Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Mulligan-Mayernik.
Hi Shannon, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Before Mayernik Kitchen, I spent several years in the familiar 9–5 grind. One evening, a coworker invited me to take an herbal class at a local apothecary in New York State. I had never worked with plant medicine before, but I never turn down a night out with a friend. That class, taught by my now dear friend and mentor, Robin Rose Bennett, changed everything. I fell in love with plant medicine almost instantly. Truly, it took just one class. I was hooked.
From there, I dove in headfirst: reading everything I could, taking classes, and slowly shaping a vision rooted in the belief that plants can be powerful medicine and that this wisdom is meant to be shared.
In 2015, Mayernik Kitchen LLC was born, and this year we proudly celebrated 10 years in business. The journey was a gradual one, as my husband Matt and I took time to discover what we truly wanted the business to become. Along the way, we experienced plenty of failures and many successes. In 2018, I left my corporate job and began working part-time at a local farm in the greenhouses, which allowed me to devote far more time and energy to growing Mayernik Kitchen.
Today, Mayernik Kitchen is an herbal apothecary located in Pompton Plains, New Jersey. We offer a wide range of plant medicines made from herbs we grow on our own herb farm in Sussex County, NJ. We cultivate over 60 medicinal herbs, forage for those we don’t grow, and support organic farms around the world for plants that don’t thrive in our region.
We opened our brick-and-mortar shop in December 2020 and ship our products nationwide.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
To be honest, the road has never been smooth. We’ve hit plenty of bumps along the way, but I truly believe those challenges have made us a stronger, more resilient company.
When Mayernik Kitchen first began, I was still working full-time, so it truly started as a side hustle. I’d put in my 9–5 and then come home to work on Mayernik Kitchen, making products late into the evening and packing orders whenever I could find the time. It wasn’t the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it certainly wasn’t fun. The corporate job was draining me, and eventually I had to make the difficult decision to leave a position that offered steady pay, benefits, and paid time off. That choice was not an easy one.
Thankfully, I found a part-time position at a local farm, working in the greenhouses. That shift gave me both the financial breathing room and the time I needed to continue growing Mayernik Kitchen. I was no longer packing orders at 10 p.m. just to ship them the next morning. In October 2020, I left the farm to pursue Mayernik Kitchen full-time.
Like any business, there are hard days and there are surprisingly easy ones. It’s often the hardest days, though, that reveal your capacity to keep going and remind you why you started in the first place.
One of our biggest challenges was opening a retail space in the middle of a global pandemic. Between shipping delays and material shortages, building out a commercial kitchen took far longer and was far more complicated than it would have been under normal circumstances. Still, it was absolutely worth it.
What we were offering our community, and customers across the country, felt especially needed at that moment in time. Even though it was hard, the timing, for us, was perfect.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
At Mayernik Kitchen, our main focus is plant medicine. Simply put, plant medicine is a natural alternative to many everyday over-the-counter remedies, made using herbs grown right here on our farm and in our own backyard. In many ways, we like to think of ourselves as a local, plant-based pharmacy.
We cultivate over 60 medicinal herbs that are used throughout our products. For plants we don’t grow ourselves, we either forage locally or source organically from trusted farms. Over the past ten-plus years, we’ve created more than 100 different plant-based products, all of which are available in our shop and shipped nationwide.
Some of the plant medicines we create include Elderberry Syrup, Fire Tonic, tinctures, salves, hydrosols, flower essences, teas, and more. In addition to our products, we also offer classes and workshops for those who want to deepen their understanding of plant medicine.
Education is a huge part of what we do. Beyond teaching about the benefits of herbalism and how to incorporate it into everyday life, we also focus on growing, harvesting, and preserving herbs. We offer a 10-month herbal apprenticeship that takes students through the full cycle, from seed to harvest to preparation. This program is designed for anyone interested in growing herbs, no matter the scale.
What truly sets Mayernik Kitchen apart is our openness. We believe knowledge is meant to be shared. Keeping years of experience to ourselves would be a disservice to our community, so we teach everything we know. When information is passed along, community is built and folk herbal traditions are kept alive.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Absolutely! There are so many books, podcasts, and resources that support me in life, work, and herbal practice. Because I’m passionate about plant medicine and community, I gravitate toward makers and creators who share knowledge generously and with heart.
Books:
I always come back to the work of Robin Rose Bennett. Her books are beautifully written, deeply grounded in traditional plant wisdom, and full of practical herbal skills. Rosemary Gladstar is another foundational voice for me, her approachable, soulful writing has shaped how I teach and make herbal medicine.
Podcasts:
Herbs with Rosealee: a joyful, down-to-earth show that makes herbalism accessible and inspiring.
The Plant Path: thoughtful conversations that push you to see plants and the world in new, rich ways.
For business & creativity:
Growing Mayernik Kitchen has been as much a creative journey as an herbal one. I turn to podcasts that help me stay grounded and energized:
The Creative Bodega: a space for makers, dreamers, and creative entrepreneurs.
The Marie Forleo Podcast: full of practical business wisdom, mindset shifts, and interviews that help keep the big picture in focus.
Apps & Tools:
I like using plant identification tools like PictureThis or Seek by iNaturalist when I’m out foraging or exploring new species. For general wellness and grounding, meditation apps like Calm and Forest help keep everything balanced.
Beyond herbs, I enjoy community and creativity-focused feeds and blogs that center mindful living, sustainability, and small business growth. Others are herbalist blogs that share seasonal rhythms, recipes, and reflections.
What ties all of these together for me is that they inspire curiosity, connection, and respect for the natural world, qualities that feed both my work at Mayernik Kitchen and my everyday life.
Pricing:
- Products – $10-$54
- In-Person Workshops – $30-$90
- Online Courses – $29
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mayernikkitchen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayernikkitchen
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayernikkitchennj
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mayernikkitchen
