Jim Jam Foods’ Story by Noel Halford.
All about the food, Jim Jam Foods is all about the way great food feels in your mouth and the comfort of those rekindled childhood memories of food forgotten.
Founded 16 years ago on a dare, the husband and wife team behind Jim Jam are passionate about every bit of Jim Jam Foods, chopping, mixing, heating, stirring, bottling and labelling all on their 60 acre property in Stanley, North East Victoria, where they married, and have lived for 12 years.
Boasting an extensive range, each product expands on all of the ideas and recipes that are in Mr.JimJam’s head, resulting in delicious range of goods, from relishes, salsas, beans, pasta sauces and more.
Who are the team behind Jim Jam Foods and what made you launch?
Steven Vandenbergh started Jim Jam foods on a dare 16 years ago. As a graphic designer by profession, he created the labels, came up with the quirky names and stories on the back of the label.
Maggie Mackenzie joined Jim Jam 13 years ago. (I tell people I loved the product so married the owner!) Prior to joining the business she had a food distribution business in Melbourne selling and distributing gourmet products including Jim Jam.
We moved to our 60 acre property 12 years ago in Stanley north east Victoria and were married 8 years ago under our walnut tree.
On the farm we have 60 Suffolk sheep and 7 lambs from this season. There is a chestnut orchard of 150 mature trees and these provide great feed for the sheep at the start of Winter, also for the multitude of kangaroos and wombats. One wombat returns each year and takes up residence under our terrace and emerges at morning tea each day to wander around the garden munching the grass.
Steven renovated a shed into our factory and then built a 2 storey packing shed which was built from trees felled and milled on the farm.
Our visit to Jim Jam was the highlight of our adventure trip to Beechworth!
Spread the word and spread the jam!