Born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, Fraser Doherty’s successful entrepreneurial endeavors stem from his close relationships with his family, particularly his grandmother. As a young child, Doherty loved to make jam with his grandmother. It was from these sentimental memories that SuperJam was born. At the age of fourteen, he started recreating his grandmother’s recipes himself and selling the homemade jams door-to-door in his neighborhood. He soon expanded his small business by owning a stand at local Farmer’s Markets and making deliveries via his bicycle. Originally, his customers consisted mostly of neighbors and church friends, but as his business expanded, however, he began to receive more jam orders than he could fulfill. When Doherty was 16, he dropped out of school to work on his business full-time. He had to rent a factory for a few days each month to meet the demand of his customers.

Doherty set himself apart from competition in the jam industry by making SuperJam from 100% fruit with no added sugar or artificial ingredients. This caught the attention of many large grocery store chains in Europe. In 2007, for example, Doherty was approached by Waitrose, a high-end supermarket in the U.K. Within the next few months, jars of SuperJam were on the shelves of 184 Waitrose stores across the U.K. and Europe. Many other large companies have since followed in their footsteps. In 2009, SuperJam hit $1.2 million in sales, a 60% jump from 2007. By 2012, Doherty launched SuperJam in Korea and Japan, where they had also become hugely popular.

Doherty’s love of making jam with his grandmother proved to be a very successful business venture. By 2019, Doherty had sold his five-millionth jar of jam. He was also awarded an MBE medal for service to business in the U.K. by Queen Elizabeth II. Additionally, SuperJam is exhibited in the National Museum of Scotland as an “Iconic Scottish Brand.” Doherty’s entrepreneurial spirit has not only led him to become financially successful but has also proved to be a charitable success as well. SuperJam hosts hundreds of free tea parties in Scotland, England, and Wales for elderly people who live alone or in nursing homes. These volunteer-run events are a great way to bring the community together and connect people of all ages through live music, dancing, and drinks.

To learn more about Fraser Doherty and SuperJam, click here.