The Medicinal Berry

The Medicinal Berry
By Brianna Melanson

Hippocrates may have discovered the benefits of elderberries, but Stephanie Rickenbaker discovered the secret recipe to a delicious and healthy elderberry syrup she calls: Sweet’s Syrup. Named after her daughter’s adorable nickname, the syrup became Sweet’s favorite cold and allergy fighting medicine after the Rickenbaker family shifted to a more natural lifestyle. Stephanie’s husband’s leukemia diagnosis, which is thankfully manageable, initiated the search for ways they could limit toxins from their daily routine and she ultimately found that “food is medicine.”

Elderberries are a superfruit with healing capabilities from bioflavonoids and proteins that attack viruses and boost your immune system. The elderberries, along with the other key ingredient, local honey from Herb’s, will make you unstoppable. The pollen spores that the bees collect from blooms around the Carolina locations become part of the honey, so when you consume it, the irritants that give you bad seasonal allergies will not bother you in that particular area. Herb’s has 600 bee hives around the Carolinas. When the season changes, so does the honey, which means each batch is different and updated as the season goes on. Often, people are skeptical about taking cough syrup, but the combination of ingredients in Sweet’s not only banish your symptoms, but also taste amazing. It tastes more like a fruity treat than medicine. Stephanie promises, “It feels like a warm hug and I look forward to taking it every day.”

With hopes to share her wonderful remedy in Charlotte, about two years ago, Stephanie posted to a Mom’s Facebook group to see if anyone would be interested in purchasing a bottle. The one post intrigued 130 customers and after that, the syrup increased popularity by word of mouth. Both kids and adults can’t get enough of the syrup. She literally had people knocking on her door for more. An unexpected business was born for the stay-at-home mom with an MBA and she has loved every minute.

When her family started to smell like elderberries from making the batches in her home kitchen, it was a sign to move onto a commercial kitchen. Once they have a reduction of the elderberries, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon, the honey needs to be added when it is cooled so that the live enzymes survive. This is what especially makes Sweet’s stand out from the elderberry syrup on market shelves. The honey loses its integrity when the other companies use a “hot pour” to sterilize the bottle. Since Sweet’s does not use that process, Stephanie’s product is ultimately more effective and must be refrigerated. It will be found in the refrigerated aisles in stores.

She now has two trained Charlotte chefs whisking up the syrup to help with the demand. Word got out during last winter’s horrible flu epidemic especially after elderberry syrup was recommended nationally on Dr. Oz and Good Morning America. Charlotte stores had waiting lists for her syrup. Stephanie exclaimed she was buying thirteen 50 gallon containers of honey every week to keep up with the orders. The boom and flexibility of Herb’s honey allowed her to expand outside of Charlotte and into the rest of the Carolinas. Stephanie has sold over 30,000 bottles!

Stephanie’s family takes a spoonful straight up, but she also recommends the dose over oatmeal or yogurt, or if you’re feeling sassy, in a mixed drink. Her kids run up to the refrigerator or fake sick to try to get more. The syrup is part of their daily routine as well as Juice Plus, Vitamin D, probiotics, and fish oil. Stephanie says, “I always feel like I’m going to jinx myself by saying this, but they haven’t missed a day of school from being sick which is awesome for pre-schoolers.” Indeed it is. Once you feel like you are coming down with something, Stephanie recommends to take a dose every 3 hours until the virus surrenders. Also, you can take it every 3 hours for a few days and then once every day to build up immunity before the start of a new allergy season. Stephanie was featured on the Charlotte Today show because it helped one of the anchors combat a cold and get back to work. The syrup will shield you from any unwanted symptoms and have you feeling your best.

The syrup could be recognized by its vintage apothecary-style packaging. The original logo and label were designed by Stephanie’s sister, a graphic designer who has appropriately worked for the honey beauty brand, Burt’s Bees. This fall, Stephanie has reimaged the label with a new organic and sustainable design.

You can purchase an 8 or 16oz bottle on Etsy, or in over 40 North and South Carolina retailers. In Charlotte, you will find Sweet’s in stores such as Provisions Waxhaw, Charlotte Supplements, Laurel Market, Hive & Co, The Peach Stand, CLT Find, and Charlotte Center for Acupuncture. Someday we’d love to see Sweet’s in Whole Foods. Stephanie’s Shark Tank dream is to be able to sell Sweet’s all over the country with that area’s local honey. It is important to her to keep her product genuine and support local businesses.

Leading others to more natural solutions through Sweet’s Syrup has been and will continue to be a gift for Stephanie Rickenbaker. Stephanie has been a significant leader in our community for spreading awareness of alternative medicine. It has been wonderful to see her business expand. People of the Carolinas will look to Sweet’s and food in general for healing and great health. Allergy and cold sufferers of all ages in the Carolinas are grateful for Sweet’s Syrup made with elderberries and local honey. This year’s pollen and flu seasons will have nothing on your strong, Sweet’s-filled immune system.