Shelly and Mark Rice are the owners and creators of Pure Memory Water – great tasting, non-GMO, sugar-free organic botanical beverages that provide optimal hydration to help nourish the brain. All their beverages are packaged in environmentally friendly glass bottles to protect the potency of their organic natural ingredients. All Pure Memory beverages are proudly bottled in the USA.
Their continued mission is to create enhanced beverages for health-conscious consumers, who like themselves, are concerned about maintaining their optimal cognitive function. They are determined to continue to develop great tasting, non-GMO, sugar-free, organic botanical drinks that will provide hydration and enhance memory. Not to mention their beverages also supply immune system support, antioxidants for cell integrity, and a refreshing energy boost!
Get to know Shelly and Mark as they share the touching story of how a lifestyle change sprouted into a business, the not-so-secret ingredient to their products, what they wish more consumers knew about wellness, and why they are proud to be Indiana Owned.
What was the motivation behind developing Pure Memory Water?
We were inspired by family members fighting dementia and determined to avoid joining the 5.7 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease.
We developed the water as our first beverage. My husband, Mark, developed this in our kitchen 10-11 years ago with rosemary after my mother, Mary Lou was diagnosed with dementia. As soon as we found out about the diagnosis, we started to panic and wonder “is this genetic?” We found out that it’s not necessarily genetic but can be impacted by lifestyle choices. I started doing all the research on sugar, processed foods, and a lot of the chemicals that they put into processed foods. This really motivated Mark and me to implement more healthy choices within our own family.
Mark would start out with a huge batch and just kept tweaking the formula with different flavors (because drinking straight rosemary does not sound like a pleasant experience). We continued to grow different kinds of rosemary in our own backyard, and after trial and error, we finally got very close to the formula we have today! When it came to flavor, we were adamant about not having sugar in our product, so we opted for a touch of stevia and fruit to lighten the taste and heighten the lemon and lime flavors.
We started making the water with a big infuser in our kitchen, sharing it with family and friends, and that ultimately jump-started the decision to work with a chemist to perfect the formula. We chose glass bottles for our packaging because we didn’t want plastic bottles leaching plastic toxins into the beverage. We chose glass packaging because it’s much purer, hence our name “Pure Memory Water.”
Were there any surprises during the launch of your business?
There are so many boomers that we know facing the same challenges we did watching family members fight dementia and or battle Alzheimer’s. Simultaneously these people are also trying to protect their own health through preventative measures. Therefore, we knew that we had something that was going to be a beneficial product for other people like ourselves.
What we didn’t anticipate was our kids (who are now in their thirties) are some of our greatest fans of the brand! We soon realized we were on to a whole different generation. They found that the energy shot did not cause an afternoon crash and kept them feeling alert. Not only does the shot have all the great properties of rosemary, but it has about 80 milligrams of caffeine (which is the equivalent of a cup of coffee), but because it’s coming from different sources, you don’t get those jitters since it’s sugar-free. Most coffee drinks are laden with sugar, or artificial sweeteners, which in my opinion, are even worse than a straight cup of coffee.
What is something you wish more people knew about health and nourishment?
My greatest advice would be to avoid eating anything out of a box. Get away from processed foods and start nourishing your body with natural, whole foods. Most importantly, listen to your body, because there is a cause and effect with everything you consume.
With that in mind, you’re also allowed to give yourself a break. There’s no way you’re going to be perfect, and it’s okay to eat certain foods in moderation.
Another piece of advice I would offer to those who want to make healthier choices is to shop near the outside aisles of the grocery store. In the grocery store, the main interior aisles consist of processed foods. When it comes to processed foods, my philosophy has always been “if it didn’t make it into my house, it wasn’t an issue.” Because if there’s junk food around, it is very tempting to indulge.
What goals have you set as a business owner?
I had a very eye-opening experience regarding the lack of dignity in the way that we take care of elders in our society. I could get on my soapbox and go on and on about this, but this relates to one of our goals as a company: we want Pure Memory Water to be able to leave a legacy that will be impactful for future generations for anyone that does suffer from Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other brain disorders.
Why are you proud to be Indiana Owned?
Mark and I were both born and raised in Indianapolis. Our families go back at least three generations in Indiana, born and raised. In short, Indiana is our home, and we knew we wanted to start our business here. Being a member of Indiana Owned was important to us for exactly those reasons. I think that it’s really a cool opportunity to be highlighted as a local business. Indiana Owned’s mission to support local is awesome because we all want to buy local, and it can be challenging to find those local businesses.
Prior to joining Indiana Owned, I had extensively used IndianaOwned.com to discover local businesses. Having always been based in Indiana, it was exciting to finally be an Indiana Owned member just because we are proud to have grown up here and raised our family here. Our roots are here, and this is undoubtedly our place.
Once we joined Indiana Owned, I was pleasantly surprised to experience such openness within networking. As a newer member, I know that if I needed help, I would feel very comfortable reaching out to either Mel or other members of the community. I would say that beyond networking, being a part of Indiana Owned feels like a family in the sense that “we’re all in this together.” From attending our first quarterly meeting, it felt good to know that we have a supportive local community behind us.
What is the greatest challenge in your industry?
The greatest challenge we face is being a small fish in a big ocean. Every placement we receive for our product is huge! We formally started our first run of Pure Memory Water in late 2019. We planned to enter stores at the beginning of 2020. In January 2020, my mother passed away. At that point, you must pick yourself up and take time to catch your breath, so we took about a month off. Soon after, the pandemic began, and it was extremely challenging being a new company with no track record established. Given the unfortunate timing, COVID was a huge roadblock for us.
Aside from that circumstance, getting placement in stores is an ongoing process that can take from four weeks to six months.
What is the most rewarding aspect of what you do?
One of the most rewarding aspects is knowing that we have the potential to help people live healthier lifestyles through our products. I think we’re most proud of the fact that we can bring our products to the masses to alleviate someone from developing horrible diseases like Alzheimer’s. We want to be remembered for creating a product that naturally changes the course of someone’s memory and well-being in a way that is just immeasurable. We get really emotional about that aspect because if we can change that for my family and the generations to come, that will be monumental.
Best advice you have ever received?
Years ago, a mentor of mine planted the thought in my head that is, “find whatever you are passionate about and figure out a way to make a living out of it.” I have found that what I do every day is a rewarding path for me.
What is one fun fact about yourself or your business that people may not know about?
Mark and I are both ridiculously passionate about travel (here we are pictured traveling in Ireland). We’re always up for an adventure to travel somewhere new! If somebody called us tomorrow and said, “you can go such and such and you can sell Pure Memory Water and write it off,” we would be there in a heartbeat. The experience of being in new places and learning about different cultures is invaluable.
Can you leave us with one really great book recommendation?
On a regular basis, I re-read The Magic of Believing by Claude Bristol. It’s all based on the fact that when you believe in something strong enough, you’re planting that seed in your subconscious that you can manifest those goals. Our entire lives, Mark and I have lived by that mantra.
My current obsession is The CEO’s Guide to Marketing: The Book Every Marketer Should Read Before Their Boss Does by Lonny Kocina. They dive into the SAM 6 process which is centered around strategically aimed marketing. It’s one of the best marketing books I have ever read because it’s more interactive and prompts different steps in the process that you can do.
Where can we find Pure Memory Water?
So many places! Pure Memory Water is always available on our website, as well as at the locations listed below.
We are also at the Original Farmers Market (hosted by Indianapolis City Market, an Indiana Owned Member) on Wednesdays 10 AM-1:30 PM and at the Binford Farmers Market on Saturdays 8 AM- 12 PM!
We are very excited to get placement on a regional level here in Indiana, and we have set the long-term goal to receive placement on a national level too!
86th Street Fresh Thyme Market
86th Street Fresh Thyme Market
2342 W 86th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46260
Broad Ripple Fresh Thyme Market
6301 N College Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46220
82nd Street Fresh Thyme Market
4225 E 82nd Street
Indianapolis, IN 46250
Greenwood Fresh Thyme Market
8750 S US Hwy 31
Indianapolis, IN 46227
Fishers Fresh Thyme Market
11481 E 116th Street
Fishers, IN 46037
Carmel Fresh Thyme Market
14727 Fresh Thyme Market Drive
Carmel, IN 46033
Avon Fresh Thyme Market
9040 Rockville Road
Indianapolis, IN 46234
Evansville Fresh Thyme Market
1121 Hirschland Road
Evansville, IN 47715
Georgetown Market (Indiana Owned Member)
4375 Georgetown Road
Indianapolis, IN 46254
Patel Brothers Castleton
6302 E 82nd Street
Indianapolis, IN 46250
Brickhouse Coffee Co. at Geist Shoppes
9771 Fall Creek Road
Indianapolis, IN 46256
🍋 Learn more about Pure Memory Water here. You can also find them on Facebook and Instagram!
Want to be our next featured member? Sign up to become an Indiana Owned member today, and explore all the benefits of joining the community here!
Featured images: Pure Memory Water
