Plain Tiger Spotlight: G Herbal
Harnessing the Power of Traditional Indonesian Medicine
By Renee Fortune
“I never set out to start a wellness company.”
No irony is lost on the words of G Herbal’s founder and owner, Philip Goossens, who has established a brand that has been featured by the likes of Grazia and GQ. A wellness company dedicated to, “Quality and Impact over Quantity and Production Costs,” is precisely what Philip has built.
G Herbal is not so much about health supplements as it is about solutions to some of life’s most common health problems, some of which include compromised immunity, inflammation and fatigue. The supplements, beautifully packaged in futuristic-looking, capsule-and-cork receptacles, are formulated for people who take a proactive approach to their health and wellness. It’s not about quick fixes or miracle cures. Rather, G Herbal speaks to holistically healthy living, supplemented by nature-derived ingredients that are vegan-friendly, free of GMO’s and gluten-free.
While living in Indonesia, Philip discovered the power of Jamu – the 1300-year-old practice of using traditional Indonesian herbal remedies taken from plants that originate in the fertile volcanic soil of Western Indonesia. G Herbal exists at the intersection between Jamu and Western science.
All its products consist of ingredients that can be traced from “farm to capsule.” This transparency is an important part of what makes G Herbal’s range of supplements so unique.
“From the beginning, creating a product that was sustainable to both our customers and the planet, was a top priority. Our ingredients are grown using natural farming techniques and our packaging is almost plastic-free. We have managed to eliminate all plastic except for the security seal stickers and expiry date stickers on our test tubes. So by weight you could say our packaging contains less than 0.1% plastic. The paper used in our packaging is FSC-certified from a Japanese paper mill and even our refill pouches are a kraft-lined alternative to the standard PE/PET plastic based options, making them recyclable and landfill-friendly” said Philip.
G Herbal prioritises quality and impact from the very start to the end of the production process. This begins with identifying traditional ingredients with benefits that have stood the test of time. Some of these ingredients include Javanese Turmeric, Mangosteen and Gotu Kola. Like in wine production, the terroir and climate of the geographic region are taken into account. All G Herbal’s ingredients are sourced from small-scale farms in regions with soil that was formed from volcanic eruptions and are rich in rare minerals and nutrients. Even the time of harvest is taken into account.
As Philip explains: “Did you know that for quite a few herbs it matters at what time of day you cut them? In our case, for example, Centella Asiatica needs to be cut before 10am otherwise the herb has absolutely no health benefits. That’s the basis of making supplements that work.”
Once the optimal raw ingredients have been sourced, the optimal extraction process begins. G Herbal employs patented and patent-pending extraction methods that are specific to each herb.
This is a far cry from mass produced health supplements. Quantities are limited because quality is prioritised, and G Herbal’s customers definitely feel the difference.
