How to Get Your Food Product Approved for Walmart Marketplace & Amazon

07 Jul How to Get Your Food Product Approved for Walmart Marketplace & Amazon

Selling your food product on Walmart Marketplace or Amazon is a major opportunity to grow your brand, reach millions of customers, and drive consistent revenue. But before you can list your product, you need to meet strict requirements around food safety, labeling, packaging, and documentation.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through how to get your food or beverage product approved for both platforms — and how to stand out once you’re live.

Step 1: Ensure Your Product Is Retail-Ready

Before applying to either marketplace, make sure your product is:

• FDA- or USDA-compliant

• Shelf-stable or shipped with proper cold chain

• Labeled with Nutrition Facts, allergens, ingredients, and barcode

• Packaged professionally and tamper-evident

• Tested for shelf life and microbial stability

✅ Tip: Both Amazon and Walmart are more likely to approve food brands with verified shelf life and nutritional labeling — something United Food Labs can help with.

Step 2: Apply to Sell on Amazon and Walmart Marketplace

🛒 Amazon Seller Central

• Go to sellercentral.amazon.com and create a Professional account.

• Choose Grocery & Gourmet Foods as your category.

• You’ll need to submit:

  • Product images showing front, back, and sides of the label

  • Proof of FDA compliance (may include lab tests or process authority letters)

  • COA or invoice from your manufacturer or co-packer

  • UPC barcodes (GS1 registered)

  • Expiration dates or shelf life information

• Amazon often restricts grocery products until they review and approve your documentation.

🛒 Walmart Marketplace

• Go to marketplace.walmart.com and apply to sell.

• Once approved, submit a product listing under Grocery.

• You’ll need:

  • Images of the packaging with clear labeling

  • Product details and ingredients

  • Walmart-compliant UPC

  • Sell-by or best-by dates

  • Shipping and storage method

• Like Amazon, Walmart requires food sellers to comply with FDA labeling laws and may request documentation.

Step 3: Get Label and Compliance Documentation

This is where many brands get stuck. Both platforms want to know:

• Is your product legally allowed to be sold?

• Is it safe for consumers?

• Does the label meet all federal requirements?

Make sure your product includes:

• Nutrition Facts panel (FDA or Health Canada format)

• Ingredients in descending weight

• Allergens clearly identified

• Net quantity of contents

• Business name and contact info

• Barcode (UPC)

If you’re selling acidified, low-acid canned, or refrigerated foods, you may need a Process Authority Letter.

Step 4: Set Up Fulfillment and Shipping

Both Amazon and Walmart give you two main fulfillment options:

📦 Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) or Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS)

• Ship your inventory to their warehouses.

• They handle storage, packing, shipping, and customer service.

• Ideal for shelf-stable products with longer shelf lives.

📬 Self-fulfillment

• You handle all orders, packing, and shipping.

• You must meet strict delivery timeframes and packaging requirements.

For perishable products, you must have cold-chain logistics in place and prove that you can ship safely.

Step 5: Optimize Your Listings

Once approved, make your listings stand out with:

• High-quality product photography

• Keyword-optimized titles and descriptions

• Nutritional highlights (e.g. high protein, gluten-free)

• Customer reviews and ratings

💡 Bonus Tip: Run Amazon ads or Walmart Sponsored Products to drive visibility during launch.

How United Food Labs Can Help

At United Food Labs, we help brands get marketplace-ready with:

• FDA- and CFIA-compliant Nutrition Facts labels

• Shelf life testing and expiration date support

• Process Authority letters

• Barcode guidance and packaging validation

We work with startups, private label brands, and manufacturers looking to scale on Amazon and Walmart.

📍 Locations in California, Washington, North Carolina, and Connecticut
📞 818-749-2751 | 📧 info@unitedfoodlabs.com
🌐 unitedfoodlabs.com

Your food product can reach millions — if you’re properly prepared. Let us help you get approved and stand out on Amazon and Walmart Marketplace.