagnosed as gluten intolerant. Once we started digging, we found out several of our friends and employees were also gluten sensitive.”

That realization led Knott’s Foods to partner with the Gluten-Free Food Program (GFFP), a trusted certification body endorsed by the non-profit National Celiac Association.

Working with GFFP, Knott’s achieved its coveted Gold Standard certification—meeting the toughest benchmark in the industry: fewer than 5 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. That’s four times stricter than the FDA’s 20 ppm rule introduced in 2013.

“This is a huge milestone,” said Josh. “It shows our commitment to excellence and to families living with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease.”

The stakes are clear. According to the National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, 8.4% of people live with gluten-related disorders, and even trace amounts can trigger severe health consequences.

For Knott’s Foods, achieving certification required a total overhaul. Vendors provide lab-backed compliance data, production lines were tweaked to reduce the risk of cross-contamination, employees received specialized training, and production runs are tested to meet the 5 ppm threshold.

“Putting GFFP’s certification process in place was invaluable,” Chloe notes. “Most importantly, it gives customers peace of mind.”

The recognition cements Knott’s Foods’ reputation as a trusted brand and positions it as a pioneer in U.S. food safety. “We’re not just meeting expectations,” Josh adds. “We’re redefining them.”

That credibility is already paying off. The GFFP seal, recognizable to consumers nationwide, has opened doors with major retailers.

“It’s incredibly rewarding,” Chloe says. “You can see the relief and excitement on gluten-sensitive customers' faces when they realize our offerings are safe for them to enjoy.”

Josh smiles at the thought: “Not only are our customers happier than ever, but I’m certain, Cedric and Mildred would have been proud.”

ENDS

About Knott’s Foods

A fourth-generation family legacy, Knott’s Foods Southern flavored salads and dips are distributed across 27 states in the US. Using real ingredients in their salads, spreads, and dips and including ‘Clean Label’ gluten-free items as well. Quality is their continued focus and number one goal.
For more information, visit: knottsfoods.com

For media enquiries, please contact:

Chloe Knott
Sales and Marketing Lead
chloeknott@knottsfoods.com

About the Gluten Free Food Program (GFFP)

A gluten-free certification company endorsed by the non-profit, National Celiac Association, its program is utilized by food manufacturers and restaurants across the US, Canada, South America, Asia and Europe. Their trusted logo verifies restaurants food service down to a threshold of 20 parts per million (ppm). Uniquely, it is the only gluten-free certifier in the world that validates products from food manufacturers to the highest industry standard of just 5 ppm. As a value add they also offer their gf-finder consumer website, with its comprehensive searchable gluten-free food products directory and gluten-free restaurant directory for gluten sensitives.

For more GFFP information, visit: glutenfreefoodprogram.com.

For ‘general media’ inquiries please contact:

Jason Taylor
Gluten-Free Food Program Inc.
+1 888-902-5104 ext. 102
email us here
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LinkedIn
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Becoming Gluten-Free Certified

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