Then, just 18 months later, his older brother, Justin, was also diagnosed with cancer. That moment cemented GT's purpose—to share kombucha with others in hopes that it could bring them the same sense of strength and nourishment that his family had experienced.
"When my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, I felt like my world came to an end. That quickly changed when her doctors suggested that a pungent fermented tea called kombucha had dramatically improved her health," recalls GT Dave, founder & CEO of GT's Living Foods (GTLF). "It was then that I felt inspired and compelled to take this special gift and share it with the world. This experience solidified my commitment to making products that truly help people because it was becoming obvious to me that disease was becoming more prevalent, and food really is medicine."
A Movement, Not Just a Brand
With no business plan and no investors—just a belief in the power of living foods—GT bottled his first kombucha and walked into local health stores, sharing samples, and telling his story.
"I remember when GT came to our store to introduce his kombucha," said Javier Corral, grocery manager at Co-opportunity Market in Santa Monica. "Back then, no one had heard of kombucha, but as we stocked it, customers quickly saw the benefits. Fast forward to 2025, and SYNERGY® leads the kombucha category. Our customers trust it, and GT keeps them coming back with new innovations."
Today, kombucha is a billion-dollar industry that GTLF pioneered. But with popularity has come shortcuts. Many brands now pasteurize their kombucha, use a vinegar concentrate base, exclusively rely on added probiotic powders, and dilute the integrity of what makes it real.
The Real Kombucha: A Stand for Integrity
GTLF didn't just create the kombucha category—it's now protecting it.
"When we introduced kombucha to the world in 1995, it was a sacred, living drink," said Tim Ngo, senior vice president of marketing at GTLF. "Today, the category is flooded with imitations—pasteurized, water-down, and processed beyond recognition. As the category creator, we have a responsibility to uphold authenticity. The Real Kombucha wordmark on every SYNERGY® bottle is our commitment to consumers: this is kombucha as it was meant to be."
Real Kombucha Must Be:
- Authentically fermented for days, if not weeks
- Made with an actual kombucha culture—not a doctored vinegar base
- Living & raw, never pasteurized or filled with synthetic additives
- Refrigerated & perishable, because real food doesn't last forever
To reinforce this commitment, GTLF is introducing "The Real Kombucha" wordmark across all SYNERGY® bottles, ensuring consumers know they are drinking kombucha that is truly alive.
More Than a Logo: A New Identity for the Next Chapter
As GTLF expands beyond kombucha into a broader portfolio of living, functional foods, its identity is evolving too. The brand is unveiling a new logo—a modernized expression of its roots and a symbol of its future.
"Since the beginning, our belief has always been that we are people helping other people live better lives," said GT Dave. "This new logo reflects that spirit—it moves beyond my initials and represents something bigger. A human form, a gesture of service, a reminder of our purpose to nourish, heal, and uplift."
GTLF has taken decades of fermentation expertise and expanded beyond kombucha, crafting a diverse portfolio of living, functional foods. From the bold, full-bodied fermentation of SYNERGY® Kombucha to lighter, softer alternatives, every product stays true to the power of living cultures. This includes COCOYO (raw coconut yogurt), Agua de Kefir (cultured hydration), ALIVE (ancient mushroom elixirs), and IMMORTAL (wellness shots)—each created with the same commitment to real fermentation, real function, and real benefits.
Wildflower: A Flavor Rooted in Meaning
To commemorate 30 years, GTLF is introducing Wildflower, a special-edition SYNERGY® Kombucha infused with adaptogenic herbs and botanicals to uplift mood and well-being.
The name Wildflower is deeply symbolic:
- "Wild" honors kombucha's nature—wild fermentation, untamed, alive
- "Flower" pays homage to the lotus, a symbol of growth, resilience, and purity
The Wildflower bottle design is also infused with meaning. Inspired by sacred geometry, the artwork is a visual representation of balance, harmony, and the natural beauty that fermentation brings to life. The intricate patterns reflect the interconnectedness of nature, wellness, and tradition—values that have guided us since day one.
More than just a new flavor, Wildflower represents the GTLF journey—where it's been, where it is, and where it's going next.
A Year-Long Celebration of Gratitude
This milestone isn't about self-congratulation—it's about honoring the people who made it possible: the consumers who believe in real, living foods, the employees who pour their passion into every bottle, and the retailers who have supported this movement from the very beginning.
Throughout 2025, GTLF will celebrate 30 years of pioneering real, living foods with:
- Exclusive product releases to commemorate the anniversary
- Employee appreciation events to recognize the heart of our company
- A special anniversary activation at Expo West, personally thanking our early supporters in the natural channel
- Storytelling campaigns that share the brand's journey and the people behind it
For more information, follow @synergykombucha or visit www.gtslivingfoods.com.
A Personal Thank You from Our Founder
"Thirty years ago, I was just a teenager walking into health food stores with a homemade product and a story. I never could have imagined what this would become. I am beyond grateful—to the people who believed in us, to the consumers who made kombucha part of their daily lives, and to the mission that continues to inspire us every day. This is just the beginning." – GT Dave, Founder & CEO.
About GT's Living Foods
Founded in 1995, GTLF is a family-owned company known for its expertise and innovation in hand-crafted, fully living, fermented foods. Thirty years ago, GTLF introduced the first bottled kombucha to U.S. store shelves and continues to craft its products in small batches in Los Angeles using ancient fermentation methods.
Rich in nutrients and live probiotics to promote overall health, their lineup includes SYNERGY®: The Real Kombucha, the nation's top-selling kombucha, along with favorites like GT's CLASSIC Kombucha, ALIVE Ancient Mushroom Elixir, COCOYO Raw Coconut Yogurt, AGUA De KEFIR Cultured Hydration, and IMMORTAL Wellness Shots.
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, and @drinkadk.
SOURCE GT's Living Foods
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