Where It Began...
When I was 12 I used to go around my local village selling free range eggs. When supply dried up I had to look for other ways to earn money. So I got my Grandma teach me how to make a pot of jam. I decided to have a go at selling around the local village and couldn't believe it when I sold 50 jars in less than a week!
And so, Owen's Angus Jams was born. Currently based in the family home, we make a selection of different jams, marmalades, boozy jams and fruit infused gins. I realised that people are keen to buy local produce and are shying away from mass-produced products found in the supermarkets. I felt I had a product that I could easily market due to the fact we strive to use locally grown fruit wherever possible.
Living in the middle of Scottish berry country, we have an abundance of first-class fresh produce on our doorstep.
My products are 100% natural and I use traditional methods. Some of the recipes have been passed down four generations and others we have experimented with to bring something new to the market.
We attend local markets and charity events and at Christmas we offer a selection of gift boxes and hampers which are extremely popular. From the beginning we have always supported local charities from Food Bank, Cash For Kids 500 Faces, Blairgowrie Stroke Club ( Where My Grandma Volunteers).
Raffle for Cash For Kids and Mr Fernandez receiving his Hamper.
Food Bank Donations
How We Have Grown...
Earlier this year we won the contract through taste testing, to supply Glamis Castle with a selection of our jams and marmalades which they now sell under their own label. The media attention was amazing, hitting a lot of the national papers.
The Times- "Schoolboy's jam proves royal success"
Daily Mail- "Teenager cooks up cash with his jams at Glamis"
The Courier- "Teenage jam entrepreneur could soon be king of the castle"
As a result, we now also supply a local baker, restaurant, hotel as well as a farmhouse & coffee shop. I am also in the process of negotiating to supply a small chain of other shops, but I need to increase my production facilities as at the moment I am still working from my Mum's kitchen.
I was invited to do a cooking Demonstration at the Dundee Food & Flower Festival which was an amazing experience. I have also won a Special Recognition Prize in the NFU Mutual and Scotland Food & Drink Inspirational Young Person Award 2018.
I am the main person in the business at the moment but have had a tremendous amount of help and support from my family to get this far, especially whilst I was still at school.
Our house is now at full capacity, the jam has taken over! Everywhere you look is evidence that the business is taking over the family home!
The Future...
To increase my jam making facilities I need new premises. Currently we are only able to make one pot of jam at a time and we have several freezers located around friends and family which involves a lot of time and cost. We have located premises locally which will cost us £3000 a year plus gas & electric bills and insurance. The cost of renovating the premises and the equipment required i.e cooker, freezers, dishwasher etc will amount to somewhere around £3000 if we use second hand catering equipment.
For the future I see the business expanding and becoming a major competitor to all the other bespoke jam manufacturers. I want to develop my production facility to enable me to supply volume to a wider range of clients.