Celestial Seasonings Receives Non-GMO Project Verification for Teas

Nine Celestial Seasonings teas–including Sleepytime Herbal Tea, the all-time bestselling item in the Specialty Tea category–have received Non-GMO Project Verification. The verification is the first step in an ongoing process through which the brand intends to achieve Non-GMO Project Verification for all of its bagged specialty teas, say company officials. Founded in Boulder, Colo., in 1969, Celestial Seasonings, Inc., was one of the pioneers of the burgeoning natural foods movement and first popularized herbal teas in North America. In recent years, the brand and its parent company, Hain Celestial, have been vocal supporters of "right to know on GMOs" initiatives around the country, including California Proposition 37 and Colorado Proposition 105. More recently, Hain Celestial's founder and chief executive officer, Irwin D. Simon, was among 125 business leaders as part of the Just Label It! Campaign who implored the Obama Administration to direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require food companies to label products that contain genetically modified organisms (commonly called GMOs). "Celestial Seasonings helped start the movement towards better-for-you products more than 40 years ago, and Non-GMO Project Verification shows our continued commitment to our founding principles," saysTom Arcuri, vice president of sales and marketing at Celestial Seasonings. "While we've previously avoided GMO ingredients in our teas, this third-party verification provides the total transparency in sourcing that today's educated consumers expect from the brands they choose and trust." The nine Celestial Seasonings teas that received Non-GMO Project Verification in the initial round of approval are Sleepytime Herbal Tea, Chamomile Herbal Tea, Peppermint Herbal Tea, Roastaroma Herbal Tea, Sleepytime Extra Herbal Supplement, Morning Thunder Black Tea with Mate, and three varieties from the brand's Organic Fair Trade Certified Estate Teas line, which is currently available at Whole Foods Market. The brand is continuing to enroll the remainder of its specialty tea portfolio for verification in phases.