SAKHAR JAMS FOOD

Two personality-filled powerhouses from Columbia, South Carolina are taking the world of jams, jellies, and preserves by storm with their own concoctions featuring locally sourced fruits, intentional infusions, and old-fashioned, small batch methods. Spend five minutes with them, and you’ll quickly see that they’re destined for big things—they should probably have their own reality TV show.

Reshma Mahadkar and Jessica Henry are managing to make jam—and run a thriving business—with their own four hands. Both are single moms with five children between them, nothing about their journeys has been easy.

Born on the outskirts of Mumbai, Mahadkar came from humble beginnings, and recalls stealing fruit as a child to feed herself and her brother. After coming to the United States in 1992, she watched her parents become successful business owners. She internalized their entrepreneurial approach, taking her own professional risks and setting lofty goals.

Henry was born in upstate New York. Her grandparents were farmers, and she grew up living close to the land, learning to can fruits and vegetables. When she was a teen, Henry’s parents bought land in South Carolina. They lived in tents on the property while they all pitched in, building their home by hand.

This experience instilled in her a do-it-yourself spirit.

Mahadkar and Henry lived on the same street in Columbia, SC bonding over their shared love of food, scrappy childhoods, and conversions to the Jewish faith. “There are so many parallels to our lives,” says Mahadkar. Their friendship soon turned into business partnership, and they haven’t looked back.

Mahadkar took up jam making as a way to cope during a difficult season of life. At the same time, Henry was looking to reenter the workforce after a decade as a stay-at-home mom.

In July 2020, the pair started making small batches of jam in their home kitchens using fruit grown by their friends. After months of selling out as quickly as they could make their jam batches, the self-described jam queens decided to launch Sakhar Jams in January 2021. “I used every single bit of my background to come up with a business model for us, and she took an enormous risk,” says Mahadkar.

Sakhar means sugar in Marathi, Mahadkar’s native language. “Resh’s dad cried when she told him she was using that name,” recalls Henry. “It means a lot because he came here to give her these kinds of opportunities.” The name honors Mahadkar’s upbringing and their Indian-inspired jams, like Strawberry

Written by Laura Drummond / Photography by Dang Good Creative

Friends Serve Up The Fruits Of Their Labor

Masala Chai and Rangpur Lime Marmalade.

Sakhar has flourished. Operating out of a commercial kitchen space, they distribute jams to retailers throughout South Carolina as well as directly to customers nationwide via their online store. “A lot of dedication, thought, and planning has gone into the success of our business,” says Mahadkar. Even with their growing popularity, Sakhar’s recipe for success hasn’t changed. Mahadkar and Henry continue to make all the jams by hand, yielding nine jars at a time. It’s truly a labor of love. “Our jams are so special because we make it the way your grandma would make it.”

Flavors are released in small batches according to their seasonality, as all their fruits are sourced in South Carolina. “When we’re supporting South Carolina farmers, the community gets stronger,” says Henry. “Your jam that you’re eating was literally picked maybe a week ago and then processed. The freshness is there,” says Henry.

GrowFood Carolina supplies fruit from farms across the state, and Sakhar also partners directly with fruit growers. For example, Mahadkar and Henry found a farm in Rock Hill, SC that had raspberries this summer, so they made the nearly two-hour drive to pick enough for jam. “It makes no sense to me to get from an outside source when there’s so much growing regionally,” says Mahadkar. “It’s important to us because of sustainability. It helps our community, and our jam tastes that much better.” The flavor combinations—of which there are many—are thanks to their creativity and consistency. “Resh has a drive for creativity, and I make the jam,” says Henry. “Coming up with flavors and ingredients is natural to me,” says Mahadkar. She considers what flavors will naturally complement the fruit that’s in season, how they can incorporate ingredients from local businesses, and what unique combinations will get people excited. Some flavors keep it simple and “let the fruit shine,” as Henry says, like Original Blackberry, Original Raspberry, and Muscadine Jelly. Others are infused with high-end spirits, artisanal teas, and other ethically sourced ingredients, like Strawberry Prosecco, Brown Sugar Peach Bourbon, Apple Chai, and Spiced Honey Plum. “Every jar that you’re buying, you’re supporting a plethora of people,” says Mahadkar.

When asked what the future holds, the ever-pragmatic Henry says she’s only focused on the next step, while the persistent dreamer Mahadkar shares a list of plans and possibilities. “We have roots here in Columbia. It’s all about building the community that we’re in,” says Henry. “We want to model for our children that grit and perseverance—despite failures and obstacles—can lead to fulfillment,” says Mahadkar. “I see space in the food community for Sakhar. Our hope is to grow big enough so we can be an asset in the South.” sakharjams.com