Trusted Shelf

Trusted Shelf is a consulting and recognition platform designed to help consumer brands build credibility, authority, and discoverability in today's competitive media and retail landscape. Founded by Graham Sorkin, a communications strategist with more than 15 years of experience in public relations, brand storytelling, and industry recognition programs, the company serves consumer packaged goods brands across food, beverage, and retail product categories.

The company operates across two primary service pillars. The first is a PR and earned authority consulting practice that helps brands develop strategic media positioning, earn meaningful press coverage, and build the authority signals necessary to stand out in both traditional media and emerging AI-driven discovery environments. This service, referred to as Earned Authority Optimization (EAO), is designed to ensure brands are discoverable and credible across modern information channels, including AI-generated search and recommendation platforms.

The second pillar is the Trusted Shelf Awards, an independent awards and evaluation program focused on recognizing excellence in consumer food, beverage, and retail products. The program employs panels of chefs, scientists, product developers, and industry experts who evaluate products across multiple criteria including taste, innovation, ingredient quality, and consumer trust. The awards program is positioned as an independent third-party validation tool that CPG brands can use to differentiate their products on shelf and in marketing materials.

Trusted Shelf also offers awards strategy consulting, helping brands identify relevant industry recognition opportunities, prepare winning submissions, and leverage award wins for maximum marketing and media impact. This service bridges the gap between earning recognition and converting that recognition into tangible brand equity and retail credibility.

The platform is particularly relevant for emerging and mid-tier consumer brands looking to compete more effectively against established players by building earned media presence and third-party credibility. Its focus on the intersection of traditional PR, industry awards, and AI discoverability makes it a differentiated offering in the brand consulting space, addressing the evolving ways consumers and retail buyers discover and evaluate products.