Preserving Tradition: Watertown Woman Turned Her Family’s Passion for Jams Into a Business

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Hanna Opdahl sells her homemade jams and preserves at the Watertown Farmers Market, at other markets, and online. (Contributed Photo)

Jams and jellies run in the family. Or at least, they do for Hanna Opdahl, Watertown resident and owner of Berry Mari and Belle. 

What began as a hobby shared by Hanna and her mother, Marianne, is now a small business that crafts and sells small batch novelty jams, jellies, and marmalades. 

“I grew up jamming, canning, and gardening with my parents and I loved it,” said Hanna. “My mom is an incredible cook and is always coming up with fun experimental recipes and flavors.”  

Originally from Oregon, Hanna relocated to Watertown a little over three years ago after accepting a job offer in Boston.

“It was a little bit of a scary jump, but I was very excited to come out here. I had never even been to the East Coast,” she recalled.  

Hanna Opdahl has been making jams with her mother Marianne since Hanna was a child in Oregon. (Contributed Photo)

With more time on her hands after the move, Hanna decided to revisit her childhood passion for crafting uniquely flavored jams, which she began sharing with friends and colleagues. From chamomile apple jelly and chocolate mon cherry, to peach sage jam, mint zeal, and more, Hanna’s distinctive combinations had people clamoring for refills. 

It wasn’t long before her hobby evolved into something more.

“It’s always been on my bucket list to sell something that I made myself, so on a whim I looked into what it would take to sell it,” she said.

Soon after, Berry Mari and Belle was born. The name, she said, is a combination of her mother’s childhood nickname, “Berry Mari,” and her own middle name, Belle. “It just had a ring to it.”

Hanna and her mother often connect over new recipe ideas and flavor combinations. “She’ll test my recipes, and then she’ll send her new recipes my way, and it’s just really fun.” Her best recipe so far? “It depends on the day,” she laughed, but also added that her Sichuan five spice pear jam was a personal favorite. 

While the know-how was there when it came to crafting jams and jellies, Hanna wasn’t sure where to start when it came to launching her own business. But, with help from the City of Watertown, the process turned out to be more straightforward than she had expected. In fact, it’s also where she found her first business opportunity. 

“I turned in my application to the city to get my business registered, and they suggested I look into selling at the Watertown Farmers Market.” And so, she did. “The city staff were so supportive and helped me kind of get on my feet. The first year they even let me use one of their canopies and tables, which was a huge help,” Opdahl said.

Berry Mari and Belle offers a range of different jams, preserves and recently added pie fillings. (Contributed Photo)

Hanna said one of her favorite parts of selling at the Watertown Farmers Market is getting to know the other vendors.

“We sometimes do this little vendor swap,” she said, sharing that she and the other vendors often trade their homemade goods. “It’s like everything I want out of life.” 

What’s next for Berry Mari and Belle?

“I just got cleared with the city of Watertown to do canned pie filling. I came up with an apple cranberry pie filling that’s so aromatic and delicious. I’m hoping to sell them come Thanksgiving,” she said. 

Like any new offering, Hanna must submit the products and recipes to the city for inspection and certification. Her brand new pie fillings will be available for pre-order soon on her website, or you can taste them in person at her upcoming pop up at Curio Spice Co. in Cambridge on Nov. 23, 2024 from noon to 4 p.m. 

You can find Hanna’s hand crafted jams, jellies and marmalades on her website or follow her Instagram, @berrymariandbelle, to stay up to date with her latest flavor creations, pop up events, and more. 

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