Terravive Unveils "Worthy of Your Food" Brand & Challenges Toxic Chemicals in Foodservice
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Foodservice has transformed, but disposables haven't kept pace. Virginia manufacturer challenges foodservice industry to raise healthier standards: What touches your food should be worthy of it.
RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Virginia-based foodservice disposables manufacturer Terravive unveiled a new brand and mission built around "Worthy of Your Food," a direct challenge to the foodservice industry to rethink what touches our food. Current independent research is revealing an uncomfortable truth: conventional foodservice disposables are a hidden source of toxic exposure. Scientists at leading institutions, including NYU Langone, have documented that microplastics and nanoplastics are now present throughout the human body: in the brain, bloodstream, and placenta. Of roughly 16,000 chemicals used in plastic materials, about 4,000 are known to be toxic.
"We spend enormous energy asking what's in our food. We read labels. We worry about pesticides," said Julianna Keeling, founder and CEO of Terravive. "But then we put that carefully chosen food onto a toxic disposable container without thinking. The research is clear: what touches food matters to our health."
For years, foodservice has prioritized cost above all else. But research now demands a shift to human health. PFAS "forever chemicals" used in conventional foodservice disposables, have been linked to serious health concerns. Twelve states have already restricted PFAS in foodservice disposables, and Virginia's foam container ban extended to all foodservice businesses on July 1, 2026.
"Foodservice operators aren't asking these health questions because it's trendy," said Joe Swider, COO and U.S. Navy Veteran. "When you know microplastics are in human tissue, you can't ignore what your food is touching."
Terravive manufactures plant-based, compostable products from materials grown by local farmers, with no PFAS added and its products will not create microplastics. Critically, production happens across 16 U.S. facilities, giving direct control over materials, processes and a secure supply chain.
"American manufacturing isn't nostalgia. It's vital and reliable," Swider said. "When you control your manufacturing, you have greater ownership of your quality, lead time and pricing. Think about it, should your disposable fork have to travel 7,000 miles to get to you?"
Terravive believes healthier is possible. The company is building a future where foodservice disposables are worthy of the food they serve, the people who use them, and the communities they support.
About Terravive:
- Terravive was founded in 2015 by biomaterials chemist, Julianna Keeling and is a woman, minority and veteran-owned company.
- Manufactures 120+ plant-based, certified compostable foodservice disposables free from added PFAS and microplastics.
- Terravive's products are grown locally by American farmers and manufactured in the USA.
Learn how Terravive is rethinking foodservice disposables: www.terravive.com
SOURCE Terravive LLC
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<p>Foodservice has transformed, but disposables haven't kept pace. Virginia manufacturer challenges foodservice industry to raise healthier standards: What touches your food should be worthy of it. RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Virginia-based foodservice disposables...</p>
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