Start a preserve and jam business

Making preserves is quite often referred to as a hobby. This would be example of making your business your hobby. It is so much better to have something you love or really have a passion that you can make a living out of since there are so many people in the work force who can’t wait for the weekends.

Sometimes one will make jelly, (or jam as we call it over here, but I’m going to stick to the American term for now.) marmalade or pickled vegetables and fruit and give them away as Christmas presents. It’s cheaper to make. It’s also mostly more flavoursome, especially when you know what is going in the bottle. Making preserves to sell is not a difficult business to get yourself into. It won’t cost you a lot to start the business. You will need a lot of fruit and probably the largest expense you will have will be the glass jars.

Interesting Preserves to sell

People like things that they are used to like strawberry jelly and orange marmalade, but most people are willing to try something new such as

• Tomato and Chili Jam
• Peach and Vanilla Jam
• Caramelized Onion Marmalade
• Unsweetened Strawberry Jam
• Pickled Beets
• Preserved Lemons

Label the jars attractively and you can sell a variety of jams and preserves in a box that is made up especially.

Start marketing your product at farmers markets and craft fairs and from there you could send them to various shops on a commission basis. Once you have established yourself you can start going to hotels, drug stores and cafeterias.

Fraser Doherty is one of Britain’s youngest entrepreneurs. When Fraser was just 14 he bought some fruit and sugar and with his grandmother’s recipe made five jars of sugar free jam which he sold for profit. Soon he was selling at fairs, markets and to the local neighbours. His business thrived until he was working 16 hours a day in his parents tiny kitchen, producing 1000 jars a week. At 18 years of age he has his own factory and has a deal with a major supermarket in Britain, distributing the Superjam.

Sterilization of Jars

• It is important that the jars are clean and sterilized otherwise the fruit or preserves will spoil very quickly.
• Wash the jars and lids with warm soapy water
• Bring Water to the boil
• Keep the jars submerged in water for 5 minutes
• Take them out with tongs and let the water drain before turning them the right way around on paper towels
• Don’t put cold food into hot jars and vice versa

Recipe for Strawberry Jelly

2 pounds /1 kg strawberries

4 cups white sugar

¼ cup lemon juice

Jelly jars

• It is helpful to have a cooking thermometer making jam.
• Cut the stalks off the strawberries
• In a bowl, crush the strawberries in batches until you have four cups of mashed berries
• In a heavy bottomed saucepan mix together the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice
• Stir over a gentle heat and increase the heat to high when the sugar is dissolved. Bring  the mixture to a boil and continue to boil, stirring often until the mixture reaches 220 F /105C
• Sterilize the jars in boiling water and take them out with tongs
• Leave about ¼ inch between the bottle and the lid.

Recipe for Orange Marmalade

       3 large or 4 medium-sized oranges

        2 large or 3 medium-sized lemons

      5 cups sugar

        3 oz. liquid fruit pectin

       Lemon Juice

      Jars 

         Lids

•   Sterilize the jars
• Peel and cut into thin slices or zest the skin from the oranges and lemons leaving only the white behind.
• Place the peel and 1½  cups water into a saucepan. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Chop the fruit without the white part and squeeze all the juice out. Add fruit and juice to the rind and water. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
•  Add the fruit to the sugar. Bring the fruit to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
• Add fruit pectin and return to a boil for 1 minute.
• Remove the marmalade from the heat and skim off any foam using with a metal spoon. Fill the jars immediately to within 1/8  inch of the tops.
• Wipe the jar rims