GT's Living Foods Achieves Sustainability Milestone with TRUE Gold Certification for Zero Waste Excellence

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, GT's Living Foods (GTLF), the maker of SYNERGY® Raw Kombucha and living foods pioneer that introduced bottled kombucha to the U.S., proudly announces a major sustainability milestone, its flagship manufacturing facility has earned the globally recognized TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) Gold certification from Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI).

The prestigious recognition stands as a testament to GTLF's commitment to zero waste practices and sustainable operations, a commitment that resulted in the company securing an impressive, TRUE award-winning waste diversion rate.  

TRUE certification recognizes facilities that excel in reducing waste, optimizing resources, and creating positive environmental impacts. GTLF achieved this honor by implementing a comprehensive range of sustainability initiatives, including composting raw materials, using recyclable packaging, reducing its carbon footprint, and fostering employee engagement in waste reduction strategies.

Key Zero Waste GTLF Initiatives Include:

• Responsible Ingredient Sourcing & Usage:
  • GTLF recycles 100% of the raw ingredients used in its products. All materials are converted into compost to enrich local soil and promote healthy plant growth, reducing waste from landfills.
• Sustainable Packaging Practices:
  • SYNERGY® Raw Kombucha has always been sold in 100% recyclable glass bottles with fully recyclable low-density polyethylene caps. 98% of GTLF's packaging materials are recyclable after consumer use. Recent packaging redesigns have reduced cardboard usage by 70%.
• Carbon Footprint Reduction: 
  • 65% of GTLF's suppliers are local to its Los Angeles headquarters. The company has also reduced energy consumption by 7% through the increased use of electric vehicles like forklifts in its manufacturing facilities.
• Employee Engagement and Training:
  • GTLF empowers all employees and suppliers to participate in its sustainability initiatives. Regular waste reviews and sustainability questionnaires help identify improvement opportunities and ensure compliance with GTLF's sustainability standards.

"Since our founding in 1995, we have believed that Mother Nature is our world's greatest healer. As a company that makes living nutrition products from Mother Nature, it's our responsibility to protect and preserve our beautiful planet that has given us so much," said Mark House, Chief Operating Officer at GTLF. "We're thrilled to announce our first TRUE certification, with more to come, as we continue to work towards a healthier future for all of us." 

Waste affects every part of the planet and effective waste management strategies are critical to ensuring both public and environmental health. By pursuing TRUE certification, GTLF demonstrates a commitment to sustainability leadership by shifting to circular thinking and prioritizing processes, operations and actions to reduce waste and resources throughout their system lifecycle.

"Businesses must go beyond current wasteful practices and think critically about how to redesign processes so that less waste is produced in the first place," said Peter Templeton, President and CEO of U.S. Green Building Council and GBCI. "Implementing zero waste business practices requires rethinking, retraining, new tools and strong leadership to change current waste systems. With GTLF's leadership in this endeavor, they are making great strides for their employees, community and consumers at large."

While achieving TRUE Gold certification is a significant milestone, the company's sustainability journey will continue. GTLF is committed to continuously evaluating every part of its operations, seeking new ways to improve, innovate, and reduce its environmental impact, with a goal to reach even higher standards in the future.

To learn more about GTLF please visit gtslivingfoods.com.

About GT's Living Foods (GTLF):
Founded in 1995, GTLF is a family-owned company known for its expertise and innovation in hand-crafted, fully living, fermented foods. Nearly thirty years ago, GTLF introduced the first bottled kombucha to U.S. store shelves and continues to brew its products in small batches in Los Angeles using ancient fermentation methods.

Rich in nutrients and live probiotics that are scientifically proven to promote overall health, their lineup includes SYNERGY® Raw Kombucha, the nation's top-selling kombucha, along with favorites like CLASSIC Kombucha, ALIVE Mushroom Elixir, COCOYO Yogurt, AGUA De KEFIR Cultured Hydration, and AURA Collagen Tea.

Each year, consumers nationwide enjoy over 100 million bottles of GTLF products, available at natural food stores and major retailers. For further information, visit www.gtslivingfoods.com and follow their brands on social media @synergykombucha, @aliveelixirs, @tastecocoyo, @drinkadk, and @drinkauratea.

About Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI):
GBCI is the world's leading sustainability and health certification and credentialing body, independently recognizing excellence in performance and practice globally while promoting adoption of building and business practices that continually and measurably improve health, equity, resilience and environmental wellbeing for all. GBCI administers project certifications and professional credentials and certificates including, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating systems, as well as the PEER standard for power systems, the WELL Building Standard, the Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES), EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies), TRUE certification for zero waste and Investor Confidence Project (ICP) for energy efficiency retrofits.

SOURCE GT's Living Foods