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Entrepreneur Finds Success with Help from CIFT

About

Kimberly Fruchey started K & B Elderberry Acres, LLC, in 2017. She discovered a strong cottage market for elderberry syrup and built it into a thriving farmer's market and website commerce business. She runs her business from her farm in Wauseon, Ohio. She and her husband work together and two of their daughters help when needed.

The Challenge

At first, Kimberly received business planning advice and website assistance from various economic development agencies. Recognizing the need for additional food processing and certification advice, she turned to CIFT, part of the Ohio MEP and the MEP National Network™, for direction. 
I am deeply grateful to the staff at CIFT/NOCK for their invaluable assistance and guidance in the production of K&B Elderberry Acres, LLC products. They have played a crucial role in directing me towards various agencies to obtain the necessary documentation and in implementing good manufacturing practices (GMP) to ensure the safety of my products for consumers.
— Kim Fruchey, Owner

MEP's Role

Through CIFT's Northwest Ohio Cooperative Kitchen in Bowling Green, Ohio, information was provided to Kim to advance her efforts. This included insights into the required processing authority letter, technical assistance in how to process the elderberry syrup on a commercial scale, and gaining access to the equipment for processing for the retail market. In doing so, she learned how to steam the elderberries in order to retain nutrients that served as part of her vision for the business. Kim is able to store specialized equipment at the NOCK and maintain operations without the need for her own facility. Current production is every six weeks and she states that her business is "going gangbusters!" 
Created January 30, 2025