We exist to regenerate living systems, starting with the human microbiome.
The Beverage Brothers, Ryan and Adam Johnston.
Run by brothers, Adam and Ryan Johnston, Biotic Ferments is a family-owned Social Purpose Corporation and Certified B Corp. That means we legally exist to do more than make a profit. We believe that human health and ecological health are inextricably linked and that bolstering human health is foundational to increasing the collective problem-solving capacity required to address the social and environmental issues of our time.
Our fermentory is located in Petaluma, California.
Fermentory Powered by
100% Renewable Energy
85% of Ingredients Grown in California
Nontoxic & Recyclable
Packaging Made in USA
Zero Food Waste Manufacturing
Our process is based on timeless wisdom—use exceptional ingredients, be meticulous in their preparation, be patient with their fermentation and then return the byproducts to the soil to start the cycle over again. We work hard to reduce our environmental footprint ever step of the way.
Plant-Powered Probiotics:
We use 7 well-studied species of bifidobacterium and lactobacillus in our fermentations. You'll find these same little allies in most of the best-selling probiotic supplements. They don't include yeast and don't produce alcohol or funky vinegar flavors.
Our fermentations are fed by sliced carrots and beets, not refined sugars. That means these little allies are accustomed to digesting real food like they'll encounter in your gut, right out of the bottle.
Whole, Fresh Ingredients:
Most of the organic vegetables, fruits, and herbs that go into our beverages arrive to us whole. We then peel, slice, ferment and cold press them ourselves, as close to your belly as possible. This might seem trivial, but products with this level of integrity have become incredibly rare in modern grocery stores. We believe that needs to change.
Organic Ingredients:
We source from 100% Certified Organic farms. That means they use no genetically modified crops (GMOs) or Glyphosate (Roundup), which wreaks havoc on gut health. Supporting organic farming is a foundational step to reducing toxin exposure in our food supply as well as to farmworkers and surrounding communities.
Regenerative Sourcing:
85% of our ingredients (by weight) are regeneratively sourced from California. They come from farms that go beyond organic by using practices that build soil health and sequester carbon or from upcycled sources of exceptional quality produce that would otherwise become food waste because they don’t meet grocery store beauty standards. Both methods help fight climate change.
Cold Pressed Juices:
After fermentation, cold-pressed juices — many of which we press ourselves — are added to our live carrot culture shortly before bottling. These raw juices deliver a vibrancy of flavor and unadulterated nutrient quality that makes our beverages truly unique. Our beverages are raw and do not undergo HPP or other pasteurization treatments.
Nontoxic and Domestically Made Packaging:
We use glass bottles and BPA-free lids to eliminate concerns of leaching harmful chemicals. In 2019 we moved our glass sourcing from China to Los Angeles, CA, our label sourcing from the Midwest to California, and our cap sourcing from China to Utah, as part of an ongoing effort to reduce the footprint of our supply web and support domestic manufacturing. Our bottles are made with an average of 70% recycled glass content.
Zero Food Waste:
100% of the food byproducts from our beverage production go back to regenerative local agriculture. Sliced carrots and beets along with pulp from juicing provide a nourishing probiotic and nutrient-rich supplement for the pastured animals of Green Star Farm just up the road in Sebastopol, CA. Farmer Sarah is a shining example of carbon farming — a methodical approach to grazing that actively increases soil health and sequesters carbon.
100% Renewable Energy:
Thanks to Sonoma Clean Power, our beverages are produced with fossil fuel-free energy and carbon neutral water. Climate Change is the defining issue of our time so we're committed to bold leadership in reducing our carbon emissions and supporting ecological sequestration, starting with the farms where we source our ingredients. In partnership with B Corp network, we've pledged to be Carbon Neutral by 2030.
The California brown pelican nearly went extinct due to toxins in its diet that at the time were thought to be safe. Now removed, pelican populations are thriving.
We’re hardliners for clean ingredients.
So we have a “hard no” policy on Refined Sugar, Alternative Sweeteners or Natural Flavors
We’re concerned about the increasing use of these ingredients, especially in beverages. While occasional consumption is not an issue, they have become difficult to avoid. In putting the well-being of our customers first, we’ve decided to categorically avoid them. Here’s why...
No Refined Sugar
There is a growing mountain of research demonstrating the deleterious health impacts of excessive refined sugar consumption. It’s linked to weight gain, immune system suppression, mood swings, imbalances in the gut microbiome, and a long list of diseases, not to mention it’s highly addictive. Consuming “naked sugar” (without fiber or fat) in beverages is particularly detrimental because it more quickly absorbs, spikes blood glucose, and sends your body on a metabolic rollercoaster. Our belief is that we would all generally benefit from less refined sugar consumption and if it can be avoided, it should be.
No Alternative Sweeteners
The promise of sweetness without calories is enticing. As a result, the use of ingredients like stevia, erythritol, allulose and monk fruit (collectively known as Non-Nutritive Sweeteners) has become pervasive, especially in beverages. According to the National Institute of Health, recent studies have suggested that Non-Nutritive Sweeteners consumption can induce gut microbiota dysbiosis (an imbalance in the gut community) and promote glucose intolerance in healthy individuals which may result in type 2 diabetes or obesity. While these results should not be taken as conclusive, they raise very serious concerns about the health impacts of these new ingredients. We believe they deserve further study before widespread use.
No Natural Flavors
While they originate from “natural” sources these flavoring agents are typically highly processed, can contain all sorts of carriers and preservatives, and have little to no nutritional value. They provide beverage producers a cheap and easy way to add flavor and aroma “pop” which is often used to mask lesser quality ingredients. You can think of them as an Instagram beauty filter for flavor, and they are changing our perception of what real nutrient-rich ingredients taste like. For instance, a “raspberry natural flavor” isn’t necessarily made from raspberries at all. What is it made from? Sorry we can’t tell you—TRADE SECRET. Most natural flavor companies won’t fully disclose their ingredient lists, even to the beverage producers, like us, who might use them — we’ve asked. (WTF how is that legal!?) We strongly believe in transparency and integrity in the food system so we are committed to never using black-box ingredients like “natural flavors”.