Katie Reneker, Founder, Carmel Berry Firm

Katie Reneker is the founding father of Carmel Berry Firm, a licensed woman-owned enterprise, primarily based in Carmel Valley, CA, making contemporary pressed elderberry items from 100% American-grown elderberry and elderflowers.

Reneker has emerged as an advocate and mentor for elderberry farming in California, with grants and training for brand new elderberry growers’ a part of the corporate’s mission. Reneker additionally presents workshops and mentorships and stated she totally enjoys each alternative to be out within the fields or sharing with others her enthusiasm for elderberries. She stated she by no means tires of advocating for this native superfruit and the oldsters who develop them.

Query: Carmel Berry is licensed Ladies-owned. What’s the origin of the corporate?

Reply: Preschool germs are the place all of it started for Carmel Berry Firm! I realized of the immune supporting elderberry when searching for pure methods to maintain my younger household wholesome, however all of the merchandise I may discover had horrible taste, horrible sweeteners or alarmingly low quantities of elderberry. Upon studying that native elderberries develop actually throughout our Carmel Valley group, I started urgent juice from contemporary elderberries and instantly realized that contemporary elderberry juice makes a world of distinction in high quality and efficiency. Carmel Berry Firm was born with this discovery, and now we’re proudly licensed Lady-owned, with natural contemporary elderberry juice as our star ingredient.

Query: The corporate stated it’s farmer centered. How is that achieved? Why is it vital to the corporate?

Reply: Nicely over 95 % of elderberry used within the U.S. is imported, usually as dried berries or a focus. Our dedication to utilizing fresh-pressed elderberry juice meant we wanted to construct our personal provide chain. We’ve spent practically a decade supporting tons of of farmers with microgrants, workshops and partnering with universities on analysis. As we speak, Carmel Berry proudly has our personal sturdy home elderberry farming community, and we’ve empowered farmers all around the U.S. to develop this area of interest crop.

Query: Carmel Berry’s elderberries are by no means imported. What are the benefits to that?

Reply: Sourcing from our personal home farmers means three issues: high quality, transparency and efficiency. Contemporary elderberries produce a top-notch product. We all know instantly the meals security and natural practices of our farmers. And we all know precisely how a lot contemporary fruit goes into our merchandise—there is no such thing as a thriller surrounding true elderberry elements.

Query: What is exclusive about your processing strategies? How does that have an effect on the ultimate product?

Reply: Chilly pressed and minimal warmth are our prime priorities. Think about an enormous wine press squeezing out the juice from the fruit. Now think about the juice that’s extracted as essentially the most sensible shiny purple liquid you’ve ever seen. That is our processing technique. And whereas we convey our syrups to the correct temperature to make sure security, we don’t topic it to extended and extreme warmth. This protects these phytonutrients that produce that superb purple shade and different wholesome attributes.

Query: What’s subsequent for the corporate?

Reply: Our new Eldie Immune Gummies actually are like nothing else within the immune gummy market. The mixture of efficiency, sourcing and actually wholesome sweeteners doesn’t exist in another model. We intend to broaden consciousness of, and curiosity on this actually sincere immune gummy.

Query: Different feedback?

Reply: I’m on an advisory board for a big analysis grant by means of the College of Missouri. Stellar analysis on elderberries and well being (on mind, coronary heart, diabetes and extra) is ongoing. Trendy scientific analysis is confirming many long-standing indigenous makes use of for this plant. I hope to see this work proceed and to create extra methods for each farmers and customers to learn from working with this tiny however mighty berry.