How can a drink make a world of difference?

Nelson-based drinks company Chia Sisters has embraced sustainability to a level most companies only dream of. Formed by neuroscientist Chloe van Dyke and her sister Florence in 2012, Chia Sisters creates delicious functional drinks that harness the power of plant bioactives and nutrition in a way that has a positive impact on your health and the planet.

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Chia Sisters natural and delicious drinks are made in sunny Whakatū Nelson. Dedicated to making a difference, Chia Sisters is Nelson’s first certified Living Wage employer, Climate Positive, Net Zero Carbon, B Corp Certified, and is ranked among the top five percent of B Corps worldwide for its environmental efforts.

To Chia Sisters, health isn’t about what a product is free-from. It’s about what it is made-from.

The ingredients in its formulations are clean, plant-based and refined sugar-free. But what distinguishes Chia Sisters are the micronutrients and bioactives in its drinks, and how those nutrients are absorbed by our body.

Chia Sisters are committed to sustainable production. It has achieved Climate Positive business operations status, accredited by independent agency Ekos to offset 120% of its emissions, and has upgraded its juicery with solar panels. On a sunny day, the juicery can produce more power than it needs and sends excess power back into the grid for everyone else. 

Chia Sisters minimises waste by bottling only in recyclable products and optimises warehouse operating processes to conserve energy and reduce waste with reusable products. It uses reusable rope covers to secure product within the warehouse, saving in excess of four cubic metres of single-use plastic pallet wrap per year. Chia Sisters is also at the forefront of reusable packaging, and now offers pressed juice on tap in reusable kegs to high-volume outlets to replace single-use plastic containers.

In 2019, Chloe and Florence were among the founding members of Businesses for Climate Action, with a goal of helping local businesses measure and reduce their emissions. 

In March 2021, Chia Sisters became B Corp certified, achieving a score of 118.6 which was recognised at the time as the highest-scoring B Corp in New Zealand and continues to rank among the top five percent globally. 

And as for the drink? The products have won multiple awards and are now available across New Zealand, Australia, USA, Hong Kong, and Singapore.