Entrepreneur turns to Missouri elderberries to unlock treatment alternative, wellness brand

Editor’s note: The following story was produced through a paid partnership with MOSourceLink, which boasts a mission to help entrepreneurs and small businesses across the state of Missouri grow and succeed by providing free, easy access to the help they need — when they need it.

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ST. LOUIS — As a mother frustrated by years of conventional treatment for Crohn’s disease, Emilia Rizzuto was determined to take her health into her own hands — ultimately crafting elderberry syrup in her kitchen to relieve the side effects she experienced from traditional medications.

What started as a personal pursuit in 2017 quickly became something greater. Today, her St. Louis area-based brand, All Things Elderberry, offers a growing line of herbal wellness products, including its signature Elderberry Elixir, now stocked in more than 150 stores nationwide.

Rizzuto’s journey began decades earlier. Diagnosed with Crohn’s at age 15, she relied on traditional medicine for years that led to side effects like a weakened immune system and chronic infections.

“I spent years just taking meds and living life but not really trying to fix anything,” she said.

But everything shifted at 30, during her first pregnancy. After a hospitalization, doctors recommended stronger immunosuppressants and steroids, a moment that forced her to pause.

“I thought, ‘This can’t be the only way,’” Rizzuto said. “That’s when I decided to do something different.”

She left her job as a photo-shoot producer and enrolled at Bauman College, a school that specializes in holistic nutrition. Three years later, she had earned her certification and a completely new outlook.

“Once I learned what plants could actually do, it changed how I looked at everything,” Rizzuto said. “I started making things I never thought I’d make, like elderberry syrup.”

A berry-led breakthrough

That shift marked the start of a new chapter. Curious about herbal antivirals during a particularly intense flu season in 2018, Rizzuto dove into research. Elderberries, antioxidant-rich and long known for their immune-supportive properties, stood out.

But the store-bought versions didn’t meet her standards.

“It was way too sweet and thick,” she said. “So I just decided to try making my own.”

Living in Missouri gave her a major advantage: The state leads the U.S. in commercial elderberry production. Rizzuto sourced fresh berries from local farms and blended them with raw honey, Ceylon cinnamon, cloves and fresh ginger, creating a flavorful elixir that balanced taste and function.

When she shared samples with friends and neighbors, a friend encouraged her to post in a local Facebook group. The response was immediate, Rizzuto said.

“I had 300 people message me that first day,” she said. “It blew my mind.”

Products from All Things Elderberry, a growing line of herbal wellness products, including its signature Elderberry Elixir; courtesy photo

From porch pickups to store shelves

The demand quickly outgrew her home kitchen. What began as casual porch pickups turned into a full-time venture.

With encouragement from her husband, she approached a local health food store about carrying the syrup. The shop said yes but also handed her a list of requirements: proper labeling, a commercial kitchen and health permits.

“I had no idea what I was doing at first,” Rizzuto said. “But I just figured it out one thing at a time.”

She rented space in a shared kitchen and called on friends and neighborhood moms to help with bottling. As orders grew, she gained more business knowledge by necessity.

“There was no manual,” Rizzuto recalled. “It was all learning, email flows, barcodes, regulations, tech, just figuring it out step by step.”

Despite the learning curve, All Things Elderberry found its stride and has now sold more than 10,000 bottles of its flagship elixir.

Growing knowledge, growing brand

Along the way, Rizzuto tapped into community resources to support her growth. She joined the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, for courses on pitching, scaling, and sales. As well as a mastermind group Super Connector Media, to sharpen her marketing and branding.

“I paid for a membership, but many of the classes were free,” she said. “They brought in professionals to teach everything I didn’t know.”

Armed with this new knowledge, Rizzuto expanded her offerings. Today, All Things Elderberry includes teas, honey, jelly, and DIY syrup kits, all made with clean, local ingredients and infused with kitchen-table care.

She’s also committed to sharing what she’s learned, whether through educational blog posts or industry events like the Elderberry Symposium in Columbia, Missouri.

“I think people are starting to realize what elderberries can do,” she said.

Reviving a forgotten plant

Rizzuto sees elderberries as more than a seasonal remedy.

“Most people use the berries during cold and flu season,” she said. “But the whole plant is incredible. The flowers can be used topically or in teas, and there’s emerging research on brain health and inflammation.”

Her long-term goal is to help others rediscover the plant’s full potential and reclaim ancient wellness traditions.

“Hippocrates called elder[berries] the ‘medicine chest,’” Rizzuto said. “Somewhere along the line that knowledge faded, and I’m trying to bring it back.”