The lollipops contain extracts of roses, sage, rosemary, lavender, lemongrass, thyme and marigold and the stick is filled with seeds that correspond to the herb or flower inside the candy.
Sensory reminder of a memory
The brainchild behind the idea are co-founders and friends, Brennan Clarke and Taylor Morgan, from California.
Speaking to ConfectioneryNews Morgan said Clarke came up with the idea for a lollipop that could yield herbs and flowers one day while watering his tomatoes in the garden.
“He’d grown up gardening with his grandma and together they grew tomatoes. Having this sensory reminder of the time they spent together was sentimental for him and he wanted others to have the same experience with someone they love,” she said.
“He thought about how flowers resembled lollipops in shape— a stem and bulb. A few years later he shared this idea with me and we figured out how to bring it to life, forming Amborella Organics. Our name, Amborella comes from the first flower species to grow on land. It was a pivotal moment in our flowering lineage and we wanted more people to celebrate it.”
Morgan said she recently read a quote that said ‘sustainability is not an option, but a necessity’.
“We are constantly striving to be more sustainable. Our first step is for people to have more sustainable options in terms of ingredients when eating candy, next to reduce waste with our biodegradable stick made from recycled paper that contains heirloom seeds,” she added.
“Our packaging, which details ingredients, and conveys to the customer which herb or flower their flavor yields is made from paper as well. We are working on the plastic that wraps around the candy itself and is directly correlated to our 6-9 month shelf life.
Zero-waste packaging
“We are testing biodegradable alternatives and hope to launch a zero-waste replacement in 2018. This is the future of confections— companies who care about taste, ingredients, aesthetic, experience, and sustainability.”
The lollipops have a sell-by date between 6-9 months when stored correctly, which means out of direct sunlight, heat, and humidity. If exposed, it will shorten the shelf life. The stick itself has a shelf life of one year.
Morgan said if consumers want to save the lollipop stick for planting season they have to make sure the sick doesn’t get wet or premature germination may occur.
The organic lollipops are the first launch Morgan and Clarke have developed and they are now working on a new line with herbalist Carolyn Barron of Botanarchy that will be launched next year.
“We just launched a co-brand with non-profit, Zen Remedy. They raise awareness for other non-profits like Surfrider Foundation. A portion of our proceeds from this co-brand— Watermelon & Borage— are donated to Surfrider Foundation,” added Morgan.
“Surfrider is saving our ocean one initiative and beach cleanup at a time. One of their latest victories was banning plastic bags in California. We look forward to working with more inspiring non-profits and giving back.”
All of our ingredients in Amborella Organics lollipops are organic, non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and soy-free.
The ingredients differ for each flavor, but they are all made with organic pure cane sugar and beet sugar.