| Tell us about your company: |
| Tart is an organic healthy lifestyle beverage focused around tart cherry and mineral water, prioritizing organic ingredients. Packed with vitamins & antioxidants, Tart may help reduce inflammation & support muscle recovery. Enjoy Tart daily for a refreshing boost on your overall health! |
| What inspired you to start your business? |
| Growing up, my family always emphasized the importance of healthy & nutritious foods. However, with over 30 allergies and persistent gut health issues, finding suitable options was a constant challenge. I often found myself turned away from restaurants and struggling to discover foods and drinks that aligned with my dietary needs. Fast forward to college: I began to explore cooking and was determined to discover nutritious meals that also tasted great. I was intrigued by the anti-inflammatory properties of tart cherry and eager to give it a try. Unfortunately, the taste was not my favorite. So, in January 2023, I set out to create something I would love. Mixing tart cherry juice with other staples from my college fridge, I developed the Tart Original Cherry. From that day on, it became a part of my daily routine: a morning boost with breakfast for focus and antioxidants, a refreshing mocktail at night for a melatonin lift, and a vibrant addition to cocktails for extra vitamins and hydration. |
| What are your proudest achievements so far? |
| Launching a product I am so very proud of, and grateful to have represent my work thus far. I built for 18 months and when I finally was able to hold the can in my hands, crack it open, and take a sip, all the long nights and endless problem solving felt worth it. |
| What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs: |
| Just start, don’t wait for the perfect time because there never will be one. Get your idea into the world and then go from there. Also, never let progress get in the way of perfection. They kind of go hand in hand. |
| Please share a memory or thought about your alma mater: |
| My best friend and roommate of three years recently texted me congratulating me on launching Tart, and reminded me of the time I came home one night to our apartment at Michigan State after a networking meeting, and we talked about this idea I had for a beverage company and how I was going to make it into a business. I didn’t have a name or any idea what I was doing, but I had a recipe that I loved and so did many others, and I was going to figure it out. Looking back, I was so clueless and didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but it has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. |
Alumni Emporium 