Can elderberry juice improve cognition?

Photo of elderberry branches in a pile.

Researchers from the University of South Florida, the University of Missouri, A.T. Still University, Indiana University, and the Children’s Hospital Colorado asked that exact question in their recent study. Focused specifically on patients with mild cognitive impairment, they concluded the following: “Preliminary findings show that daily elderberry juice consumption for 6 months in patients with […]

I Found a Pride of Lionesses!

Jenny Dotty and Karen Blakeslee

Lionberry found a huge pride of LIONESSES to be drawn to! First off, I am here for the @thewomensfair! Those Lionesses are the epitome of women’s entrepreneurial spirit! AND Tonight before the show, I am at the Wichita Packaging and Labeling Workshop in Ala Carte Kitchen Incubator by Create Campaign learning from Jenny Doty of […]

Lionberry at the Kansas State Capitol

Lionberry recently celebrated Ag Day at the Kansas State Capitol. We talked about planting Elderberry and our quest to get Kansas on the map as a top producer of Elderberry! We took samples of our Elderberry SIPS and Lionberry Restorative Refreshers! And, of course, we talked about our new home at the Olathe K-State Food […]

Hood Dude Food Review

The Epitome stopped by one of our pop-ups at the West Bottoms Market in Kansas City, Mo. He has been posting local business/restaurant reviews called HOOD DUDE FOOD REVIEW. He might be taking Elderberry Shots more often after he tries a Lionberry! Thanks for the kind words!

Lionberry: Community Connections

Kevin (Bevin's husband) in the food Innovation Accelerator commercial kitchen with Bryan Severns.

One of the most important parts of our day-to-day work is the ability to lift other local businesses along the way. Here are just a few of the ways we incorporate them: Ingredients Marketing We are also part of the Elder Farms Collective which includes 20-plus farms we buy additional elderberry from if we run […]

FOX4 Spotlight on Lionberry

Photo of Union Station showing a velvet rope in front of a Kansas City Chiefs flag and several tables set up for the KC Love event.

Ahead of the KC Love event at Union Station, Lioberry founder Bevin Brooks was interviewed on FOX4 in Kansas City. We had a great time at KC Love and enjoyed meeting so many of you! You can see the full segment below:

Customer Question: Fresh pressed sounds like wasn’t cooked?

We recently received a question from one of our customers and thought we would share our answer here: Post Question: Fresh pressed sounds like wasn’t cooked? Am I misunderstanding? Because elderberries must be cooked before being consumed to prevent risk of cyanide poisoning. Answer: Great question! The elderberry is fresh-pressed before it is lightly pasteurized to […]

FLOK Feature on Facebook

We want to thank From the Land of Kansas (FLOK) for featuring Lionberry this month across its social media channels. We’ve shared a few of their posts below for you to enjoy:

Lionberry Booth Preview

In December, we participated in Jingle! at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kan. Here is a preview of our booth. Stay tuned for more event announcements in the new year!

KC Spotlight on Lionberry

Screenshot from KC Spotlight of Lionberry founder Bevin Brooks.

Lionberry founder Bevin Brooks was recently featured on KC Spotlight to help preview the Johnson County Home & Garden Show. WHAT: Johnson County Home & Garden ShowWHEN: January 24-26 (Friday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)WHERE: Booth #86 at the Overland Park Convention Center […]

Fortifying the Heartland: My Christmas Wish for Hy-Vee.

Lionberry 's Weekly Delusion and Re-illusion Update.

This week’s delusion is pretending our grocery stores don’t have a weak point.

This week’s re-illusion is remembering that strength comes from building on what already works, not acting like we’re starting from scratch.

Hy-Vee does a really good job bringing in local barbecue sauces, jams, honey, and other value-added foods from the Heartland.

We’re not starting from zero.

But we are starting from small.

So I handed Santa a LionBerry and gave him my Christmas list:

A fortified Hy-Vee — one that expands the Heartland section that already exists into a full, accessible, stocked-every-day aisle for local foods.

Not to replace the global or national imports like Florida oranges, California almonds, Mexico avocados, pineapple juice from Thailand, or coastal produce —

but to stand beside them, so the region isn’t left vulnerable the next time anything shakes the system:

  • fuel shortages
  • war
  • trucking strikes
  • geopolitics
  • water shortages
  • drought or dust-bowl conditions
  • port disruptions
  • cyber hits
  • natural disasters

Any one of these can break a supply chain.

A fortified regional shelf — built from the farms around Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska — keeps us fed.

The World Cup is coming to Kansas City.

Soccer tourists from Germany, Brazil, Japan, everywhere — living in Airbnbs for three to six weeks, shopping at Hy-Vee for everything from breakfast to body soap.

If we went to Germany, we’d want Wienerschnitzel.

If we went to Brazil, we’d want feijoada.

If we went to Japan, we’d want ramen or sushi that actually tastes like Japan.

So when they come to the Heartland, they don’t want a New York hot dog or a California cheeseburger.

They want us — the real Midwest.

What do we grow and make here?

  • local barbecue sauces
  • local fruit like blueberries
  • corn tortillas, tomato sauces, and beans
  • wheat pastas and breads
  • value-added soaps made from beef tallow
  • local meat, dairy, and eggs
  • elderberry drinks

And soccer tourists staying in AirBnB’s need actual essentials:

  • dish soap
  • cleaning agents
  • body soap and hygiene products
  • breakfast foods
  • snacks
  • drinks
  • basics
  • dinners

This is exactly why a stronger Heartland aisle matters — not just for crisis, but for culture, tourism, and everyday life.

This week’s delusion is pretending our grocery stores don’t have a weak point.
This week’s re-illusion is remembering that strength comes from building on what already works, not acting like we’re starting from scratch.

Hy-Vee does a really good job bringing in local barbecue sauces, jams, honey, and other value-added foods from the Heartland.
We’re not starting from zero.
But we are starting from small.

So I handed Santa a LionBerry and gave him my Christmas list:

A fortified Hy-Vee — one that expands the Heartland section that already exists into a full, accessible, stocked-every-day aisle for local foods.

Not to replace the global or national imports like Florida oranges, California almonds, Mexico avocados, pineapple juice from Thailand, or coastal produce —
but to stand beside them, so the region isn’t left vulnerable the next time anything shakes the system:

  • fuel shortages
  • war
  • trucking strikes
  • geopolitics
  • water shortages
  • drought or dust-bowl conditions
  • port disruptions
  • cyber hits
  • natural disasters

Any one of these can break a supply chain.
A fortified regional shelf — built from the farms around Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska — keeps us fed.

The World Cup is coming to Kansas City.
Soccer tourists from Germany, Brazil, Japan, everywhere — living in Airbnbs for three to six weeks, shopping at Hy-Vee for everything from breakfast to body soap.

If we went to Germany, we’d want Wienerschnitzel.
If we went to Brazil, we’d want feijoada.
If we went to Japan, we’d want ramen or sushi that actually tastes like Japan.

So when they come to the Heartland, they don’t want a New York hot dog or a California cheeseburger.
They want us — the real Midwest.

What do we grow and make here?

  • local barbecue sauces
  • local fruit like blueberries
  • corn tortillas, tomato sauces, and beans
  • wheat pastas and breads
  • value-added soaps made from beef tallow
  • local meat, dairy, and eggs
  • elderberry drinks

And soccer tourists staying in Airbnbs need actual essentials:

  • dish soap
  • cleaning agents
  • body soap and hygiene products
  • breakfast foods
  • snacks
  • drinks
  • basics
  • dinners

This is exactly why a stronger Heartland aisle matters — not just for crisis, but for culture, tourism, and everyday life.

A shared warehouse, a shared distributor, and a unified block of local makers would let regional foods move with the same efficiency as national brands — while staying rooted right here.

Tourists will buy it.
Locals will keep it.
And if anything ever shakes the world, a fortified Hy-Vee keeps the Heartland standing.

That’s what I told Santa.
That’s my wish this year.
And that’s exactly what LionBerry is built to help do — bottle by bottle, aisle by aisle.