Better-for-you options are waking up the sleepy jam space with functional ingredients and superfoods that boost nutrient content and deliver wellness without compromising taste.
Low-sugar jams drive the category, with nearly half of consumers preferring reduced or sugar-free options and 36% preferring products that are free from artificial colors, thickeners and flavors, according to Business Research Insights data.
Preserves are catching up to clean label demand with flavorful or better-for-you options, like BamJam and Smash made with superfoods like chia seeds, or premium brands like Sqirl, which offers exotic flavors and combinations, like tomato and coriander or strawberry rose geranium.
According to exclusive data from market research firm Spate, searches for traditional fruit spreads and preserves are slipping by 12.4% YoY based on Spate’s Google and TikTok popularity index (July 2024 to June 2025 vs July 2023 to June 2024).
However, interest in spreads with added health benefits around immunity and gut-support are growing. The top three searched ingredients for jams and spreads include:
- Fiber: Search popularity jumped by 3,400 points YoY, representing more than 1,000% growth
- Superfoods: Searches increased by 935 points YoY, also more than 1,000% growth, reflecting a surge in interest for spreads featuring superfood ingredients like chia and goji
- Elderberry: Up by 775 points YoY, growing at a moderate 20.7%
BamJam taps into wellness and nostalgia with functional jams
The impetus to start functional jam brand, BamJam, was inspired by Founder Cristian Gaggi’s nostalgia from eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as a quick, protein-packed snack before playing sports.
Between market research and identifying wellness-oriented Gen Z and Millennial consumers and parents, Gaggi developed his “upgraded nostalgic wellness” jam with collagen, chia and monk fruit.
BamJam comes in three classic flavors – grape, strawberry and raspberry – a strategic decision to capture consumers’ attention for familiarity, Gaggi noted.
“When you think of childhood, at least for me and a lot of people that I spoke to and surveyed, they weren’t having their PBJ with these really fancy mixtures of ingredients. It was either grape, strawberry or raspberry jam and peanut butter on a piece of bread,” he explained, adding that BamJam is focused on “core flavors” reminiscent of childhood.
Each 9-ounce jar contains 8 grams of protein, zero grams of added sugar and depending on the flavor between 60 to 90 calories per serving (on average, a standard serving size of jam is around 1 tablespoon or 20 grams). For comparison, Smash Foods’ strawberry superfood jam is made with dates and chia seeds and contains no added sugar, 25 calories, zero grams of protein and 4 grams of natural sugar per 1 tablespoon serving.
On the other end of the aisle, an 18-ounce jar of Smucker’s seedless raspberry jam is made with high fructose corn syrup and contains 9 grams of added sugar, zero grams of protein and 50 calories per 1 tablespoon serving.
Finding the right protein source that complemented the jams’ texture took two years of research & development, Gaggi explained. After trying whey and pea proteins, which created textural issues, he landed on bovine collagen for its ability to blend seamlessly with the jam without altering taste.
BamJam will be available direct-to-consumer on its website in the fall with a social media marketing campaign that will include slogans like “PB&J will never be the same” and the patented “Spread the health.”