If you haven’t come across aronia berries yet, you’re in for a bit of a discovery. PhyterBerry are a small West Cork company that produce an exciting range of products from the small but mighty aronia berry, and they have quickly become one of our favourite brands at Organico.
At the heart of it all is Dr. Steve Collins, a medical doctor, nutrition expert, and humanitarian who has spent over 30 years tackling malnutrition across the globe. After decades working in some of the world’s toughest environments, Steve returned home to West Cork with a new mission: addressing a different kind of malnutrition - the kind driven by modern diets, stress, and chronic health issues.
His solution was to go back to the land, apply science, and grow something genuinely nourishing, which is where aronia comes in.
Why Aronia?
Aronia berries (also known as chokeberries) have been used traditionally in North America for centuries, for everything from supporting immunity to preserving food. What makes them special is that they are exceptionally rich in polyphenols, the natural plant compounds that give deeply coloured fruits their vibrant hues, and their health benefits.In fact, aronia berries have the highest polyphenol content of any fruit, containing 3–4 times more polyphenols than blueberries.
Polyphenols are known for supporting:
Metabolic health
Balanced blood sugar levels
Gut microbiome health
Protection against oxidative stress
Aronia also has the benefit of being naturally low in sugar, and the type of sugar it contains (called sorbitol) actually feeds beneficial gut bacteria!
Grown with Purpose
PhyterBerry’s approach to farming is as central to their mission as the berry itself. The aronia berries in their products are farmed organically, using regenerative practices that support biodiversity and soil health, rather than depleting it, as well as maximising the nutrient (and polyphenol) content of the berries. So it’s a win win for the land and our health!
Hannah and Rachel visited Steve on Derry Duff Organic Farm (where some of the berries in the PhyterBerry products are grown) to find out more about the aronia berry and his farming philosophy. Watch the video below for their conversation.
The PhyterBerry Range
One of the lovely things about the PhyterBerry range is how flexible it is. Whether you prefer a juice, a powder stirred into breakfast, or a capsule you can take on the go, they’ve got an aronia product to suit your routine and lifestyle.
This is the most straightforward entry point into the range: a 100% organic Irish aronia berry juice, cold-pressed, bottled and ready to drink. It’s made using aronia berries grown on Irish farms, with nothing added and nothing taken away.
Rich in naturally occurring polyphenols and full of that deep purple colour that reflects its anthocyanin content (the type of polyphenols that give many fruits and vegetables their deep red, purple, and blue colours), this juice is an easy daily option for anyone who wants the benefits of aronia in its purest form. You can take it neat as a daily shot, or dilute it with still or sparkling water if you prefer a lighter taste. It’s simple, convenient, and ideal for anyone new to aronia.
For those who are committed (or sharing!), this 3L juice box makes daily use convenient and more economical. The cold-pressed organic aronia juice has no added sugar or preservatives, and is packaged in a box with a dispensing tap for easy pouring.
It offers around 30 servings per box, making it a practical choice for households or anyone building aronia into their long-term wellness routine. Ideal for anyone looking to replace their morning orange juice with a healthier option,this juice is naturally low in sugar rich in polyphenols, and versatile enough to enjoy neat, diluted with water, or added into smoothies and other drinks. It also works well as a bold, alcohol-free alternative when you want something grown-up and rich in flavour.
The Aronia Essence is a concentrated juice format designed for smaller servings. Made from organic aronia berry juice from West Cork farms, just 15ml diluted in water or another drink gives you a strong aronia hit without needing to drink a full glass of juice.
It’s also easy to stir into yoghurt, cereal, or smoothies. This one is a good choice for people who want versatility, but still prefer a liquid rather than powder format.
The Focus powder is the “whole food” powder in the range, specially targeted towards gut health. It is made from the whole berry, freeze-dried and milled, so it keeps not only the polyphenols but also the natural fibre of the fruit - nutrients which, together, help stimulate natural GLP-1 production, a hormone that plays an important role in regulating blood sugar, appetite, and digestion. (GLP1, which is synthesized in weight loss drugs such as Ozempic, is naturally produced in the body in response to certain nutrients.)
Because it contains both soluble and insoluble fibre along with polyphenols, it supports the microbiome as well as broader metabolic health, so it’s a good fit for anyone interested in targeting blood sugar balance and digestive health.
The texture is a little more fibrous than the extract powders, so it works best mixed into yoghurt, porridge, or smoothies, rather than into plain drinks.
The Life powder is a concentrated aronia extract powder, made by filtering organic berries and then drying the extract into an easy-to-use powder. It is rich in polyphenols and designed as a daily metabolic support product.
Compared with the Focus powder, this one is less about fibre and more about delivering a concentrated source of aronia’s active compounds to support steady energy, antioxidant intake, and blood glucose balance. It mixes easily into smoothies, yoghurt, cereal, or even juice or water.
This is the highest-strength powder in the range, designed specifically for those doing regular training or sport. It delivers a higher daily dose of polyphenols than the standard powders, making it the more concentrated option for active bodies under higher oxidative stress.
When you exercise intensely, your body naturally produces more free radicals, which can contribute to inflammation, soreness, and slower recovery. The idea behind this powder is that aronia’s high polyphenol content helps support the body’s antioxidant defences and recovery processes. It can be added to smoothies, shakes, yoghurt, porridge, or water, and is best taken with food. For anyone training hard, this is the powerhouse product of the range.
These capsules are the handy, travel-friendly member of the range. Made with aronia berry extract, they give you a measured amount of polyphenols in a format that’s easy to take every morning and easy to pack in a bag or suitcase.
With a recommended serving of just two capsules daily, they’re especially useful for busy people who want consistency without having to pour, mix, or refrigerate anything. Although it is made with organic aronia berries, this is the one product in the range that is not technically organic, due to the alcohol extraction method used to make this concentrated extract. Even so, it remains a very practical and simple nutraceutical-style option for daily use.
A Simpler Kind of Superfood
What we really like about PhyterBerry, at Organico, is that it doesn’t feel like a trend-led “superfood” brand. It’s rooted in a real commitment to evidence-based nutrition, and is farmed locally with integrity, which is always a bonus for us. In a world where so much is over-processed and over-complicated, there’s something refreshing about a product that delivers what your body actually needs, in a no-fuss, convenient form with no nasty extras.
