Annie Bassin, born in Ecuador but a longtime Brooklyn resident, conceived of what became Annie’s Ginger Elixir nearly 30 years ago. Frustrated by ongoing upper respiratory infections that antibiotics never fully resolved, she began to brew ginger tea as a home remedy, in a nod to her Chinese heritage. She ultimately credited this with permanently improving her health.

Ms. Bassin founded her company in 2017 along with Allard Van Hoorn, a native of the Netherlands who brought experience in sales and marketing to complement Ms. Bassin’s experience as a graphic designer. Ms. Bassin hand-made her product in small batches, all in Brooklyn, where both she and the business are based.

Ms. Bassin approached Renaissance in early 2023, seeking financing to help expand the business’s staffing and marketing capacity, as well as break into new markets in Europe. Renaissance was able to provide her $100,000 in low-interest financing through the New York City Small Business Opportunity Fund. As her business continued to grow, Ms. Bassin returned to Renaissance in 2024 and received an additional $45,000 loan to help further expand the product’s reach through relationships with new farmers’ markets both in New York and out of state.

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