A single bottle sparked a movement. In 1995, founder & CEO of GT’s Living Foods (GTLF), GT Dave, was just 15 when he started brewing kombucha in his family’s kitchen—not as a business venture, but as an act of love. His mother, Laraine, had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. While undergoing treatment, she had been drinking home-brewed kombucha, and her doctors were amazed by the resilience of her immune system.

Then, just 18 months later, his older brother, Justin, was also diagnosed with cancer. That moment cemented his 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,” Dave said. “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.” 

Kombucha is now 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.

"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."

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.

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," Dave said. "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.

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 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. 

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.