OAKLAND, Calif.
Numi Organic Tea is the first and only company to receive verification of its packaging and tea bags by the Non-GMO Project.
The Oakland-based firm qualified 30 varieties of organic tea and tisanes for the Non-GMO Project Verification Mark which appears on packaging. Numi Organic blends only real herbs, fruits, flowers and spices and is known for helping popularize Rooibos, Pu-erh and several exotic fruit blends.
"Organic and fair trade certified tea drinkers pay a premium to ensure their teas are produced in a sustainable and humane manner. It is our responsibility to ensure our packaging meets those expectations," said Numi Co-Founder, CEO and Alchemist Ahmed Rahim. "The 'see-through' 'compostable' PLA (polylactic acid) tea bags used by many companies are created with bio-plastics made from genetically modified corn, which is untraceable when produced. Others are sourced from petroleum. That is why Numi has not followed that tea bag trend."
Combining ingredient transparency and sustainability in the tea industry for nearly 15 years, Numi has joined forces with the Non-GMO Project. Together, the two are working to protect the health of our planet and people by eliminating the use of GMOs in consumables. Expanding the verification to include packaging is the next iteration of this process.
"People have a right to know what they're eating and drinking," said Megan Westgate, Executive Director of the Non-GMO Project. "Genetic engineering is an experimental and unstable process, which is why it's restricted or banned in nearly 50 countries around the world, including all of Europe, Japan, Australia, Russia and China. In the United States, close to 80 percent of packaged products sold in grocery stores are contaminated with GMOs, and the only reliable way to avoid them is to look for the Non-GMO Project Verified label."
Since its inception in 1999, Numi has embraced sustainability in every step of the farming, production and packaging process. The founding Benefit (B) Corporation's steadfast commitment to contribute to a healthy, thriving global community has inspired Numi to avoid certain industry trends such as diamond shaped "see-through" tea bags sourced from GMO corn or petroleum based nylon, as well as unnecessary plastic overwrap on their boxes. Numi's tea bags are made with natural hemp-based unbleached filter-paper and are biodegradable and home compostable. Furthermore, Numi's tea tags are made from 100% recycled material and are printed using soy-based inks.
Since its inception in 1999, Numi has embraced sustainability in every step of the farming, production and packaging process. The founding Benefit (B) Corporation's steadfast commitment to contribute to a healthy, thriving global community has inspired Numi to avoid certain industry trends such as diamond shaped "see-through" tea bags sourced from GMO corn or petroleum based nylon, as well as unnecessary plastic overwrap on their boxes. Numi's tea bags are made with natural hemp-based unbleached filter-paper and are biodegradable and home compostable. Furthermore, Numi's tea tags are made from 100% recycled material and are printed using soy-based inks.
Learn more about GMOs at www.NonGMOProject.org.
Source: Numi Organic Tea, Non-GMO Project