The Plot Thickens
we make fresh, seasonal jams from fruit sourced within 100 miles of our Berkeley kitchen. by sourcing produce directly from local organic farmers we're able to get the best possible fruit - fruit that’s picked ripe and is absolutely fresh.
our single-varietal jams are crafted so that each fruit varietal's unique essence and natural subtleties shine through in bright flavors. a jar of jam contains fruit from a single source! we don't mix fruit, we don't add herbs, spices or flavorings - INNA jam tastes like the freshly picked fruit from which it was made, each jar a time capsule of flavor.
aside from being delicious, INNA products are environmentally sustainable: we transport and deliver on bicycles, we accept returns of empty jars, we compost our kitchen scraps, we source locally, sustainably, and organically.
be sure to check out the INNA blog, our press clippings, and other bits of information scattered throughout the web on facebook and twitter.
The Backstory
Hi! I’m Dafna Kory, the founder of INNA. This whole thing started one Thanksgiving a few years back when I came across something I’ve never seen before. Some friends were serving these amazing little appetizers – crackers topped with cream cheese and jalapeño jam. Well, I thought those little appetizers were just the best thing ever and proceeded to eat so many of them that I couldn’t really eat the Thanksgiving meal that followed.
I thought to myself, “self, I’ve got to get some of that jalapeño jam,” and checked every store I could think of, but alas, no jalapeño jam to be found anywhere. I finally gave up on finding it at a local store, and decided to just make it myself from scratch. I developed a recipe, made a batch of jam, kept a jar for myself and gave the rest away to friends and neighbors. Everyone who tasted the jalapeño jam got hooked, much like I did, and asked for more. Before I knew it, I was making batch after batch of jalapeño jam, and INNA was born.
The Reveal (F.A.Q)
Bicycle-Transported?
INNA’s fleet of bicycles includes a road bike hitched with a cargo trailer, and a cargo tricycle. We use these to transport produce and ingredients to our Berkeley kitchen and to make deliveries of jams around the Bay Area.
Local?
All the produce that becomes INNA jam is grown organically within a 100-mile radius of our kitchen in Berkeley. Our peppers come from Hollister, our berries come from Watsonville, Salinas, and Sebastopol, our stone fruit come from Brentwood, Gilroy, and Capay.
Seasonal?
Because we only source local produce, we are limited by the seasons. For example, even though jalapeños from Mexico are available year-round at the supermarket, local jalapeños are only in season July-November, so that’s when we make our jalapeño jam. Sign up for the annual subscription and receive seasonal collections of jams in May, August and November.
Organic?
We always use organic fruit and sugar for our jams. We're currently working on getting INNA jam certified organic as a product, but in the meantime you can trust that only organic ingredients were used to make our jams.
Gluten-Free? Allergen-Free?
All INNA jams are free of nuts or gluten ingredients and are made on equipment that is not shared with nut or gluten ingredients. However, INNA jams are made in a facility that processes wheat and nuts.
Recyclable? Reusable? Returnable?
INNA products come in glass jars which are recyclable. Better yet, they are reusable! Use them to carry yogurt to work, soup to school, a portion of juice or even water. Or return them to Mission Pie and receive a discount on your next INNA purchase!
How long will INNA jam last?
The shelf-life of unopened INNA jam is 12-18 months from the day of production (check the "best by" date on the cap). Once you open your jar of jam it must be refrigerated. The pepper jams will keep for up to 1 year in your fridge, the fruit jams we recommend eating within a month or two after opening for best flavors and quality. Because INNA fruit jams are a natural product with no artificial preservatives and lower sugar content, they are more perishable than your typical store-bought jams.
which jams do you make?
Our ever growing list of jam varietals includes:
plenty spicy JALAPEÑO
pretty spicy FRESNO CHILI
seascape STRAWBERRY
albion STRAWBERRY
polka RASPBERRY
nova RASPBERRY
marion BLACKBERRY
TAYBERRY
hayward KIWI
star BLUEBERRY
blenheim APRICOT
santa rosa PLUM
sour PLUM
dapple fire PLUOT
flavorfall PLUOT
flavor king PLUOT
do you make jam from rhubarb / citrus / apples / pears / mangoes?
There are two elements that limit our jam production.
1. Fahrenheit: We don't make jam from fruit that doesn't grow well in our local Northern California region. Which means we don't use tropical fruit that requires more heat hours (for example: mango, citrus), as well as colder climate fruit that requires more chill hours (for example: rhubarb).
2. pH: We only work with fruits that are naturally high in acidity (with the exception of peppers). Which means that we don't use apples, pears, quince, and figs, which are low in natural acidity.
Roll the Credits
Site design by Topic Studios + Dafna Kory
INNA bicycle logo illustration by R.Black
photographs of INNA jam jars on white by Matthew Reamer
All other photography by Dafna Kory
INNA bamboo tricycle designed and built by Lawrence Newman
INNA tote bags silk screened by Culture Consumer