GudVal tracks prices of Canadian direct-to-consumer food brands. Prices are date-stamped so you always know when they were last verified. Automated weekly tracking currently supports Shopify stores, with support for other platforms planned. Products are added to the directory using published editorial criteria. No brand can pay to rank higher, appear more prominently, or receive different treatment in the main directory.

Products on a shopify store are tracked automatically once a week. Each price is stored with the date it was recorded, and that date is always visible on the product page. Non-Shopify stores are tracked once when added, and may be updated when the page is manually revisited. As automated tracking supports more platforms, products on supported platforms will also be tracked weekly.

Full retail price and sale price are tracked and recorded separately. This keeps the permanent price record clean. A brand's history of full-price changes is not distorted by a temporary discount, and a sale is not mistaken for a brand's baseline price. This distinction makes it possible to determine whether a brand's price has stayed consistent over time.

If a price appears to be an error, misread, or out of date, it can be reported by contacting GudVal either through social channels or email at [email protected]. Reported errors are checked against the brand's product page and corrected as soon as they are confirmed.

Brands added to the directory sell directly to consumers through their own working ecommerce site. Products sold only through Amazon, a marketplace, or a multi-brand distributor site are not added at this stage.

Currently, GudVal lists shelf-stable food products only: items that ship and store at room temperature. This keeps pricing consistent and purchase paths comparable across every listing.

Product selection is not influenced by brand outreach, advertising, or membership status. If a brand asks for a product to be added, it is evaluated against the same listing criteria as every other product, and described using the same published editorial standard.

GudVal does not publish health claims of any kind, including claims that appear on a brand's own product page. Statements about health benefits are regulated by Health Canada.

Allergen information is never reproduced independently. For allergen details, refer to the brand's own website.

GudVal applies the 'canadian-brand' tag when a brand reasonably appears to meet either of the following, based on the brand's own public statements, such as an About page, interviews, social media accounts, or direct confirmation from the brand:

Operational test: The founder or owner-operator lives in Canada, including those in the process of obtaining permanent residency or citizenship, and the business's core operations are based in Canada.

Ownership test: The brand is majority owned (51% or more) by a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a company that is itself majority Canadian-owned.

If a brand is later found not to meet either of these tests, the 'canadian-brand' tag is removed.

GudVal applies the ‘made-in-canada’ tag when a brand reasonably appears to complete a substantial production step in Canada, based on the brand's own public statements. Importing a finished product and only packaging or bottling it in Canada does not qualify. Blending, manufacturing, or otherwise meaningfully transforming a product in Canada does qualify, even if some or all ingredients are imported.

For example, tea that is imported already blended and only packaged in Canada is not tagged ‘made-in-canada’. Tea that is blended in Canada from imported leaves is tagged ‘made-in-canada’.

If a brand is later found not to meet this test, the ‘made-in-canada’ tag is removed.

Every product description and comment written by GudVal is drafted with the goal of presenting the product using facts and information provided by the brand, while removing taste verdicts, health claims, and vague marketing language.

No taste verdicts: GudVal does not try each product before it is added. Descriptions and comments never state GudVal's own opinion on taste or quality.

No health claims: Statements about health benefits are regulated by Health Canada and are never published, including claims that appear on a brand's own product page.

Product details are sourced from the brand's website and presented as the brand states them.

Product and brand information is gathered by a human from a variety of sources, such as the brand's product page, website, social channels, and named certifying bodies. That information is then given to AI, which drafts the initial description and comment, removing marketing language along the way. A human then reviews and approves them for publishing after checking against the original sources and correcting inaccuracies.

GudVal is self-funded and has taken no outside investment. Revenue funds the operation of the site, not editorial decisions about individual products or brands.

No brand can pay to change where or how it ranks, or how its product is described. This is true for every brand on GudVal, whether or not it has claimed its page or joined as a member. GudVal has no paid rankings.

GudVal plans to introduce a separate section after the main content that features brands paying a fixed monthly membership fee. The section will be clearly labelled. Membership will never influence how a brand ranks, is compared, or is described in GudVal's editorial content.

Found something wrong with a listing? Email [email protected] and it will be checked against the original sources and corrected if needed.