The Cordial Cherry, located at the Shops of Legacy in Wright Plaza, is well-known for decadent chocolate-covered cherry cordials and hand-painted designer chocolate truffles. The creation of owner and chocolatier Melissa Stephens, the exquisite offerings wrapped in beautiful packaging have even received national attention, landing on O: The Oprah Magazine’s 2013 list of “Favorite Things.”
Stephens has worked hard for her favorite thing. She was a science teacher and a mother working toward her doctorate, searching for a way to finance her chocolate business. Her grandmother granted permission to use her cherry cordial recipe, and Stephens began to sell cherry cordials at boutiques around town. In 2010, she opened a brick-and-mortar chocolate shop with just $3,000 while still teaching. The goal was to make hand-sculpted chocolate packaged in beautiful boxes tied with ribbon and greenery. As Stephens said, “It must be pretty!”
Pretty, however, can also be practical.
A few years ago, Cordial Cherry regular Tim Brummels, CEO of Synbiotic Health, approached Stephens with an intriguing pitch: to make a probiotic chocolate.
The scientists at Synbiotic Health were trying to figure out why metabolic disorders had been on the rise over the past few decades. According to Brummels, as our foods became more processed, the dietary fiber was removed and replaced with sugar. The average Western diet only has 5 grams of dietary fiber a day instead of the 25-35 grams needed to maintain a healthy gut. This dietary fiber feeds the bacteria in the gut, so the lack of fiber has caused many people to experience what’s called a “leaky gut syndrome,” a proposed digestive condition in which intestinal lining allows bacteria and other toxins to permeate into the bloodstream.
70% of the immune system resides in the gut, yet many people use probiotics, and still suffer from metabolic disorders. Synbiotic Health set out to create a second-generation probiotic strain. The two strains were discovered and clinically tested by UNL researchers. They are human-gut native, meaning they naturally reside in the human gut, whereas most probiotics on the market derive from soil and plants. The human gut native strains are more effective in healing the human gut microbiome.
After Synbiotic Health commercialized the strand, they needed a food product to contain it. Chocolate has zero water activity, and it stabilizes the probiotics. Brummels contacted Stephens to make this new product in a supplement form. “Melissa approached this project as a scientist. She said to me, ‘Show me the science.’ She took the P.h.D. publications of our research and read them. She came to Lincoln to tour our labs. She was excited,” Brummels said.
Stephens took her favorite melt-away recipe and got to work to create Ele Chocolates. It took about two years to get the process right. The product is gluten free, 100% organic, and made with fair trade chocolate. There are no fillers added. The Ele Chocolate bites are created with just the essentials that are “elemental to your health.”
According to Stephens, Ele comes from the word “elemental” because of the science behind the chocolate probiotics. But Ele also stands for elegant.
The Ele Bites include 70% Peruvian dark chocolate, coconut oil, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium longum, Inulin, and xylooligosaccharides. It’s a heady list, but studies have shown that the probiotics are clinically studied to support both digestive and immune health.
“Everyone knows that dark chocolate is good for you. Yet many chocolate manufacturers strip out the nutrients and add other additives in their chocolates that diminish the good qualities of the chocolate,” Stephens explained.
“When your gut health is in balance, the rest of your body can be in balance. The gut is called the ‘second brain’ because it produces all our serotonin and dopamine,” Stephens continued. One thing that sets Synbiotic Health’s product apart from other probiotics is that the company “tests” them on humans by sending samples regularly to evaluate bioactivity.
“We did a three-day test trial, and yes, 99% of the participants reported an overall improvement in their gut health within just a few days. With longer use, most reported improvements in immune health, brain health, and skin health,” Stephens said.
Stephens’ daughter, Hannah Humeniuk, had always struggled with eczema, and she suggested that she try the Ele Chocolate Bites to see if they would help.
“We never knew what triggered my eczema,” Humeniuk shared. “I tried a keto diet and restricting gluten. I started taking the probiotics, and after a month, the eczema was gone. Then I had two months off, and it all came back. These two strains are amazing. With this one chocolate a day, my eczema is completely gone, and I can even eat bread and pasta. I am 100% a case study.”
Humeniuk was impressed by her results, so she partnered with Stephens on the Ele Chocolate product line. Humeniuk, an animator who lives in Pennsylvania, works remotely as the brand director for Ele Chocolates. She handles the creative elements of the website, social media, and packaging, and the animations are her handiwork.
“Part of what Hannah brings to the table is the fun. Most probiotics don’t seem fun. It allows us to tell a story and engage the personality of the product. She has a great way of bringing the product to life that would otherwise be mundane,” Stephens said.
“For me it has been a dream come true. I’ve had many family members work at the Cordial Cherry, including my mom and all my kids. I’m a 3D artist, and Hannah is a sketch artist. When this opportunity to work together came up, it was perfect because she gets to tell her story. It allows us to talk every day. Eventually this will be her business,” Stephens added.
Humeniuk also feels blessed to be a part of the business. “While I’m off on the East Coast, I can still be part of it. I remember when I was 13, and I created a Jack Skeleton cherry. I liked being part of the creative process. This role as the brand director is a way that I can still be connected to my family,” Humeniuk said.
What do other Ele Chocolates customers say?
Janet Smidlein’s daughter, Morgan, has always experienced indigestion, which included reflux and digestive sensitivity, and issues eating certain foods. They both decided to try Ele Bites.
“The chocolate has helped Morgan with having less burping and constipation. Her gut feels a lot better,” Smidlein shared. “It has helped me lose weight. It calms my gut. I feel more regular. It’s subtle but when you stop taking them—you really notice a difference. It’s easy. You aren’t choking down pills. The ingredients are good. It’s backed by good science. We feel better and have more energy. For my daughter, it has been a game changer. It just calms her gut.”
Teresa Handle first tasted the chocolates in the fall of 2023 as a sample at the Cordial Cherry. “I loved the taste and decided to start a monthly subscription for myself and my daughter [Melanie Colanino]. Within a few weeks of regular daily consumption, I noticed improved digestion and less bloating after meals. The chocolate has also helped with regularity and has reduced or eliminated indigestion after eating a heavy or spicy meal,” Handle said.
“My stomach has always tended to be a tad sensitive when I eat off my normal routine. Ever since I started taking Ele Bites, I’ve noticed fewer issues when I eat at restaurants and overall, less indigestion,” Colanino added.
When Todd Sales’ daughter Faith was 13, she was in a head-on collision. She almost died, and the accident impacted her intestines. “We saw specialists all over the country. Then a friend told us about Ele Chocolates. After one week she was regular and going to the bathroom every day. The Ele Chocolates have been a miracle for her. It has changed her outlook and confidence,” Sales said.
As the packaging for the Ele Chocolates states, “Ele Chocolates is a labor of love between artisanal chocolatiers and esteemed researchers that are dedicated to developing a probiotic supplement that is effective and nutritious as it is delicious.”
“I have been in the chocolate industry a long time. There is no other company focusing on high-quality chocolates that are gourmet and good for you. This new venture has allowed me to tap into my passion for science and health while also producing a beautiful gourmet product,” Stephens said.
“We want people to indulge in their health,” added Humeniuk.
For more information, visit elechocolates.com.
This article originally appeared in the October 2024 issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
