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Seventeen farms. One small storefront on Broadway. That ratio alone explains why Sweet Willow Herbals & Cafe has become one of the most talked-about wellness destinations in Brown County. Sweet Willow in De Pere focuses on locally sourced healthy products, and it does so through a tightly connected network of regional growers, an in-house apothecary, and a café menu built almost entirely around plants grown within driving distance of the shop.

Co-owner Kathleen Ratteree describes the business as “small but mighty,” a phrase that captures both its compact footprint and its outsized role in the local food and wellness scene [3]. What started as a modest herbal co-op in 2014 has grown into a hub where groceries, herbal remedies, and a full café menu operate under one roof [10][12].

Key Takeaways

• Sweet Willow in De Pere focuses on locally sourced healthy products by partnering with 17 regional farms that use sustainable and organic growing methods [11].
• The shop sells bulk organic and wildcrafted herbs, more than 60 in-house tea blends, salves, liniments, and natural body-care items [1][10].
• The attached café serves plant-forward, largely vegan and vegetarian dishes, with many gluten-free options [1][6][11].
• Sweet Willow has operated in Brown County since 2014, moving locations twice before settling at 109 S Broadway in east De Pere [3][10].
• Education is central to the business model, with regular classes and workshops led by local producers and herbalists [1][7].

How Sweet Willow in De Pere Focuses on Locally Sourced Healthy Products

The phrase “food as medicine” is not just marketing language at Sweet Willow. According to Downtown De Pere’s local-food guide, the shop’s entire philosophy ties everyday eating directly to preventive health, and that philosophy is built on its relationships with 17 local farms practicing sustainable and organic agriculture [11]. Rather than treating groceries and café ingredients as separate from its herbal products, Sweet Willow blends them into one cohesive wellness offering.

This approach shows up on the shelves and in the kitchen. Customers browsing the retail floor find bulk organic and wildcrafted herbs and spices, loose-leaf teas, herbal-infused oils, natural cleaning products, and bath and body items, many of which draw on ingredients grown by those same partner farms [1][6][10]. The café, meanwhile, translates that local produce into fresh, plant-forward meals. Multiple business profiles note that the menu leans heavily vegan and vegetarian, with a significant share of dishes also being gluten-free, making the café a practical stop for health-conscious diners rather than just a specialty grocery [1][6][11][15].

A Product Lineup Built Around Wellness

Sweet Willow’s retail identity centers on a few standout categories:

Category	Examples	Notes
Bulk herbs and spices	Organic and wildcrafted varieties	Sold loose for custom use [1][10]
Teas	60-plus in-house blends	Custom blending available [1][10]
Body care	Salves, liniments, infused oils	Made with herbal ingredients [1][6]
Household	Natural cleaning products	Positioned as chemical-conscious alternatives [1][10]
Café menu	Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free dishes	Uses locally sourced produce [1][6][11]

This combination of shelf-stable wellness products and fresh café fare is part of what the Better Business Bureau captures when it categorizes the business under herbs, restaurants, and vitamins and supplements simultaneously, a rare triple classification that reflects how broadly Sweet Willow operates within a small footprint [12].

The Business Behind Sweet Willow’s Local Sourcing Model

Understanding why Sweet Willow in De Pere focuses on locally sourced healthy products requires looking at its history. The business has served Brown County since 2014, originally operating as a herbal co-op [2][8][10][12]. According to a detailed profile in the Green Bay Press-Gazette, the company spent five years in a Bellevue location before relocating to west De Pere, and then moved roughly three years ago to its current address at 109 S Broadway in east De Pere [3].

Ownership has evolved alongside the location changes. Herdman became the sole owner after buying out original partners Radue and Green, and in 2023, Kathleen Ratteree joined as co-owner [3]. That leadership shift appears to have reinforced, rather than diluted, the company’s local-sourcing mission, the same Green Bay Press-Gazette report frames the current era of the business around exactly that focus [3].

“Small but mighty” is how co-owner Kathleen Ratteree describes Sweet Willow, a business that punches well above its square footage [3].

Education as Part of the Local Food Mission

Sweet Willow does not stop at selling local products. The business treats education as a core service, running classes and workshops that connect customers directly with regional growers and herbalists [1][7]. One recent example: a workshop taught by Dianna and Adam of Adam’s Heirlooms, scheduled for a Tuesday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., demonstrating ongoing collaboration between Sweet Willow and other local producers [7][14].

This educational layer matters for the local-food narrative because it turns a simple transaction, buying tea or a salve, into a broader community relationship. Customers are not just purchasing a product; they are learning where it came from and how to use it, which reinforces the shop’s identity as a wellness education center rather than a purely retail operation.

Recognition Across Regional Directories

Sweet Willow’s reputation extends well beyond its own marketing. Regional guides such as Definitely De Pere list it under café, bakery, and specialty-food categories, situating it firmly within the downtown local-food scene [6][11]. A Fox 11 feature on Broadway in De Pere also included Sweet Willow among the standout shopping destinations for unique gifts [13]. Review platforms echo the same themes: TripAdvisor describes the business as specializing in health and wellness coaching, classes, and herbal products, while Yelp and similar listings characterize it as a niche spot for herbal remedies, teas, and health-conscious café food [2][9].

Demand data backs up this reputation. A Spectrum News 1 segment from late November 2023 quoted Ratteree calling that year’s Thanksgiving weekend “fantastic,” ranking it second only to the post-pandemic surge in business [15]. The same report described Sweet Willow as a health and wellness store with groceries and a café, a diversified model that likely helps the small business stay resilient even as consumer spending fluctuates [15].

Visiting Sweet Willow in De Pere

For those planning a visit, the shop is located at 109 S Broadway, De Pere, WI 54115, and can be reached at 920-632-4696 [1][2][4][6][12]. As of the shop’s 2026-updated contact page, hours are:

• Tuesday through Thursday: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Friday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Closed Sunday and Monday [4]

Given the shop’s compact size, arriving earlier in the day offers the best chance to browse the full range of bulk herbs, teas, and café offerings before busier afternoon hours.

Conclusion

Sweet Willow in De Pere focuses on locally sourced healthy products through a deliberate combination of farm partnerships, an herbal apothecary, a plant-forward café, and ongoing community education. Its network of 17 sustainable and organic farms, more than 60 house-blended teas, and a decade-plus track record in Brown County together explain why the business has earned recognition from regional media, review platforms, and downtown business directories alike.

Anyone interested in local, health-focused shopping in De Pere should consider stopping by 109 S Broadway during posted hours, checking the shop’s class schedule for upcoming workshops, or exploring its online store for herbal products and custom tea blends. For a small business, Sweet Willow offers an unusually complete picture of what it means to eat, shop, and learn with local wellness in mind.

References

[1] sweetwillowwellness – https://www.sweetwillowwellness.com/ [2] Restaurant Review G59817 D22962758 Reviews Sweet Willow Herbals Cafe De Pere Wisconsin – https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g59817-d22962758-Reviews-Sweet_Willow_Herbals_Cafe-De_Pere_Wisconsin.html [3] greenbaypressgazette – https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/money/companies/2026/09/05/sweet-willow-in-de-pere-focuses-on-locally-sourced-healthy-products/91576875007/ [4] Contact – https://www.sweetwillowwellness.com/contact [6] Sweet Willow Herbal Co Op 2 – https://definitelydepere.org/places/sweet-willow-herbal-co-op-2/ [7] Classes Education – https://www.sweetwillowwellness.com/classes-education [8] Dream Taste Boba Tea 781751248 – https://www.mapquest.com/us/wisconsin/dream-taste-boba-tea-781751248 [9] Sweet Willow Herbals And Cafe De Pere 3 – https://www.yelp.com/biz/sweet-willow-herbals-and-cafe-de-pere-3 [10] Aqua Bella 438709236 – https://www.mapquest.com/us/wisconsin/aqua-bella-438709236