WAXHAW, NC – Sweet’s Syrup, owned by Stephanie Rickenbaker, got it’s start out of necessity. After being married for only one month, her husband was diagnosed with a treatable form of leukemia. The medication that he has to take for the rest of his life results in significant liver damage. Concerned with how many toxins they were exposing themselves to and delving into the connection between diet and disease, the couple had to rethink their whole approach to health and nutrition and began a journey of clean eating and natural health. Stephanie began to study natural remedies to help offset the damage caused by her husband’s medication as well as offset any additional damage that might be caused by their dietary intake.
Through her studies, Stephanie learned about the incredible benefits of elderberry syrup. Elderberry syrup supports immune health with a rich variety of antioxidant, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. She began making the syrup in her home and adding it to their diet. They immediately noticed a decrease in cold symptoms and signs of increased immune health, even in their young daughter, Olivia.
Stephanie began selling her syrup in an online forum on Facebook, and with the first posts, she sold over 130 bottles of what she called “Sweet’s Syrup” (due to her daughter’s nickname “Sweet” and the delicious sweet flavor of the syrup). Those few posts quickly turned into a thriving business, and the need for a commercial kitchen, licenses, and insurance. Her product continued to gain customers through word of mouth due to the amazing results people were experiencing using Sweet’s Syrup.
Sweet’s Syrup is now sold in over 130 retailers in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, as well as having a large online selling presence. Sweet’s Syrup uses simple, delicious, natural, and organic ingredients that have natural healing properties which include elderberries, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and raw local seasonal honey. The syrup tastes a lot like apple butter with a rich “Christmassy” flavor. It is recommended to be taken by adults and children over the age of 1 (due to the honey) and can be enjoyed straight from the bottle, added to your favorite yogurt, smoothies, or any of the other recipe collections she lists on Instagram. The dosage for an adult is one tablespoon, for a child 1 teaspoon.
Sweet’s Syrup is available to purchase at Provisions, located at 107 W. South Main Street in downtown Waxhaw in both a 16-oz family size and an 8-oz individual size. They also sell a “do-it-yourself” kit online where families can create their own syrup at home. For more information on Sweet’s Syrup please visit them online at sweetssyrup.com. You can follow their journey and get access to great recipes on Facebook at “Sweet’s Syrup” and on Instagram @sweetssyrup.
