Craft jam and sauce factory «Your Jam» - Projects

Yaroslav Stetsenko

Microbusiness always feels a lack of knowledge; you often do many things just intuitively. That’s why I always look for an opportunity to learn from specialists, ask questions, and get advice or even a solution to your problem. During SEED 2.0 training, each participant shared their experience, and it’s truly valuable.

Craft jam and sauce factory «Your Jam»

Crises spur development. The Stetsenky couple dared to open a craft production of natural jams and sauces during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tasks are divided equally: Yaroslav takes care of all production matters, while his wife Svitlana handles marketing and business development plans.

The workshop will soon celebrate its 3rd anniversary. During this time, the Stetsenks have built a production facility, streamlined operational processes, and sold over 5000 jars of products.

The Russian invasion altered the entrepreneurs’ plans for scaling. However, during the war, preserving their business is already a significant achievement. Yet, Yaroslav and Svitlana achieved even more: they expanded their team and are ready to scale their business. Currently, they are looking for more space, acquiring additional equipment, and preparing for product certification.

The ambitious goal of the “Your Jam” brand is to be sold in large retail chains, and eventually to achieve automated production so that even more Ukrainians can consume truly natural preserves.

To achieve this, one must deepen knowledge in various business areas. Yaroslav notes: “I liked the approach to organizing training in SEED 2.0; we were really given useful advice and materials. Microbusiness always feels a lack of knowledge; you often do many things just intuitively. That’s why I always look for an opportunity to learn from specialists, ask questions, and get advice or even a solution to your problem. Networking is also important. During SEED 2.0 training, each participant shared their experience, and it’s truly valuable. Also, the pitching stage itself was very useful because when you prepare for a pitch and explain your business in 10 slides, you look at the business model and expansion plans differently. It’s a great opportunity to see gaps or opportunities that you didn’t notice before.”

Next year, Stetsenky plan to sell 10,000 jars of products, twice as much as the entire time the enterprise has been operating! New equipment that optimizes production processes will help them achieve this.