More and more people are slowly becoming conscious of their environmental impact and the worsening conditions of nature. Green consumers walk the talk by bringing eco-bags to shop, carrying their own water bottles, or having an efficient waste management system at home.
While some may find the transition daunting, living a zero-waste life need not be complicated. It is now possible to upgrade your lifestyle by trying out simple eco-friendly practices that will not only save money but lessen your carbon footprint.
One such way is to lessen the waste garnered from your grocery shopping by choosing to refill and not buy plastic containers.

The 'Bring Your Own Bote' or BYOB store is a program by one of the leading producers of condiment products NutriAsia. The company hopes to promote a zero-waste lifestyle as a step toward sustainability.

The company opened refilling stations for its well-loved products in a bid to combat excessive waste. Their vision is for BYOB to be a zero-waste pioneer that promotes eco-friendly and green initiatives – even the store is made out of eco-bricks using discarded plastics.

This zero-waste store offers refills for NutriAsia products like Datu Puti Soy Sauce and Vinegar, and Golden Fiesta Oil. Products in eco-friendly packaging such as cans and glass bottles such as Locally and Jufran are also available.

BYOB first opened at the Mind Museum in Bonifacio Global City on July 2019. This was followed by a Quezon City store, in partnership with the local government unit, on February 2020. Following quarantine guidelines, the Mind Museum store temporarily closed in March 2020 and after five months, the store is once again welcoming green consumers who wish to save on plastic.

Keeping in mind the safety of its guests and employees, BYOB at the Mind Museum re-opened with strict health and safety protocols. Social distancing is to be observed at all times with floor markers to help remind patrons, while an alcohol dispenser is made available in front of the store. All BYOB personnel are required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE), mask, face shield, and hair cap.

To refill your pantry essentials, simply follow these steps:

1. Order your desired NutriAsia products by filling out an online order and waiver form.
2. Once completed, you will receive a confirmation via e-mail.
3. Bring your clean and dry bottles and the confirmation email to the BYOB store.
4. Once you show the confirmation e-mail to the attending personnel, your bottles will be sterilized in the UV cabinet on-site, refilled, and weighed.
5. After weighing, pay for your purchase online via GCash or BPI.

Customers without any bottles on hand, but still wish to be part of the movement can buy 500ml reusable glass bottles for only P20. These have been sterilized and ready to be refilled with their favorite NutriAsia products. These bottles can then be reused and refilled on their next visit.

NutriAsia, though the Bring Your Own Bote store, hopes to build a zero-waste community one refill at a time.

You can now take part in this advocacy by stocking up on your pantry essentials in an eco-friendly way.

These measures may not seem like much in the bigger picture, but know that every green initiative, big or small, will go a long way in helping safeguard Mother Nature for the future generations.

To know more about this zero-waste initiative and other NutriAsia products, visit its Facebook page and website. You can place an order at the BYOB store by clicking this link. #MasarapMasaya