Bonnie’s Jams Expands Into Asian Market

Bonnie’s Jams in Cambridge, Mass., which continues to expand throughout the United States, has now found a market in Asia as well.

Two companies from Japan and Korea approached owner Bonnie Shershow earlier this year about bringing her products into their countries. 

“Early spring proved to be an interesting time for inquiries from these unexpected sources,” said Shershow. She said international stores seek out the quality and safety of American products such as hers, and cites coverage in internationally recognized media outlets, including the products’ inclusion in the 2013 “Oprah’s Favorite Things” list, as a potential source of interest from buyers in foreign markets. 

“Figuring out the intricacies of exporting was somewhat of a challenge, but it was interesting,” Shershow noted. “Ultimately, there were no barriers to getting my jams to these customers.”  

Japanese consumers can find Bonnie’s Jams on shelves in Tokyo and other cities in Japan through a major food importer, and the products were scheduled to hit the shelves of Dean & DeLuca, Seoul, Korea, in mid-June.

Bonnie’s Jams began in 1999 in a small area of Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge, Mass. The company began expansion in 2009 and now produces the jams in a commercial kitchen in Lynn, Mass., producing 10 products using premium-quality fruit to fill orders for stores across the country and now into Asia.