Jan Hogrewe shared her story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Jan, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
Coffee, coffee, coffee! That comes first, then some reading from my current book of choice, James McBride’s The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, followed by a good, long walk with Tucker, our family dog. At some point I’ll jot down a list of what I need to get done for the day or the week. I don’t always check everything off, but writing it out helps me stay organized and since I’m a visual person, it’s really helpful!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Jan, the founder of Just Jan’s. Food and family have always been at the heart of my life, and starting this company gave me the chance to turn that passion into something I could share with others. What began in my own backyard with the fig tree and then my kitchen has grown into a full line of fruit spreads, curds, and now baked goods and expanding into food. It’s about fresh ingredients and flavors that take you home.
What makes Just Jan’s special is the care that goes into every jar. I love hearing from people who use our products not only on toast, but also in their favorite recipes, baking, cooking, and even cocktails.
Right now, I’m continuing to create new recipes inspired by family, seasonality, and travel, always with the goal of making food that feels like home but inspires you to try something new. At the end of the day, Just Jan’s is about connection: from my kitchen to yours.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I would say what breaks bonds between people is lack of trust and respect for one another. That said..food restores them. I’ve always believed that food has a way of bringing people together. It doesn’t matter where you come from, when you share a meal, you share a piece of yourself.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
The short answer is YES, and more than a few times! The food business, not unlike other entrepreneurial ventures, is not for the faint of heart. It’s incredibly challenging, and you quickly realize how much you don’t know until you’re deep in it. Even when you think you’ve figured things out, something new inevitably comes up. Creating a product is just the tip of a massive iceberg. Learning how your product is actually produced is exciting, but getting it onto store shelves and into customers’ hands, that’s a whole different challenge altogether. Trusting your instincts and knowing you have something that’s different from everyone else’s product, not to mention customers’ reactions keep you moving forward.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Absolutely. Over the last 15 years, I’ve been on a real journey, a kind of metamorphosis. But at my core, I’ve always been the same: outgoing, people-loving, and full of energy.
Growing up, I wanted to be a dancer, and I was. I spent over 20 years dancing, teaching dance, and performing in little theatre. Being in front of people, connecting through creative movement and expression, that was my first love. So in many ways, who you see now is just a natural evolution of who I’ve always been.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
If there’s a story people tell about me and Just Jan’s when I’m gone, I hope it’s something like this:
That Jan had a way of making everyone feel welcome, like you’d known her forever, even if you’d just met. That she poured her heart, soul, and spirit into whatever she did, especially when it came to her family and her work.
You could taste the care, the late nights in the kitchen. It was never just about the creation or recipe. It was about connection, and creating moments that turned into memories.
And if there’s one thing she was most proud of, it was her twin daughters. They were her heart, travel buddies, believers and best friends. That’s the story I hope they tell.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.justjans.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justjansspreads/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-hogrewe/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justjansspreads
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JustJansSpreads
