Vendor Spotlight: Alexa Hesse of Yummy Lotus

Please give a brief description of what your company does.

Yummy Lotus gourmet pepper jams are local, small batch crafted, vegan and gluten free. I use only the freshest ingredients and keep the recipes simple so you know exactly what you’re putting into your body.

What makes your company special?

Each Yummy Lotus flavor is crafted to have an evolutionary experience that flows from one flavor to the next, coming together in perfect harmony at the end. I specifically use different ingredients (peppers and fruit) in each of our jams so each jar is completely different and its own unique experience. Our products are also created to elevate food & drink with culinary innovation in mind.

I have a background in the service industry working FOH and in catering for 10 years. I have always loved that food is the focal point of gatherings, bringing everyone together. I wanted to offer a product that allowed elevating your meals easier, and that could be used in numerous ways.

Tell us all about the characteristics of your brand.

Our products are unique, consistent and memorable. You don’t just get a no preservative product, but an experience. Your tastebuds embark on a journey of flavor when you try one of our jams. You can taste the freshness and each flavor stands out on its own and then blends together to offer a unique experience that you often miss with big box brands.

What has been the biggest challenge since you started?

The biggest challenge has been learning the business backend stuff. Making a great product and being in front of people to sell it, is the fun part but all the other things behind the scenes it takes to make it all work is tricky sometimes.

How did COVID-19 affect your business?

Covid 19 taught me how to pivot, alongside all the other small businesses. It was a year of pushing and challenging yourself to find new ways to reach customers. It also showed me how amazing the local community is and how quickly they rallied to support small business and still are!

Tell us something people might not know about your brand.

Our tagline: Nourish your Soul, I chose that because it’s so important to chose the things in life that bring you joy and I believe serving people great, yummy products and sharing those with the people you love in your life is a great way to do just that.

What advice would you give to companies like yours just starting up?

Find like minded people and create a community. You are always stronger in numbers and you can all be great resources and cheerleaders for one another.

What has been the most valuable lesson you've learned thus far?

You can’t do it alone. I am a one woman company but I have a lot of help and resources that allow my company to flourish. From my husbands helping hand, to my local small business community, to family support, it all helps make what I do possible.

If you could go back in time and do-over one business decision, what would it be?

I would have started sooner! And I would tell myself not to be so afraid of the “next step” sometimes the growing pains can be terrifying but once you’re on the other side of them, you wonder how you ever did it that way.

Is there anything else you want people to know about you or your company?

Jam is not just for toast! It can be for so much more than that! We offer tons of recipe ideas on our Instagram and website and we’ve only scratched the surface.

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Interested in learning more? Find more about Yummy Lotus by following the links below.

www.yummylotus.com

Instagram: @yummylotus

Facebook: @yummylotusjams