Swoon is a first of its kind liquid sugar substitute that gets its natural silky sweetness from monk fruit. In turn, Swoon’s founders Cristina Ros Blankfein and Jennifer Ross have pioneered what many are calling “the first zero-sugar simple syrup.
Currently served by Thomas Keller, Eleven Madison Park, Bluestone Lane, Erewhon and Clean Market alike, Swoon is thriving in both traditional retail and high-end restaurants alike. I spoke with Blankfein and Ross about this and more.
Jewish Journal: How long was it from the concept of Swoon to having a finished product?
Cristina Ros Blankfein: It took us about two years to fully develop Swoon. We worked with a lot of mixologists chefs and baristas to not only get the taste right but the mouthfeel as well. We had to find that right balance in both texture and taste.
JJ: To you, what separates Swoon from other sweeteners?
Jennifer Ross: Swoon is the FIRST liquid zero-sugar simple syrup sweetened with monk fruit on the market with no sugar alcohols. This means no bloating or digestion issues.
JJ: Was it difficult to get Swoon kosher-certified?
CRB: It was very important for us to have Swoon be kosher-certified, so from the very beginning we made sure all of our ingredients were kosher-certified themselves, which made the actual process of us getting certified very easy.
JJ: What are some of the products you use to sweeten with using Swoon?
JR: Swoon can be used to sweeten any drink! We love it in tea, coffee, lemonade and cocktails. Many recipes using Swoon can be found on our website.
JJ: What is a typical day for you like with Swoon?
CRB: No day is typical! Every day is a mix of meetings with members of our team, putting out fires — of which there are always some— being out in the field at accounts, pitching potential accounts, talking to our manufacturers, thinking and tasting future products and just trying to get through our to-do lists.
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JJ: What is coming up for the brand?
CRB: We are finalizing all of our fall and winter cocktails with our awesome partners like TAK Room and Catch and getting ready for our stint at Pop Up Grocer in New York City, which starts Sept. 20.
JJ: Swoon aside, anything else you are currently working on?
JR: Cristina is about to have a baby!
JJ: Finally, any last words for the kids?
CRB: Swoon is plant-based and made from non-GMO monk fruit native to Southeast Asia. The high-quality ingredients and amazing sugar-like flavor has caused notable bartenders, baristas and cafes to support the brand. You can find it in New York City (Eleven Madison Park, Café Clover, Matchaful, Thomas Keller’s TAK Room, The Alchemist’s Kitchen, Clean Market), Los Angeles (Erewhon, Alfred Tea Room), and BOTH coasts (Bluestone Lane and Catch) to name a few. Swoon can also be shipped nationwide and can be purchased on Amazon.
More on Swoon can be found here.
