Using meticulously selected ingredients, Plants By People produces beverage blends specially formulated to elevate your health.
These certified-organic, vegan, non-allergen blends can be found in the grocery aisles at your Market of Choice and come in five varieties: Bloom Awakening Cherry to support energy levels, Glow Digestive Health Raspberry to target digestive health, Harmony Relaxing Pomegranate to aid in relaxation, Thrive Immunity Support Elderberry to boost immunity, and Shine Cleansing Pineapple for body balance.
Owner Jing DiPiero is a big believer in the power of herbal medicine. A native of Beijing China, she is a long-time student of holistic medicine, which includes her family’s ethic of food as medicine in daily meal planning and preparation.
“I developed resistance to antibiotics at age 5 and my paternal grandmother, who was a chain smoker for decades, had serious lung problems in her 70s,” Jing recalls. “We were both saved by potent herbal medicine.”
In the United States, after many years working for multinational technological companies, Jing founded a medical education business in 2013. During that time, she worked with physicians, health care leaders and policy makers on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. Their conclusion? “Preventive care is the best investment we can make individually and collectively as a society.”
Jing launched Plants by People, spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. The beverage blends are formulated by a community of wellness advocates, including a food scientist and a teacher of traditional Chinese medicine and nutrition at the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. In return, Plants by People extends financial support to the university to help with academic studies and research focused on herbal medicine locally and globally.
As an emerging BIPOC- and Woman-owned business, Plants by People participates in Market of Choice’s MOJO program, which provides guidance, development support, targeted funding, distribution solutions and amplification at the store-level and through social media.
“Market of Choice is a terrific partner,” Jing says.
Jing’s commitment as a working mom to create delicious blends that promote vitality and social responsibility are evident in her company’s practices, including purposefully producing the blends in powder form to avoid the use of single-use bottles and refrigeration during transport.
These beverage blends are versatile, too. Sprinkle them into coffee or onto ice cream, blend into yogurt or a smoothie, even add to cookie or cake batter, then bake! And, who doesn’t enjoy a refreshing, healthy Zero Proof drink?
“I am motivated and excited to have our products in the hands of more people that seek to live a healthy, happy and green life,” Jing says.
