There are many factors that can influence the cost of a Jam or Jelly, but at the end of the day, there are consistent costs and variable costs that will drive the price up.
When you are at the grocery store cruising down the aisle for your favorite Jam, you may notice that the prices can range from $3 to over $15 for the same amount of product and sometimes even less as the price goes up. A brand like Smuckers does not need to worry about their sticker price, because it seldom changes. They benefit from abundance. This means that they sell so much product and different types of products that they can makes less money one product and more on another to balance their profit margins. When you don't have as big of an audience, your cost is driven moreso by other factors.
- Consistent Costs
- Jars
- Once you find a vendor for your glassware and lids, this becomes a set cost. This goes the same for any other packaging types used in either canning or distribution. Smuckers also uses small plastics as well for their individual use jellies at restaurants.
- Pectin
- Whether using liquid or powdered, pectin seldom sees a change in cost.
- Sugar
- Sugar is also a cost that tends to be locked in depending on the sugar type. Cane and unrefnded sugars are pretty set in costs. High fructose corn syrups are cheaper to acquire and mass produce. The quality of jams/jellies are really impacted by the type of sugar used.
- Jars
- Inconsistent Costs
- Fruit
- Fruit tends to be a moving target. For small businesses like Zozo's Jams, we locally source our fruit to provide a great product and that comes at a cost. Using store-bought fruit will vary cost by season, but both can change by weather and water conditions for the farmers.
- Labor
- There is a cost of time to create any product and that cost goes into the sticker price. Every business will price this differently.
- Fruit
- Quality
- While quality is not a cost, it is a major factor in the higher costs of Jam. A Jam made with local produce, uses clean sugars, and not made on a mass scale will yield a higher quality product. Zozo's Jams batch makes every jam to ensure the highest quality every time.
When you want a higher quality jam that won't break the bank and is an experience in every bite, Zozo's Jams delivers every time!