Special delivery
Erin Zwigart is a big promoter of shopping local. She’s also a marketing pro. So after a business brainstorming session one night last May, Erin created Georgia Crafted.
The Smyrna-based company ships monthly subscription boxes filled with Atlanta-made or Georgia-crafted goodies nationwide. Each box contains four to five products, ranging from food and stationery to music and home and bath goods.
Products, which change monthly, have included “Praline Snack Mix” from Savannah and White Peach Vanilla soap from Atlanta-based Carson Bryce Trading Company. Other months have featured Grits Bits, NaturaAlmond (butter) and Emily G’s “Pear Honey Jam.” All three are based in the Atlanta area.
The company recently introduced themed gift boxes. Choose a prepackaged box for Mother’s Day, a birthday or a hospitality gift. A one-time box is $29.99, but prices for a themed box vary. Or try a three-month subscription for $89.97. Visit www.georgiacrafted.com
Tea time
After years of blending teas as gifts for family and friends, Brandi Barnes Shelton turned a beloved hobby into a hot business. In 2006, Shelton started Just Add Honey.
The Tucker-based company’s black, green, herbal and fruit teas are popular. So is its honey from regionally sourced beekeepers. While teas such as Georgia Peaches and Berries are fan favorites, Shelton is constantly experimenting with new tea flavors.
As a tea drinker herself, Shelton offers fresh flavors and ingredients to stimulate you in the morning or soothe you before bedtime. And she is happy to convert you from the bag to loose tea. Prices range from $6.50 for a 1-ounce tin to $16.50 for a 4-ounce tin. Tea without a tin is $3.50 per ounce. To order, go to www.justaddhoney.net. At the site, you’ll find a variety of Atlanta-area locations where you can buy Just Add Honey teas, including the Atlanta Botanical Garden. You also can order a gift subscription for a tea lover.
Coffee talk
Some like it hot. But Jenny Bonchak likes cold brew coffee too. That’s why the java lover started the Slingshot Coffee Co. in Raleigh, N.C.
Unlike traditional coffee brewing, which involves heat, the cold brew method uses cold water and ground coffee beans. For Bonchak and her secret recipe, the result is a smooth, flavorful drink.
In her bottled brews, Bonchak uses organic, seasonal coffees from all over the world and has them roasted at Counter Culture Coffee in nearby Durham. Each hand-labeled bottle features the origin of the beans and the date the coffee was brewed.
Slingshot, which gets style points for its label, is available in 16-ounce bottles. Choose the ready-to-drink option ($5.99), which serves two. Or try the concentrate ($10.99), which has four to five servings, depending on how strong you like your coffee. The concentrate is also used in cocktails, marinades and smoothies.
In the Atlanta area, find Slingshot Cold Brew at Star Provisions, 1198 Howell Mill Road (starprovisions.com) and some Whole Foods stores. To order, visit www.slingshotcoffeecompany.com
Best of the South
Do you have favorite finds from around the South that you give as gifts, buy for your home or rave about to friends? If so, please share them with us. Send your suggestions to: lljerkins@gmail.com. Please include your name and contact number. Also find more Southern-made products, featured in the AJC, at Southernfinds on Facebook or on twitter@southernfinds1.
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