Self-Discovery of the Synergy of Ginger and Turmeric:
In 2011, Jessica discovered the major health benefits of ginger. While suffering from a persistent, aching sinus infection, she found symptoms could be reduced by a simple remedy: ginger tea supplemented with honey, lemon, and cayenne pepper. In the same year, Jessica was overprescribed antibiotics which resulted in debilitating, long-term digestive problems. Again, Jessica turned to her favorite ginger teas and juices. The powerful root decreased inflammation and boosted the immune system.
The health benefits of turmeric were revealed to Jessica when living in Indonesia in 2013. Intrigued by the friendly, old ladies selling cups of golden liquid from bottles carried in baskets, strapped to their backs, or dragged in wooden carts, Jessica followed her curiosity. She learned: the primary ingredient in these odd street beverages is turmeric, which gives it its yellow color.
Drinking these peculiar yellow beverages relieved Jessica’s IBS symptoms and made her feel energized and happy. She sampled the concotcions from vendors ranging from Bali to Sumatra. Some tasted better than others. Thanks to several generous women, Jessica was taught their secret recipes and learned the craft. She experimented with their beautiful recipes and created a westernized version that tastes as delicious as it is healthy.
Sharing Turmeric and Ginger with the Family:
Jessica enthusiastically shared her newfound knowledge of turmeric’s health benefits with her grandma (then 96 now 101) and with her father, who suffers from arthritis and psoriasis. Her grandmother was transformed after one year of drinking fresh ginger and turmeric tea. She felt young and radiant, better yet, testifying reduced arthritis pain and inflammation. Jessica’s father also felt better, claiming serious relief for arthritis pain.
Jessica attributes the healing of her digestive system primarily to daily consumption of turmeric and ginger.
The Origin of Jahmu PBC:
In 2014, Jessica began making turmeric-ginger beverage concentrates at the Alternative Food Co Op in Rhode Island using fresh turmeric and ginger. Customers were delighted by the yellow juice, which she began calling Jahmu™ Liquid Sunshine. Almost everyone loved it! While raw turmeric is very popular in Indonesia and beloved in Asian medicine, its benefits are new to most Americans.
Jessica’s goal is to share turmeric with the western world in a simple and delicious way. Turmeric, like ginger, can be an ingredient in delicious everyday beverages. Tumeric need not be consumed as a supplement pill or powder. More than anything, Jessica wants her customers to experience the positive health effects felt by herself, her family, and the many Indonesians who drink turmeric ginger concoctions daily.
Jessica founded Jahmu PBC in which “the specific public benefit purpose of the corporation is to share the health benefits of turmeric and ginger with the public,” according to the company’s Articles of Incorporation. To achieve her mission, Jessica evolved beyond selling Jahmu™ at her favorite Co-op. She began selling the beverage at the farmer’s markets on Block Island and Jamestown. Initiially, Jessica washed, peeled, and grated fresh turmeric and ginger and then blended it with other ingredients to make Jahmu™. Her process was loving and time consuming. Jessica could hardly keep up with the demand and, like the co-ops and grocery stores, she ran out of fresh turmeric mid-summer.
Development of Jahmu instant mixes:
Shortages of fresh turmeric forced Jessica to experiment with ground turmeric. To her surprise and delight, powdered versions of turmeric and ginger contain denser concentrations of nutrients than do fresh roots (which contain a lot of water.) Jessica crafted a new beverage called Golden Milk using powdered ingredients, local milk, and flavorful honey. Golden Milk was equally as popular as the original, fresh Liquid Sunshine. Wholesome and delicious, warm or cold, Jahmu™ is easy to make: Simply combine milk, an organic sweetener, and Jessica’s signature blend of spices.
Jahmu™ spice blend (now called Jahmu™ Turmeric Chai) tastes wonderful with milk and sweetener but is also enjoyable as a tea mixed with just hot water.
To make the preparation of Golden Milk easy for her customers, she adds organic non-fat powdered milk and organic coconut sugar to her Jahmu™ spice blend. Now Golden Milk can be made from just this beverage mix and hot water!
To help make Jahmu™ part of her customers’ daily routine, Jessica developed a caffeinated version of the mix, which contains instant Yerba Mate. Drinking a cup of Jahmu™ Turmeric Chai With Caffeine instead of drinking a cup of coffee or tea can brighten up your day and sooth your stomach.
We call some of the mixes Jahmu™ Chai because many of the auxiliary spices in it, naemly cardamon, nutmeg, clove and cinnamon, are found in chai tea, something already familiar to Americans.
Jahmu™ PBC built its own commercial kitchen during the summer of 2015.
Jahmu is spreading!
As of March 2016…
Jahmu™ is carried by more than three dozen stores, co-ops, cafes and yoga studios; Jahmu™ is sold at venues in the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, and Costa Rica. Jahmu PBC ships to over 180 countries and over 500,000 cups of Jahmu have been enjoyed by our friends and customers!
Jahmu Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary of Independence
September, 19 2016…
1 year ago today we moved into our own certified commercial kitchen and office space at the Lafayette Mill! Jahmu is now sold at more than 45 locations and over 2,000,000 cups of Jahmu have been consumed. In July we built a food safe storage room and acquired more office space. We have reformulated our Jahmu Cocoa to have raw cacao rather than processed cocoa, which gives it a richer flavor and more caffeine. We also are about to release a new product called Matchai™ so stay tuned!
We just became USDA certified organic!
October 5, 2017…
All along we used exclusively certified organic ingredients but to make it official we under went the rigourous certificaiton process. We used a local certifier called Baystate Organic Certifiers who inspect us annually (and randomly) as well as make sure all of our documentaiton is in order for annual submission to the USDA.
During the past summer we also became a Certified Benefit Corporaiton, of which their are only about 2,000.
Jahmu Gets Around
August 1, 2019…
Our 7 varities of turmeric chai and our turmeric-ginger extract are now sold in over 100 stores and 20 cafes.
