Two years ago, if you told me that I’d be featuring over 50 brands at the Just Jill Shop I don’t know if I’d believed you… But as it turns out, dreams DO come true.
Today, I’m grateful to have some incredible items to offer all of you!
I’m sure you recognize some of the bigger brand names. But the great part about being able to choose exactly what I want to bring to you is that I can also highlight some small businesses that I love. And that includes Southern Roots Sisters.
Known for delicious homemade jams, they offer a bunch of unique flavor profiles that I’m already obsessed with.
But what I’m even more in love with? The story (and the amazing woman) behind the brand.
Related: Find All of Our Southern Roots Sisters Products HERE!
How I Discovered Southern Roots Sisters
Prior to discovering Southern Roots, I attended a large trade show in Philly to scope out some new items for the Just Jill Shop. The aisles were filled with nationally-recognizable companies, and almost all of them had extravagant signs and set-ups.
But next to one of the bigger retailers sat a small, modest stand. I thought to myself, “I wonder what her story is.” And that’s when I stopped in my tracks… I wonder what her story is.
At my shop, I do more than sell products. I tell stories. And when I met Rachel Scott (the woman behind Southern Roots Sisters) I knew I wanted to help tell her story.
The Story Behind The Jams
Rachel was born into a family of farmers and ranchers in Midland, TX.
She recalls a childhood filled with gardening and canning and remembers picking peaches and apples at local orchards.
As a young girl, her family whipped up batches of jam to use at home. And when she was old enough, she adopted the hobby as her own.
Rachel spent most of her life in Texas—jumping from Midland to Lubbock, to Dallas. And while her location changed, her love for making jams never wavered.
She dreamt of the days when she could take on jam-making full-time. But for years, she continued to do it on the side while selling to family and friends.
It wasn’t until Rachel and her husband were transferred to Woodward, OK that her jam-making craft became more than a hobby.
The Start of Southern Roots Sisters
Following the big move, Rachel still had people begging for her homemade products. “I had people asking me, are you still going to sell that pepper jelly?” she says.
Although she had no intentions of leaving her jam-making life behind, the process of getting the jams into the hands of her loved ones was more complicated than she expected.
When the couple moved to Oklahoma four years ago, it was illegal to have a home food business. But knowing how many people loved her jams, Rachel wasn’t about to stop doing what she loved.
Instead, she rented out a small commercial kitchen during off-hours and started making her jams from there. Serving as the manufacturer and distributor of her products wasn’t easy, but she was thrilled to get her small business off the ground.
And the name? “My sister said that no matter where you live, you’ll always be from the South,” Rachel says. And that’s when Southern Roots Sisters officially took off.
Eventually, Rachel found a small family-owned co-packer and saw her “used-to-be hobby” turn into a real business.
After making it into the Dallas Market, she entered the Gourmet Gold Competition, won first place, and was finally picked up by a distributor.
Southern Roots Sisters and Just Jill
The products from Southern Roots Sisters are now offered in stores across the country, but she still packs up her car to travel to trade shows to showcase her jams in person.
When I started talking to Rachel at the Philly trade show, I knew there was something special about her products. Doug and Bernadette (my friend and business partner) tried the jams and immediately fell in love.
Today, I’m thrilled to share my favorite Southern Roots Sisters products with you — available in the Just Jill Shop!
The first offering is a great gift for any season.
It’s a 6-pack of jams that includes some top-selling flavors like Peach Pepper, Raspberry Chipotle, Strawberry Pepper, Triple Berry Jam, Cranberry Pepper jam, and Apple Butter.
The hint of heat in the peach, cranberry, raspberry, and strawberry jams pairs perfectly with the classic sweet flavor. And the apple butter? The absolute BEST blend of cider, pure cane sugar, spices and apples.
Rachel also makes cookies!
She has a variety of flavors, but if you’ve never tried her cookie mixes, I recommend the sampler.
It includes four decadent flavors including white chocolate snickerdoodle, double 40 oatmeal, salted caramel and a classic chocolate chip.
Perfect for those busy days when you can’t make everything from scratch!
What Makes The Jams So Special?
The fact that these products are all-natural is what makes them stand out.
From the jams to the cookie mix, Rachel prioritizes using only the best, high-quality ingredients. While some of them are sourced from larger distributors, she also tells me that she tries her best to get her fruit and other ingredients from small, local farms.
Additionally, all of the packaging is eco-friendly. The jars can be reused and repurposed to hold other ingredients or leftovers.
She also told me a little fun fact about jams in general. A lot of people interchange “jelly,” “jam” and “preserves.” But the difference is that jelly products are made with liquid—not the whole fruit.
Southern Roots Sisters makes use of the entire fruit in every batch. So, you can be confident that you’re getting a quality jam in every jar!
How to Make The Most of The Jams and Mixes
Whether you eat it on toast, swirled into yogurt, or dolloped into oatmeal, jams are a great addition to any sweet treat.
But what’s neat about the Southern Roots Sisters jams is that they can also be used to make a bunch of savory dishes.
One of Rachel’s go-to recipes makes use of her Peach Pepper Jam—her personal favorite. She likes to use it to make barbecue peach chicken (which sounds incredible if you ask me).
Another one of her favorite jam offerings is the Blackberry Pepper Jam which she serves atop cream cheese for a perfect balance of sweet and savory.
Related: Find All of Our Southern Roots Sisters Products HERE!
In other words, there are so many incredible ways to use these jams and I can’t wait to experiment with them in the coming weeks!
I hope that this story about Southern Roots Sisters and Rachel Scott helps you understand why I quickly fell in love with this small business.
I feel blessed to be able to offer some of the company’s top-selling products to all of you through the Just Jill Shop… you’ll have to let me know what you decide to try!
From my home to yours,
Jill
