DailyMail Online: Sugar, butter, a bucket of strawberries and a little lemon! Homemade strawberry jam is back in fashion! This is partly due to budget savings, as well as the prototype of consumers who prefer organically healthy food. In addition, summer is just around the corner - a brilliant time for growing fruits and berries (raspberries and other products necessary for the production of jam).

“Jam is losing its old-fashioned image and becoming popular with young people,” says entrepreneur Fraser Doherty, founder of SuperJam. It somehow occurred to him to collect all the recipes for making jam from his grandmother and make his first million, before even reaching 20 years old.

Where to make jam?

Young Doherty began producing jam products in his parents' kitchen, so aspiring entrepreneurs who are looking for one may also think about implementing this idea. Thanks to my grandmother's recipes, jams were extremely popular at farmers' markets and gourmet food markets. After some time, the young man developed his own technology for the production of jam, using only fruit (no sugar). This idea applies to .

Using 100% fruit is an innovation. The unique recipe was called SuperJam. The young man attracted the attention of a depressing factory with his delicious jam. Over time, their interest was fully justified.

Having installed production equipment, created and promoted the brand, and improved his own recipes, Fraser became the youngest supplier to Waitrose (a large supermarket chain). The first agreement was signed in March 2007. This happened at the age of 16. At that time, almost all Waitrose branches sold SuperJam. Since then, SuperJam products have been sold all over the world. SuperJam now supplies products to more than 2,000 supermarkets around the world (Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose, Sainsbury's) in Australia, Russia, Denmark, Ireland and Finland.

Register your business

A popular option for registering a small business is to open a limited liability company. Type of taxation – simplified tax system with the object income minus expenses. To open a full-fledged mini workshop, LLC is an ideal option. In addition, further expansion of the enterprise and hiring of workers is possible.

If you decide to make jam at home and do not plan to hire staff, register as a private entrepreneur. The main advantage of an individual entrepreneur is the ease of paperwork and minimal taxes.

Get a report from the sanitary and epidemiological station

Believe me, this is one of the most difficult stages. The quality of jam is assessed by “Jam. General technical conditions". Coordination with the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision authorities is required to ensure that the content of toxic elements and microbiological indicators is monitored.

It is necessary to draw up a technology for manufacturing the product - specifications or technical conditions. The document must be agreed upon with the sanitary and epidemiological station. You need to obtain permits from the SES: an operating permit and a manufacturer’s declaration. A sanitary and hygienic conclusion from the SES for the final product is also required. This document confirms product compliance with established requirements, norms and rules. The permit is issued for a period of 3 to 5 years.

Other food production ideas:

Find a suitable room

First option– making jam at home. You need a large kitchen, with an area of ​​20 square meters. Suitable for mini production.

Second option– arrangement of a full-fledged workshop for processing berries. Suitable area – 70 sq.m. To save money, it is better to organize production on the outskirts of the city or in the suburbs.

Arrange supplies of raw materials

It is difficult to ensure uninterrupted jam production. Therefore, this is done mainly in the summer. The price of raw materials varies from season to season. Making jam or cooking preserves from frozen berries is also unprofitable, and the quality is lost.

You need to enter into an agreement with producers of agricultural products. There are more than enough suppliers.

Buy equipment

To organize the production process you will need:

• cutting table and washing bath – preparation of raw materials;
• production plant and containers for berry processing;
• , jar rinser, lid and jar sterilizer;
• finished product bottling installations – jam packaging;
• and – capping of finished products
• freezers and refrigerators – storage of raw materials and jam;
• additional equipment (containers, trays, scales, sifter).

Examples of electronic materials on complex multifunctional installations can be found.

Jam is a product whose production and consumption are absolutely polar. Thus, it is profitable to produce jam in the summer, when prices for raw materials (berries and some fruits) are lowest. At the same time, you want to eat sweet treats more in winter than in summer. Therefore, many domestic producers make jam in the summer mainly from local fruits and berries, and in the winter from fruit purchased from foreign suppliers. The profitability of this business, according to various sources, is 25–30%.

According to research by marketing experts, the Russian market for preserves and jams is growing at a rapid pace. More and more varied and high-quality products are appearing on store shelves. Unlike the West, the Russian jam market is still too small, but the traditions of consuming this delicacy have been known for a long time.

To organize your own jam production, you do not need large investments and complex technological solutions. Equipment can be purchased from domestic suppliers, and the production workshop itself can be opened in the conditions of a regular farm.

One of the key tasks for a newly minted manufacturer is to create a good assortment, including the addition of exotic solutions. At the same time, “exotic” itself is not something incredible and expensive. Most recipes for making unusual jam are culinary classics. So, orange with the addition of lavender is a well-known French confiture.

When creating jam, the head chef is given full scope for imagination. Much depends on his qualifications and invention. Often, even the strangest combinations of flavors turn out to be the most popular among customers.

You can earn more through beautiful product packaging. Jars of delicious jam can be presented as a good gift. This will allow you to set a price above the market average.

Raw materials issue

Proper supply of raw materials is the most important issue in the production of this product. The final price of jam can be very high if you miscalculate the recipe and ingredients. So, from one kilogram of oranges only 200 grams of jam are obtained, and the cost of raw materials alone is 40 rubles. You also need to include the costs of electricity, wages, packaging, rent of premises, advertising, etc.

It is not difficult to arrange supplies of raw materials for the production of preserves and marmalade. Just go to the well-known resource all.biz, where you can find hundreds of offers for the supply of frozen berries: strawberries, raspberries and cherries.

Another issue is the price of raw materials. Here everything is much more complicated, since the cost of berries varies depending on the season. In summer, berries are much cheaper than in winter. Therefore, the main production capacity should be turned on in summer and autumn. But in winter, production will be low in profitability due to rising prices for raw materials.

Stocking up on berries for the winter is not a good idea. The fact is that this will require additional costs for the purchase of freezers. And the product obtained from frozen berries will be of a completely different quality. The situation is slightly different with citrus fruits and kiwi. It is better to buy such fruits in advance at a better price.

Premises and equipment

You can start a business by renting a small workshop, the space of which is enough for the manual production of several types of jam. As orders grow, the need for additional space arises. The most convenient option is to rent space in a canteen or restaurant. This is beneficial in that the canteen premises have already been decorated in accordance with all SES and fire safety rules and will save the entrepreneur from many problems and unnecessary “running around” through authorities. In addition, you can negotiate with the management of the canteen and get at your disposal not only square meters, but also some equipment: washing baths, vegetable cutters, freezers, tables, etc. But such a “service” will cost at least 1000 rubles. per square meter.

The difficulty of producing jam is that this process cannot be fully automated. There are no machines yet that can efficiently separate the zest from citrus fruits. Therefore, most operations have to be done manually. Only some operations can be automated.

For example, washing baths are used to clean berries and fruits. Reception bins are used to prepare raw materials. For sterilization of water and lids - a UV sterilizer, for jars - a rinsing device. The line is complemented by a device for filling products into cans, a device for fastening the lid, and a machine for gluing labels. You can’t do without auxiliary equipment: scales, trays, containers, containers. It is also necessary to have refrigerators and freezers for storing raw materials (frozen berries and fruits).

The cost of purchasing the above equipment will be at least 1 million rubles. Such investments are justified if production volumes are at least 1000 kg of jam per day. A small workshop does not need such expenses. Start-up enterprises should limit themselves to purchasing auxiliary equipment, and allocate most of their efforts and funds to finding premises, a good technologist and product distribution channels.

Technology

The technology may differ depending on the scale of production. This is what the production process looks like at a large enterprise. The berries that are purchased for the production of jam first go to the refrigerated warehouse. Here they are frozen - this will make it easier to process them in the future: discard bad berries and discard leaves with garbage. Part of the batch is sent to the laboratory to analyze quality and compliance with standards.

After this, the berry goes into a special container, where it is mixed with sugar, ground and boiled. When the jam is ready, the stage of pouring the product into jars begins. The container for jam, like the product itself, is subject to pre-treatment. Using a flaw detector, cracks and chips are checked, and defective cans are removed. All bacteria and microbes die in the sterilization chamber.

The jam is poured into jars and the lids are screwed on. The lids are screwed on using automatic equipment, but how tightly the lid is screwed onto each jar is checked manually. At the final stage, a label is affixed to the jars, the finished products are placed in boxes and sent to store shelves.

Search for sales channels

The basis of any production is well-functioning sales of products. This task may not be as simple as many beginners see it.

It is much more profitable to sell jam through retail chains, but access to large stores is closed to small shops. If you are not a large manufacturer with a large turnover, then no network will want to work with you. You simply cannot cover her need.

Most often, beginning jam producers sell their products through specialized retail outlets: organic food stores or gift shops. Small shops within walking distance are also willing to cooperate. Such points often take products on deferred payment or for sale.

You can receive new contracts through exhibitions and after tastings. Jars of jam also sell well at markets and weekend fairs.

With increasing sales volumes, you can think about expanding production space and producing not only preserves, but also jams, confiture, fruit drinks and ice cream.

Making jam as a business could be an interesting option for women to earn money. Let's evaluate its profitability and consider the reviews of those who have already tried to make a profit from a similar project. The attractive thing about this business is that you can organize a mini-workshop with a fully automated production line, or engage in a similar business at home.

Having decided on the scale on which you will produce sweet goods, what recipes to use, as well as the main raw materials for the preparations, you can draw up a detailed business plan. It will help you figure out how much money you will have to spend to implement the idea, and will also become the main diagram of step-by-step actions.

Business Features

It is difficult to imagine a person born and raised in our country who has not eaten jam. This sweetness used to be prepared in every home, and during colds it is still customary to treat with folk remedies - tea with grated raspberries or black currants. For most of us, jam is associated not only with pleasant and natural sweetness, but also with close relatives, their love and care.

But modern conditions dictate their own rules. And it’s rare that a housewife has time to make jam at home. This product is increasingly being purchased in stores. Therefore, many varieties of jams and their analogues appear on the shelves.

The relevance of jam production is also confirmed by the fact that today people, when purchasing, want to receive truly high-quality products made from natural ingredients. And if you can provide an environmentally friendly product made according to homemade or old recipes, then you will definitely succeed. Although no one is stopping you from experimenting with exclusive, original and exotic variations.

Having assessed the market, you can decide that supply exceeds demand and there are too many similar products on store shelves. If you take into account the seasonality of the product, it becomes completely sad. But in fact, jam is not only a winter substitute for fruits, berries and vitamins. It is used as a filling for pancakes, pies, buns, cakes, etc. Therefore, people will constantly buy this product.

Perhaps you shouldn’t dream that your jam business will take a leading position throughout the country, although this is also possible with a successful combination of circumstances. But even if you produce such products within your own region of residence and satisfy the demand for simple orders, you can ensure stable and good profits for a long period.

If you have a limited amount of money in stock and do not want to risk a large investment, it is recommended to start with small batches of jam. After the first profit and success, you can gradually expand production volumes. And only after gaining the trust of customers does it make sense to purchase expensive equipment and enter a wider market.

Documentation

Having decided on what volumes of production and sales you will focus on in your plans, as well as on the sources of capital investments, you can proceed to paperwork. The form of business organization can be individual entrepreneur or LLC.

The first case is more suitable for those who decided to take on a modest project. In this case, the number of required documents and the cost of registration will be less. But if you have co-founders, want to open a bank loan and start setting up a mini jam production workshop, it is still better to register the enterprise as a legal entity.

In any case, the requirements of the state and regulatory authorities for the quality of products will be equally strict. After all, food products are subject to a number of rules. First, read the following documents:

• GOST R 53118-2008 – general technical conditions for making jam;
• GOST 32099-2013 is a similar list of requirements for the production of jam.

If you are going to use your own technology and recipe, then it will have to be additionally approved by the relevant authorities. The final product is sent for examination and the sanitary-epidemiological station, after checking it, issues a conclusion on the quality of the food product. You will also need a certificate for the purchased equipment when installing an automated line.

The most important standards in this case are the cleanliness of the room in which the raw materials are stored and where the jam is prepared, as well as the absence of any poisonous, toxic or other harmful substances in the final product.

If you hire employees to work in the workshop, then each of them must have health certificates. The same goes for a business owner, especially when making a product yourself in your kitchen. Additionally, you need to register with the Pension Fund and the Social Insurance Fund and pay social contributions from your salary or personal income.

Production technology

According to GOST, jam is boiled fruits or berries with sugar, which after all stages of processing retain their integral structure, taste and quality characteristics. Jam and jam have their own differences. And also, depending on the type of raw material and the specific recipe, some other features of the preparation process may change.

So, when making jam at home, housewives often use three main methods:

1. Boil the berries with sugar for about 30-40 minutes.
2. Prepare the same composition, but no longer than 5 minutes.
3. Or they simply grind fresh ingredients with sugar, trying to preserve the maximum of beneficial microelements in the composition.

In industrial production, the entire process goes through the following stages:

• manual sorting, sorting and preparation of raw materials;
• basic processing, that is, boiling;
• sterilization of glass or other types of containers;
• packing and packing.

When creating jam, the technology is slightly different. In this case, the prepared fruits or berries are poured with sugar syrup and boiled. At the very end, pectin syrup is also added.

Product packaging

Containers for packaging and sale most often use glass, thermoplastic polymer or ready-made doy-pack bags. Depending on the sales market, they focus on more suitable volumes.

So, for sale in a store to the end consumer, you can use small jars of 200, 300 or 500 ml. But when selling to companies involved in the preparation of cakes, pies, pastries, you can package the jam in larger containers.

Today, one of the mandatory requirements is the accompanying information on the packaging. Therefore, the manufacturer must indicate the following points on the label:

1. Trademark, brand logo.
2. Name and address of production.
3. Certification details.
4. Name.
5. A complete list of ingredients used in the composition.
6. Exact net weight.
7. Product shelf life and date of manufacture.
8. Indicators of nutritional value (calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates).

Product range

One of the most difficult moments in organizing a business is choosing the recipe and types of raw materials for making jam. Some entrepreneurs rely on ancient preparations and the most popular fruits and berries. Others, on the contrary, try to win over their customers with original and exotic products.

In this case, you need to focus not so much on your tastes, but on consumer demand. Also take into account the range of products provided by competitors.

By choosing the right recipe, you can achieve success in a short period. It is believed that when creating unique and inimitable combinations, you can safely set a higher markup on the product. But if no one buys such a product, then even the low cost will not justify the investment.

Experienced entrepreneurs recommend starting with small batches of jam making. By offering customers some new product, you can evaluate whether they liked it or not and then adjust the following offers. Only by moving gradually will you be able to conquer your niche in this market segment without unnecessary risks.

You can make jam from a wide variety of raw materials:

• Traditional fruits for our country - apples, pears, currants, strawberries, cherries, plums, etc.
• Exotic fruits that grow only in certain regions or are brought from abroad - apricots, peaches, figs, oranges, lemons, as well as peels and rinds (watermelon, citrus fruits), etc.
• Using unusual recipes - for the preparation of which they use not fruits, but other products and plants (rose petals, nuts, zucchini, pine cones).

Raw materials for cooking

To obtain a high-quality finished product, it is necessary to select only large, whole, undamaged, defect-free fruits. Sugar for syrup or jam is also purchased of the best grade. The class of the final product - extra, highest or first - depends on how carefully the fruits and berries were selected. Obviously, each option can have a different price.

An important point is the choice of raw material supplier. And if in the summer it is not difficult to find them, since fresh fruits are sold in huge quantities on the surrounding farms, then in other months it is quite difficult to purchase suitable fresh fruits at a low price. Therefore, it is better to have large quantities of frozen fruits in stock so as not to interrupt the production process.

To make jam or jam only from fresh fruit all year round, you can use a trick. To do this, during the “season” they purchase as much raw material as can be processed within a certain period of time. And in the remaining months they produce more exotic versions of the product, using citrus fruits, kiwi and other fruits supplied fresh from abroad.

Remember that when you add flavors and other chemical components, you lose most of the interested buyers. Indeed, today the main emphasis is on environmentally friendly products, fresh fruits and the use of only natural ingredients.

Premises and equipment

When making jam at home, all you need is your own kitchen with a gas or electric stove (some people also use a microwave), as well as a set of necessary utensils. When setting up a mini-production workshop, you will have to spend money on more expensive equipment, an automated or semi-automated line, and choose the right premises.

For rent, they choose a building in the industrial part of the city, on the outskirts, where the cost of monthly payments will be much lower. An important condition is that various toxic and chemical substances have not been stored or used in it before. Make sure that all necessary communications are provided in the room - electricity, plumbing, heating, ventilation, and a bathroom for staff.

The size of the area depends on the dimensions of the equipment and production volumes. For example, 100 sq. m. may be enough for a beginning entrepreneur. m. About 70 sq. m. is allocated for the main workshop, the rest is storage space and utility areas for personnel.

Even before the launch of the production line, the workshop is inspected by representatives of the sanitary and epidemiological service. In order not to encounter prohibitions and sanctions, it is better to inquire in advance about all existing standards and prepare the premises in accordance with the requirements. The same applies to GPI.

You should also approach the choice of technology responsibly. It should work without breakdowns. Each stage of jam preparation technology is performed by a specific apparatus. You need to purchase the following items:

1. Washing bath.
2. Sugar sifter.
3. Cutting table.
4. Special water sterilizer (preferably ultraviolet).
5. Basic plant for fruit processing.
6. Container for finished products.
7. A special apparatus for rinsing and sterilizing containers.
8. A packaging unit that fills and seals jam into jars.
9. Special device for automatic labeling.

You should also have a sufficient amount of containers of different sizes, containers, scales, trays and other consumables available. If fruits are purchased in large quantities during the season, then it is advisable to purchase a freezing unit for storing raw materials frozen.

To ensure the supply of goods to large customers and the sale of products through stores, it is advisable to have your own transport. With its help, you can timely deliver jars of jam to retail outlets.

Staff

To operate an automated line, 8-9 people are enough. It is advisable that they have experience in similar work, although you can go in a different direction. Hire 1-2 professionals, and the rest - students or people without experience in production, who will gradually learn all the nuances from specialists.

To ensure smooth operation of the workshop you need:

• cooks;
• technologist;
• sorters;
• movers;
• driver;
• cleaning woman.

The functions of an accountant and product sales manager can be performed independently or this part can be outsourced.

Sales of finished goods

To be able to sell jam to wholesale buyers, you need to ensure product certification. If you have all the necessary documents, you can safely negotiate with the owners of supermarkets, grocery stores and other retail outlets.

But when collaborating with large chains, private entrepreneurs are faced with the problem that they are required to provide constant, regular volume deliveries of products, which small businesses are not ready for. But in each case, you need to clarify the conditions in advance.

Also, the main buyers may be various bakeries, bakeries, confectioneries and workshops for the preparation of semi-finished products. Try to conclude an agreement with the owners of restaurants, cafes, canteens and other catering establishments in the city.

If there is high competition and small production volumes, you can go another way. For example, selling goods through specialized eco-shops, hand-made stores, or even using your own website.

An excellent option when searching for clients are various exhibitions and fairs, where you can immediately taste the product you are purchasing. Thus, from the first days you can make your brand recognizable and get a sufficient number of cooperation agreements.

Financial part

Before calculating the profitability of the project, you need to calculate how much money in total will be spent on initial and monthly costs.

In addition, you need to purchase enough raw materials (fruits and sugar) and packaging containers. But their cost will vary significantly depending on the chosen recipe, production volumes, specific fruits and prices in the region. It is also almost impossible to predict the project’s payback and exact income. After all, this indicator is influenced by too many factors.

For example, for a ton of apple jam sold you can earn 90,000 rubles. And if you prepare it in this volume every week, then the annual revenue will be 4.3 million. This means that by the next season it will be possible not only to recoup the initial investment, but also to make a net profit.

But everything will depend on production volumes and recipes. So, if you prepare exotic fruits and set a markup on the product above average, the numbers will turn out to be completely different. The same applies to the scale of production. The more you manage to procure and sell goods, the higher the profit.

Video: about making jam.

In the industrial production of preserves and jams, artificial colors, flavors and thickeners are often added to reduce costs. Modern consumers have begun to think about this and often prefer natural, healthy treats. In addition, high-quality jams and marmalade are often required to make delicious baked goods. So, we have a demand for the product, so let's look at the production of jams and preserves as an idea for building a business.

Home production

There are several options for starting a jam production business - from working at home to organizing a mini-factory. Let's start with home brewing. You don’t need any specialized equipment for the production of preserves and jams, except that you will have to buy a larger pan. The main expenses will be spent on the purchase of berries, fruits, sugar, and packaging. The only difficulty you will face in this business is finding a market.

To begin with, it makes sense to offer jam to your friends and colleagues. Word of mouth has not been canceled, and it often gives good results. It would also be a good option to give your products for sale to grocery stores or market outlets. You don’t even have to try to enter large chains, and especially hypermarkets, with your goods. Firstly, you will be asked for all the necessary documentation and certificates, secondly, they will require large quantities of goods that are impossible to produce at home, and thirdly, in retail chains there is a complex system of listing and retrobonuses that will not leave a profit for a small enterprise .

If you take up the production of jam, do not bypass various exhibitions and festivals. At them, visitors will be able to taste the product and buy a jar or two. You might even find regular customers there.

Special item

You can increase profitability by offering customers an exclusive product. This could be the production of homemade jam, for example, with herbs or spices, jam from rose petals or dandelions.

You can find some old recipes and try to cook sweet goods according to them. An exclusive product will also require proper packaging. These could be some small pots or labels, stylized as antique ones.

Since the price for special jam will increase significantly, it is better to sell it in small containers - people will be more willing to buy it. In addition, to the already mentioned methods of market promotion, it will be necessary to add online sales. To do this, you will need your own website with high-quality, attractive photographs and a pleasant, unobtrusive description of all the advantages of the product. Promotion through special groups on social networks also gives results. If jam sales grow, you can open a small factory. The business, of course, will have to be officially registered.

Example from life

For example, you can go to the website of the company producing jam “Ekosbor”. They position themselves as a company producing sweets from highly environmentally friendly raw materials collected near the reserve. The design emphasizes the authenticity of the product. You can come up with something of your own, the main thing is to emphasize the uniqueness of your own product.

Organization of a mini-factory

Jam production as a business can be implemented in another format - by organizing a mini-factory. Before creating this type of business, you need to decide in advance on the sales market, survey nearby bakeries and confectionery shops about who supplies them with preserves and jams for baking, whether they are satisfied with their suppliers, whether they would like to change them, how much they are willing to pay per kilogram of jam or jam, how much jam do they buy per month? If the market situation is favorable, you can start.

First you need to find a suitable room. It must have all communications: electricity, water, sewerage, and be equipped with a good exhaust system. The area required for production is, depending on the equipment chosen, from 100 to 200 square meters. If necessary, the premises will need to be redecorated.

Production Line

Next, we purchase equipment for the production of jam. Depending on the capacity, the production line will cost you from 160 thousand rubles to 1.5 million (for a line with a capacity of more than 1 ton of finished products per day) and more.

You will need:

• Washing facilities and intermediate bins.
• Fruit pre-processing line.
• Mini installations for production.
• Packaging machine.
• Seaming and packaging machine.
• Freezers for storing raw materials.

Minimum required personnel: two sorters, two culinary specialists and one technologist. All employees must have medical records.

Don't forget about a small truck for delivering raw materials and finished products.

Registration

From the legal side, you will be required to:

• Register your business activity (it will be most convenient to register an LLC).
• Obtain a conclusion from the SES and fire inspection for the premises.
• Obtain a conclusion from the SES that the equipment meets the requirements for food production.
• Draw up a document on the manufacturing technology of the product - technical conditions (TU), with subsequent approval.

According to Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated December 1, 2009 N 982, jam is not subject to mandatory certification; a declaration of conformity from the manufacturer itself is sufficient. The production of jam must comply with the standard “GOST R 53118-2008 Jam. General technical conditions".

After solving organizational issues, all you have to do is find wholesale suppliers of raw materials and containers, order labels and start production. The easiest way to make purchases is at wholesale stores. As soon as you receive the first shipments of goods, you can begin to enter into contracts with customers. Do not try to sell the product at the maximum price: it is much more important to build mutually beneficial long-term relationships with customers.

Mistake in a million - jam production went wrong: Video