Numi Organic Tea Brews "Pure Tea" Precedent with Non-GMO Verification

OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Numi Organic Tea, the innovative company widely credited with popularizing organic flowering tea, rooibos, and most recently pu-erh tea in North America, has become the first and only company to receive verification of its packaging and tea bags by the Non-GMO Project. Additionally, 30 varieties of Numi's organic tea and teasan blends, which are blended with only real herbs, fruits, flowers and spices, will now boast the prized Non-GMO Project Verification mark on their packaging.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120827/LA61428)

"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," says 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," says 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.

The ugly truth on GMOs and how and why they can and should be avoided is available at www.NonGMOProject.org. Details on Numi's line of 30 recently Non-GMO Project Verified teas are available at NumiTea.com/products and Facebook.com/NumiTea.

NUMI ORGANIC TEA

Founded in 1999 by brother and sister team Ahmed Rahim (the alchemist) and Reem Rahim (the artist), Numi Organic Tea is a purveyor of premium quality organic and fair trade certified teas and teasans. Numi blends its organic leave teas in a solar-powered facility with only real herbs, fruits, flowers and spices—not unnecessary "natural" flavorings or perfumes. All Numi products are packaged in recycled-content containers and biodegradable bags and are available in retail outlets throughout the U.S., Canada, the UK, Denmark, the Netherlands and online at www.NumiTea.com. An award-winning social enterprise and founding B-Corporation member, Numi supports community development projects worldwide. To learn more, visit NumiTea.com and follow Numi at Facebook.com/NumiTea and Twitter.com/NumiTea.

THE NON-GMO PROJECT

The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization committed to preserving and building sources of non-GMO products, educating consumers and providing verified non-GMO choices. Learn more about the Non-GMO Project at www.nongmoproject.org. To get the latest non-GMO news and updates, follow the Non-GMO Project on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nongmoproject and on Twitter at www.twitter/nongmoproject.

SOURCE Numi Organic Tea