Latest news with #Mānuka
Style Blueprint
10 hours ago
- Business
- Style Blueprint
She Created SweetBio, a Memphis Biotech Company That's Changing the Game
Share with your friends! Pinterest LinkedIn Email Flipboard Reddit After a successful launch in 2024, Memphis-based biotech company SweetBio is reshaping the future of healing with a focus on ethics, accessibility, and inclusivity. We talked to the entrepreneur behind SweetBio about her journey, sources of inspiration, and what she loves most about the 901. Get to know this dynamic FACE of Memphis! Pin Tell us about the path that led to creating SweetBio. It's a fascinating one! I was inspired by my grandmother, a bridal business entrepreneur who brought joy to many. From a young age, I knew I wanted to bring care and joy to others, too. During college, I interned at Target … When I was offered a full-time role on the merchandising team, I realized I was really studying what it takes to achieve both high performance and a healthy culture at scale. I started in big data and intentionally built the tools I knew I'd need as an entrepreneur: analytics, strategy, and systems. I left to pursue my MBA full-time, then joined Target's Innovation Office in San Francisco. I moved there with the vision of starting a company, initially thinking it would be in the digital space. At the same time, I was talking with my brother Isaac, who had been developing a unique biomedical technology for years. When he showed me what he had built — a collagen and Manuka honey solution to wound care — we realized it had the potential to truly help people. We had a choice between joining an accelerator in San Francisco or moving to Memphis, one of the top cities for medical device innovation. Since neither of us came from a medical background, we knew we needed to learn as fast as possible and surround ourselves with the right experts. Memphis offered that, along with the space to build both a company and a life. Pin What's the SweetBio elevator pitch? SweetBio is a biotech company revolutionizing wound care with innovative, affordable products powered by certified Mānuka honey and collagen. With FDA clearance, Medicare and commercial insurance coverage, and $10M in funding, SweetBio recently launched VERIS™, an advanced wound-care solution for patients recovering from Mohs surgery, biopsies, and chronic ulcers. SweetBio also offers APIS®, which is a prescription product proven to support healing in chronic and acute wounds, including diabetic ulcers. Pin What inspired you to launch a biotech company with ethics at its core? Our great-grandfather in Puerto Rico had to undergo an amputation simply because he couldn't afford the wound care he needed, and he passed away from the diabetic wound. Sadly, that kind of inequity is still far too common. We launched SweetBio to change that. To make advanced healing accessible, affordable, and centered on human dignity. Ethics aren't an add-on for us; they're the foundation. Biotech has long been a male-dominated field. What has been your experience navigating leadership in this industry? Ten years ago, biotech and entrepreneurship were even more male-dominated than they are now. As a Latina woman without a healthcare background, I wasn't exactly the typical founder profile. I faced skepticism early on, so I made it my mission to get as smart as I could, as fast as I could. I asked questions, read constantly, and surrounded myself with trusted advisors across science, regulation, and reimbursement. Now, we're respected for our track record and results, but that came from relentless preparation and resilience. Pin Are there any values or perspectives from your upbringing that have influenced how you lead your business? Absolutely. One of our core values is positive intent, which comes directly from family. You can disagree, but if you're aligned on a shared vision, you can move forward together. We also embrace our humanity, where making mistakes is fully and 100% accepted. We prioritize mental health. We put family first. We operate from our values, which are the strength behind how we build. Switching gears a little, what do you love most about Memphis? I love that Memphis offers the best of both worlds. You can be in the city or outdoors in places like Shelby Farms, where I serve on the board. It's a space where people from every walk of life come together, and that sense of inclusion and community is something I value deeply. For my family, it's the diversity in Memphis. Our kids grow up dancing, playing sports, and connecting with all kinds of people. And professionally, Memphis gave us the space to build the type of company we believe in. Grit and grind run deep here, and it's a place that rewards that entrepreneurial spirit. Pin What's something that people are often surprised to learn about you? I thrive in chaos … and I have a black belt in taekwondo! What is your best piece of advice? One of the biggest lessons I've learned building this company is the power of decision-making. The best decision is the right one, the next best is the wrong one, but the worst thing is indecision. When you're stuck between two paths, just pick one and move forward. Practicing decision-making builds confidence, clarity, and momentum. Whereas indecision stalls life, movement creates growth! Aside from faith, family, and friends, name three things you can't live without. Saturday Night Live, macaroons, and walks outside. ********** For more inspiring FACES of Memphis, click HERE! About the Author Gaye Swan A freelance writer, mom of twins, avid traveler, and local foodie, Gaye loves meeting new people and bringing their stories to life.
Scoop
30-05-2025
- General
- Scoop
Mānuka Charitable Trust Warns Global Buyers Of Misleading Australian Honey Claims
Press Release – Manuka Charitable Trust Capilano makes claims that, in the Trusts view, deliberately undermine the authenticity, cultural significance, and scientific uniqueness of honey derived from Mnuka located in Aotearoa New Zealand a native species of deep significance to Mori and found … The Mānuka Charitable Trust has expressed concerns regarding marketing by an Australian honey producer positioning its honey as equivalent to honey from the mānuka tree found in Aotearoa New Zealand. Capilano makes claims that, in the Trust's view, deliberately undermine the authenticity, cultural significance, and scientific uniqueness of honey derived from Mānuka located in Aotearoa New Zealand – a native species of deep significance to Māori and found only in Aotearoa. 'As the national Māori representative voice for the indigenous taonga species known as Mānuka, we are concerned that marketing materials misrepresent both the origin and the identity of authentic products derived from Mānuka and it is inappropriate and misleading,' said Victor Goldsmith, Chair at the Mānuka Charitable Trust. 'Mānuka is more than honey – it's an indigenous name, a unique New Zealand product, and part of Māori healing tradition,' added Kristen Kohere-Soutar of the Mānuka Charitable Trust. 'For genuine Mānuka honey, choose Aotearoa New Zealand-sourced. It ensures authenticity, supports indigenous rights, and upholds scientific integrity,' she added. The Trust believes using the term 'Mānuka' in Australian marketing is not only misleading – it is a form of cultural appropriation and a challenge to the principles of fair trade and informed consumer choice. 'Australian honeys have their own their authentic names, origin and attributes. The word mānuka does not exist in the vernacular of Australia's First Nations peoples, who have their own names for their distinct botanical honeys. The name mānuka is not Australia's to use,' she said. The Trust's position is supported by scientific evidence which confirms that Leptospermum scoparium is an outdated classification that does not accurately reflect the significant genetic divergence between Leptospermum scoparium found in New Zealand and the Leptospermum species found in Australia. The Mānuka Charitable Trust has been looking into the global protection offered by the geographical indication system used by France and Italy. Spokesperson Kristen Kohere-Soutar said the Trust wants to see the system adopted in New Zealand to protect the mana and value of its mānuka products. 'Anyone around the world producing honey, calling it mānuka honey that's not come from New Zealand – would be stopped by courts from being able to trade. That's the kind of protection that we need here.' MCT is a charitable trust established in 2020. It was formed as the guardian of the taonga, Mānuka and is representative of Māori from across Aotearoa.
Scoop
30-05-2025
- General
- Scoop
Mānuka Charitable Trust Warns Global Buyers Of Misleading Australian Honey Claims
The Mānuka Charitable Trust has expressed concerns regarding marketing by an Australian honey producer positioning its honey as equivalent to honey from the mānuka tree found in Aotearoa New Zealand. Capilano makes claims that, in the Trust's view, deliberately undermine the authenticity, cultural significance, and scientific uniqueness of honey derived from Mānuka located in Aotearoa New Zealand – a native species of deep significance to Māori and found only in Aotearoa. 'As the national Māori representative voice for the indigenous taonga species known as Mānuka, we are concerned that marketing materials misrepresent both the origin and the identity of authentic products derived from Mānuka and it is inappropriate and misleading,' said Victor Goldsmith, Chair at the Mānuka Charitable Trust. 'Mānuka is more than honey - it's an indigenous name, a unique New Zealand product, and part of Māori healing tradition,' added Kristen Kohere-Soutar of the Mānuka Charitable Trust. 'For genuine Mānuka honey, choose Aotearoa New Zealand-sourced. It ensures authenticity, supports indigenous rights, and upholds scientific integrity,' she added. The Trust believes using the term 'Mānuka' in Australian marketing is not only misleading - it is a form of cultural appropriation and a challenge to the principles of fair trade and informed consumer choice. 'Australian honeys have their own their authentic names, origin and attributes. The word mānuka does not exist in the vernacular of Australia's First Nations peoples, who have their own names for their distinct botanical honeys. The name mānuka is not Australia's to use,' she said. The Trust's position is supported by scientific evidence which confirms that Leptospermum scoparium is an outdated classification that does not accurately reflect the significant genetic divergence between Leptospermum scoparium found in New Zealand and the Leptospermum species found in Australia. The Mānuka Charitable Trust has been looking into the global protection offered by the geographical indication system used by France and Italy. Spokesperson Kristen Kohere-Soutar said the Trust wants to see the system adopted in New Zealand to protect the mana and value of its mānuka products. 'Anyone around the world producing honey, calling it mānuka honey that's not come from New Zealand – would be stopped by courts from being able to trade. That's the kind of protection that we need here.' About Mānuka Charitable Trust MCT is a charitable trust established in 2020. It was formed as the guardian of the taonga, Mānuka and is representative of Māori from across Aotearoa.
NZ Herald
21-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
On the Up: Bay of Plenty's Wai Mānuka sees growing demand in New York market
According to the company's website, Wai Mānuka is a non-alcoholic beverage infusing Mānuka honey with a touch of lemon juice and sparkling water. 'We shipped over four pallets of Wai Mānuka, which landed two weeks ago, and we're now in discussions to manufacture and send a full container ahead of the US summer months,' Harawira said. A single container of Wai Mānuka holds more product than the company has sold through New World supermarkets across New Zealand in the past 15 months. 'In our original plan, we expected to ship our first container within 12 to 18 months — not as part of our second order,' Harawira said. He is feeling positive about the future and is already in discussions with a US-based global beverage investment company. 'We're building the foundations to scale rapidly into the wealthiest city in the world. 'The key is staying grounded, fostering sustainable growth, and playing to our strengths - especially in a time of global uncertainty and geopolitical tension,' Harawira said. 'My hope is that our journey inspires young people from Whakatāne to raise the bar and back themselves to pursue bold goals. 'Our greatest strength lies in our uniqueness and in our ability to create meaningful impact.' He said Finesaler had reported the Wai Mānuka brand resonated with high-end customers in New York. 'Wai Mānuka is a unique heritage brand from New Zealand, grounded in Māori culture and values. Their customers choose brands that reflect their beliefs - prioritising both personal health and the health of the planet. 'Purpose-driven consumption is shaping purchasing decisions, and Wai Mānuka delivers on that through both its story and its product,' Finesaler said. Meanwhile, exports to Japan have been building steadily, reflecting growing interest and long-term potential. 'We're taking a long-term approach with Japan, that's how business is done there, and we're really pleased with how things are progressing. 'The opportunity to expand into two high-value markets at the same time is exciting, both from a business development and investment perspective.' Harawira has even begun talks with a chief executive of a sports entertainment company in China who is interested in bringing Wai Mānuka into some of the country's luxury hotels.
Scoop
14-05-2025
- General
- Scoop
Mayor Tory Whanau Launches WCC's 2025 Restoration Planting
Press Release – Wellington City Council With around 2.5 million plants and trees already established along the town belt and coastal reserves, the Council is well on its way to planting three million by 2030. Mayor Tory Whanau today launched Wellington City Council's 2025 restoration planting season, an initiative that aims to plant up to 120,000 native trees and shrubs annually in Wellington's reserves and coastal dunes. 'By restoring the once-dense, indigenous forests that cloaked our city, we're bringing back to life a treasured taonga for generations to come,' says Mayor Whanau as she joined Council staff at Ohariu Valley Reserve. Mayor Whanau said the significant effort was part of a 50-year project to reconnect the Wellington Western and Porirua Western Forests, which were diminished by fire, logging, farming, the expanding rail network, and housing development. By creating a seamless ecological corridor stretching from the fringes of Wellington's south coast towards Porirua, native birds, insects and plants will have a continuous habitat to thrive once more. With around 2.5 million plants and trees already established along the town belt and coastal reserves, the Council is well on its way to planting three million by 2030. 'As kaitiaki, we have a responsibility to protect our environment and this initiative is a bold step against climate change. It will also safeguard our biodiversity by creating sanctuaries for our native species, prevent soil erosion, expand our city's green spaces, foster community spirit, and ultimately enrich the quality of life for all Wellingtonians,' says Mayor Whanau. Beyond rebuilding native habitats, Mayor Whanau said restoration planting fosters a community effort to value and care for nature. 'This community-driven approach ensures that restoration efforts are sustained and impactful, delivering a city where people and nature thrive.' Over 100 community groups and landowners support the yearly effort, which follows months of ground preparation and careful plant selection tailored to Wellington's rugged terrain and winds. 'We plant diverse native species to create habitats that support birds and other wildlife,' explains Daniela Biaggio, WCC's Urban Ecology Manager. The Council's plant list covers a range of Wellington environments, and the plants used for restoration planting are propagated at the Council's Berhampore Nursery from local seed. These plants are also specifically chosen for their palatability to certain pest species, such as rabbits, goats and hares. This year's plantings will include: Toetoe (Austroderia fulvida): a tussock grass ideal for erosion control and habitat restoration Kanuka (Kunzea robusta): a hardy and resilient plant that thrives on Wellington's northern slopes, which tend to dry out in the wind Mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium): improves soil quality Karamū (Coprosma robusta): dense foliage offers excellent wildlife habitat and abundant fruit for birds and mokomoko (lizards) Koromiko tāranga (Hebe parviflora): can handle all sorts of conditions, especially windy spots, and its flowers are a real treat for pollinators Māpou (Myrsine australis): provides excellent wildlife cover, effectively stabilises soil, and enhances forest structure Mingimingi (Coprosma propinqua): offers excellent habitat for small birds and insects and effectively stabilises soil. Apart from Wellington's windy conditions, sparse soils, and pest animals like rabbits and even escaped livestock, Daniela says the biggest challenge to restoration planting is maintenance. 'While many are keen to plant, not as many are excited to invest in the maintenance, weeding, and monitoring,' she explains. 'We have been lucky to partner with Conservation Volunteers NZ, which helps us to do a lot of this maintenance.' To gauge if its restoration efforts are working, the Council tracks how well the new plants are growing, and the variety and number of native birds, lizards and invertebrates throughout Wellington. It is also digging into the role of soil in helping our native forests flourish.
