Serendipitous describes The Jam Stand’s origins to a tee. Feeling unsatisfied with her fashion marketing job and unsure of what to do next, co-founder Sabrina Valle decamped for Ecuador. In between tasting the local cuisine and visiting family, she took a side trip to Patagonia where she sampled the best jam she’d ever had.
Back in her Williamsburg pad, Valle recruited the help of bestie Jessica Quon and the duo tried their hand at jam making. The first attempt was a tiny disaster; anyone ever attempt to hand-peel hundreds of slippery grapes? But after much trial and error, the self-taught jam maestros have seen their fruity spreads featured in the likes of Food Network, In Style and New York Magazine.
What makes The Jam Stand unique are the ingredients and the flavor combinations. Locavore-minded, the twentysomethings use only fresh fruits from local farms.
Then there are the unconventional flavors—everything from an autumnal chai pumpkin to a fiery peach sriracha. On the boozier spectrum sits grown-up flavors like a bourbon blueberry, a banana rum and a sweet red onion blended with Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Just try finding that in your supermarket aisle!