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December 28, 2009

Growing interest | An elderberry-based syrup could stoke the immune system and give organic berry growers a boost

Photo/Whit Richardson Edie Johnston, founder of Maine Medicinals, says her elderberry business is surpassing all projections
By Carol Coultas

Edie Johnston was charmed and intrigued when she heard neighbors tell of receiving a teaspoon of elderberry wine when they were ailing as kids. Two generations ago, it was a favorite tonic among Mainers who knew of its medicinal qualities.

Whole new generations of people will come to appreciate the healthful benefits of this native species if Johnston and her company, Maine Medicinals, have anything to say about it.

“Elderberries have the most wonderful antioxidant properties and there is a lot of research from Europe about their anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties as well,” she says.

Johnston was so convinced of the health benefits of elderberries that she founded her company two years ago to begin making elderberry-based nutraceuticals, or natural, plant-based medicines. Two months ago, she and her son, Geo, the company’s director of operations, launched Anthoimmune, a syrup made of elderberries, wild Maine blueberries and elderflowers.

So far, the small, Dresden-based operation has produced thousands of bottles of the syrup that have been picked up by 20 natural food stores throughout Maine, including Whole Foods in Portland and Rising Tide in Damariscotta, where it is the most popular wellness product in the store. Johnston says Anthoimmune has been accepted by Whole Foods for regional distribution, and she hopes it will reach national distribution within a year or two.

“Our sales are three times the projected sales and our projected sales could have been considered optimistic,” says Johnston with a laugh.

Johnston declined to provide revenue figures, but said the company is doing well enough to employ four people part time, pay a team of seven consultants and allow her and Geo to draw salaries. The syrup retails for $17.95 for a 4-ounce bottle and $27.95 for an 8-ounce bottle.

The price point puts her in the middle of the pack against her European competitors, who make up about 80% of the elderberry nutraceutical market in the United States. But Johnston believes Anthoimmune has a better taste and more antioxidants per serving than the rest.

The secret to the syrup’s success lies in the properties of elderberries, which have 10 times the antioxidant power of grapes; three times those of cranberries; and significantly more than blueberries. Using about $45,000 in grants from the Maine Technology Institute, Johnston is testing 20 varieties of elderberries on two acres to find the four best varieties for their antioxidant properties, suitability to Maine weather and ability to proliferate. She has another five acres to plant the select bushes, and intends to buy organic elderberries from other local growers.

Her 1,000-square-foot facility, where the berries are turned into syrup, is certified by the Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association for processing and Johnston works closely with the University of Maine’s Food Science and Human Nutrition Department to test and ensure the antioxidant levels of her products.

Several other elderberry-based products are in the pipeline, some entering the final testing phase before going to market. Johnston loves that Maine Medicinal is providing jobs and helping to sustain local agriculture by buying certified elderberries as a specialty crop from other growers in the area.

“We pay $2 to $3 per pound for certified elderberries and we use a lot of them right now and will use a lot more going forward,” she says, noting an acre of elderberry bushes produces about 15,000 pounds of berries, creating $30,000 to $45,000 worth of income for a grower.

“In a year we could have 20 employees and make a significant contribution to Maine’s economy,” she says. “That’s what feels really good.”

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