My name is Janja, and I wear many hats. On any given day, I am the CEO, web designer, marketing director, sales rep, and—much to my own surprise—the head cook for Pure Passion Pantry.
If you had told me a few years ago that I’d be running a jam company, I would have laughed you out of the room. As a web and graphic designer (and former jeweler), my only real connection to food was the fact that I eat it every day. To be honest? I don’t even like cooking.
But life has a funny way of handing you opportunities that lead to happiness in the most unexpected ways. In my case, happiness arrived in the form of a 100-foot chain-link fence.
The 100-Foot Accident
It all started with a need for privacy. I had 100 feet of “ugly” fencing to cover, and I realized that planting passion fruit vines was not only more beautiful than plastic slats but also way more affordable. I planted 15 vines, and within four months, they had completely overtaken the 6-foot fence.
Then came fruiting season.
Suddenly, I was staring at two giant shopping bags full of passion fruit every other day. I wasn’t about to let the local raccoons and mice have all the fun, so I started experimenting. I made syrups, Brazilian passion fruit mousse, Australian Vanilla Slices, and even Passioncello. But it was the jam that really stuck. I started sharing jars with friends, and the response was so electric that I started thinking: Could this be a business?
The 400-Pound Turning Point
The logistics were daunting. Licensing and permits for a cottage kitchen are no joke, and I worried I wouldn’t grow enough fruit to even cover the initial fees.
Then, luck (and a heatwave) intervened. I connected with a family-owned orchard in Vista that supplies big-box stores. During a brutal three-week heatwave, they called me with a crisis: hundreds of pounds of fruit had dropped prematurely. They were “rejects”—too small, too wrinkly, or too large for the stores—and were headed for the trash.
I drove home with a 400-pound crate of passion fruit.
I spent four days straight de-pulping fruit until my tendinitis flared up, but by the end, I had enough juice to fill a massive industrial freezer. I donated the rest to animal rescues and, in October 2024, officially secured my cottage license.
Pure Ingredients, Unusual Flavors
From the start, I knew I couldn’t (and didn’t want to) compete with mass-produced grocery store jams. My goal was purity: the least amount of ingredients possible, no preservatives, and way less sugar.
Because I’m a designer at heart, I wanted to get creative with the “palette.” I started mixing flavors you can’t find anywhere else:
- The Bestseller: Blackberry Passion Fruit (both grown on my property)
- The Crowd-Pleasers: Carrot Cake jam, Pear Vanilla, and Blueberry Lemon
- The “Kick”: Strawberry Jalapeño and my sugar-free Raspberry Jalapeño
The sugar-free line actually became a personal quest. After a neighbor on Nextdoor asked for diabetic-friendly options, I thought of my own mother and dove deep into creating something that tastes like real fruit, not chemicals.
Finding My Tribe
I quickly learned that business is about more than just a good product; it’s about finding your audience. People always ask why I’m not at every local farmers’ market. The truth is, farmers’ market shoppers are usually looking for weekly produce. Since most people don’t finish a jar of jam in seven days, I’d have one great week followed by three quiet ones.
Now, you’ll mostly find me at Welks Farmers Market in Escondido (where the resort guests change every week!) and various Makers Markets.
The Balancing Act
Today, my “side-job” is threatening to take over my “real job.” My back occasionally screams at me to stop hauling crates to markets, but the joy of seeing a customer’s face when they sample a new flavor makes it worth it.
I’m currently focusing on expanding my online sales—partly to save my spine and partly to prepare for the scorching summer months when the markets slow down.
Who knew a privacy fence would lead to all this? I’m still not a fan of cooking dinner, but when it comes to the pantry… I’ve found my passion.
Want to try a jar? Click here to browse my latest seasonal flavors!