Simple Goodness Sisters
Washington Syrup Filling Cups and Fueling Farmers
Sandra Yerges
Simple Goodness Sisters, a Washington-based company committed to farm-grown goods, proves two is better than one. From the outset of the brand, a pair of close-knit sisters, Venise Cunningham and Belinda Kelly, have epitomized the ideas of collaboration and community. Their two respective skill sets, agriculture and event catering, have combined into a specialty syrup business that focuses on removing the barrier between brands and consumers.
Before starting this endeavor, Belinda spent her time managing a mobile bar and providing beverages at large company gatherings in the state. Event guests gravitated toward the natural-inspired tastes of these drinks and quickly desired more. Equipped with her farming perspective, Venise introduced Belinda to the idea of pourable syrups for customers like these to purchase, which inspired the Simple Goodness Sisters brand.
On their two acres of farmland, Venise is responsible for sustaining a harvest of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers. Unlike traditional produce farmers, her goods last far beyond the norm thanks to the company’s value-added syrup line.
“Everything that we are growing is with the intention of it going into a drink in some way, shape, or form, even if it’s something as simple as a tomato or a carrot,” Venise stated.
Freshness, an important quality to both Venise and Belinda, is what makes their offerings stand out from other blendable drink products. By crafting their syrups with only farm-raised ingredients, the two have always stood behind the various flavored products they sell in-person and online.
While Venise is tending to the fresh ingredients of their shelf-stable syrups, Belinda works in the inviting atmosphere of the Simple Goodness Soda Shop. This additional location is a way for individuals to not only try Belinda’s drinks made with the farm’s syrups but also find the farmer inside themselves. With many entertainment events and agricultural workshops happening at the shop, it truly is a place to celebrate all things local.
When speaking on these events, Belinda shared, “The ones we’re most passionate about are the ones where we get to teach someone something.”
Over the years, the syrup flavors used at this shop and beyond have grown in numbers along with the on-farm advancements to craft them. However, in the time of humble beginnings when their processing was still an off-site experience, the sisters needed to support their initial stock of products. While attending an informative session on Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) funding, they realized this grant would be a good fit for their early goals.
It was then time for them to take action. Being that they had no prior grant experience, Belinda and Venise thoughtfully looked for a grant writer to communicate their plan of sustaining their first selection of syrup varieties. Even with a lot of preliminary and future funding at stake, the two felt at peace knowing their grant application was in experienced hands.
“I think that’s absolutely critical,” Venise shared. “I would not have hired somebody who had never written that particular grant before.”
This choice worked in their favor as they were awarded the VAPG on their first attempt in 2020. With nearly $50,000 of grant funds to put toward their growing business, they were able to build up their stock of bottling supplies, cut down on external processing costs, and secure the extra farm-sourced goods that were used in their syrup blends. In addition, the farm received the communication overhaul it needed, including public relations support, an online shop upgrade, and a new social media employee.
Despite choosing the smaller of the two VAPG options, Venise and Belinda still had the chance to make big business changes. Whether it was allowing the professionals to create television advertisements or making the bottling and ingredient costs more manageable, the two were very pleased with the VAPG experience.
Working off the momentum of their first grant, they reapplied for and received another reduced VAPG two years later. This time, however, their grant was more of an exploratory opportunity for product development and soda shop sales. As owners of a business that thrives around Christmastime, Belinda and Venise felt it was necessary to test limited edition syrups flavors that matched the year’s harvest. Because this style of sales works for other larger drink brands, they hoped it would work for their brand too.
Luckily, the high demand they discovered through their grant-funded research was consistent with their desired goals. Because of those findings, they decided to proceed with an eagerly awaited subscription concept: Cocktail Farm Club. This sales option provides the sisters with a chance to create innovative syrup flavors with their overharvested goods in late fall. In turn, their customers are offered a mystery syrup shipment that allows them to try or gift these products.
Having the data to back up the start of this project was a huge benefit stemming from the VAPG. Like their previous grant, this funding opportunity made a positive impact on their brand-building plans.
“It was, again, the thing that gave us the confidence to take that leap of faith and try something new,” Venise mentioned.
Through all of these fresh additions to their business, Venise and Belinda never stopped their willingness to help others cultivate their own passion for agriculture. In March of 2025, this trend will continue as their self-starter book, Drink Your Garden, will be widely available for purchase. With every page, soon-to-be producers can garner the same drink-making knowledge that has fueled Simple Goodness Sisters’ originality over the years.
