Eliza Ganesh + Jordan Schenck Share The Power of Plants with their Female Forward Beverage Company
Jordan Schenck and Eliza Ganesh. Photo Credit: Jessa Carter
When female forward entrepreneurs Eliza Ganesh and Jordan Schenck met, they decided to set out on a journey to bring the healing herbal remedies of plants to everyone. The exploration led them to starting Sunwink, a beverage company with a simple but big mission — give people easy ways to care for themselves each day. Sunwink sparkling herbal tonics are packed with over 4x the amount of herbs you find in an average tea bag and are made of simple ingredients from the Earth - no preservatives or flavor additives. Gone are the days you have to buy $100 luxury tinctures and mixes to access the power of herbs.
Photo Credit: Sandy + David Chun
Not only have they created a bomb, must-have and delicious sparkling tonic, but they give back to charities with the proceeds from each sale. We spoke to Eliza and Jordan about their newest flavor, Hibiscus Mint Unwind, and their pursuits in breaking into a male dominated beverage industry.
Tell us about your journey in creating this company. Eliza, we know you started at Harvard and Jordan we know you spent time with Impossible Foods… how has your journey brought you here?
Eliza created the company after being diagnosed with an auto-immune disease. After experiencing extreme stress and burn-out, the flare-ups from her auto-immune disease worsened. She was left with the option of taking a steroid for the rest of her life or finding out how to treat the root cause of her flare-ups. She found clinical herbalism in the process and started integrating daily medicinal plants into her diet which lead to a reduction in her symptoms. As soon as Eliza and Jordan met they knew they would create a company to tell the untold and powerful story of the healing properties of plants. They are now on a mission to create a global beverage brand that brings the healing power of plants to the world.
We love a female driven team and company! How has breaking into a male dominated industry been both challenging and rewarding?
Eliza -- From a business standpoint our retailers have been amazing partners prioritizing women and diversity in their category reviews. From an industry standpoint, women are definitely the minority. Almost every new beverage you see or know is founded by men, even if it is marketed towards women. This is why authenticity and transparency is so important to our story.
Tell us more about how you both are working to change the beverage industry?
Jordan -- We are here to “clean-up” the beverage industry. So much of what you see on the shelf is claiming to be “good for you,” but it is full of preservatives, citric acid, natural/artificial flavors or processed sugar substitutes. We believe that being good means being ruthless about putting the health of humanity first.
What are the main benefits from drinking Sunwink? Tell us about the power of plants!
Photo Credit: Myesha Evon
Jordan -- Each Sunwink is packed with over 4 times the amount of herbs you find in an average tea bag. These are designed to be potent, and always clinical herbalist approved. Each flavor has a different function to support mind, body or mood.
We are so excited to hear about your newest flavor, Hibiscus Mint Unwind! We know that with each product you sell, you donate to an organization that inspired the product. Which organization does this newest product donate to?
Eliza -- The newest product donates to the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, an organization that works to protect the human rights of the black transgender community.
We love that you, “believe the future of food is dependent upon the voice and creative point of view of women.” What advice would you give to other women looking to break into this industry or any other male dominated industry?
Jordan -- Be true to who you are. Own the fact you are female forward and honor it across your hiring and creation. Also, always be ruthlessly persistent and optimistic.