Aiye Akhigbe of Sticky Spoons Jam

From a Navy veteran to a small business owner in Southwest Michigan, Aiye Akhigbe is making the world sweeter with her jam shop

Aiye Akhigbe never dreamed of becoming a small business owner, and it was fate that brought her to Michigan in the first place. As the owner of Sticky Spoons Jam, she has embraced the path of entrepreneurship – and the state’s agricultural offerings.

Born in Nigeria, Aiye moved to New York for college and worked there for the next decade. She took a job in Washington state and later joined the Navy, where she met her future partner while stationed aboard the USS Tortuga in Sasebo, Japan.

As it turned out, her significant other was from Niles, Michigan, and that love connection brought Aiye across the globe to the Great Lakes State. The couple settled in Niles after her honorable discharge in 2011, and they began to raise a family.

Aiye’s journey to becoming a small business owner was just as unexpected, but now she is committed to putting Michigan fruit at the front and center of her business. When she makes any of her jam blends, 50% of the fruit must be grown in the state, and her business works with small, family-owned farms in Southwest Michigan.

Did you always want to be a business owner?

I never wanted to be a business owner. This wasn't the plan; it was something I just fell into. When my son was born, I decided to make baby food. I did not like the idea of feeding him food off the shelf, so I started playing with food and making him different meals. I mean, rutabaga mixed with corn and green beans is good, right? I would create all these mixes, and he just loved them. Then time came for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and I thought, ‘What, all the hard work from the last two years to waste it on something off the shelf? Absolutely not.’ So, I started playing with jam. Of course, jam is not native to Nigeria, so I had a lot of runny jam in the beginning. And then it just got better. We started with basic strawberry jam, then we did black raspberries because they grow on the property. And before you know it, I’m making 175 flavors eight years later and I still have over a hundred on my phone that I've never made.

What are some of those flavors you’re excited to make?

I can't even pick! There are so many. Blueberry lavender is currently our top seller, but I would like to make one with maybe Earl Grey or Lady Grey so that Apothica Teas will have their own jam. They already use my jam and serve it with their scones and crumpets, but I really want to make Laura one that is infused with tea and just label it “Apothica Jam.”

What does it mean to you to celebrate Michigan’s agriculture industry through jam and support local growers in the process?

I tell everyone, we are the agricultural hub of the country. Southwest Michigan grows almost everything I need. We source 95% of our fruits from small family-owned farms within a 30-mile radius of our location. This allows us to create unique flavors using Michigan fruit. Last year, we incorporated produce in our jams, by mixing jalapeno with strawberry, raspberry and peach. This year, we tested a spicy dill pickle jelly and tomato jam; all sourced locally. I know I can purchase less expensive fruit from other states for jam production, but nothing tastes better than a Michigan peach. Nothing tastes better than a Michigan strawberry. We are committed to working with families that are involved in keeping agriculture alive in Southwest Michigan.

You've received support from the MSU Product Center. How have these small business resources helped you in building a business?

The MSU Product Center is AMAZING. They are fantastic. Kendra Wills is my counselor and it's been phenomenal working with her. She can tell you, I've texted her late at night, asking for help, and she replied! Through the Product Center, I found someone to test my products. I received help with my labeling. I receive updates on grants available for food-based businesses – I love to apply for grants – and pitch competitions that are coming up. Any of the resources they provide, I tap into them. Without the Product Center, I didn’t even know that I was supposed to get my product tested, and we wouldn't be where we are right now.

What advice would you give to an aspiring small business owner?

Take a chance! Take a chance on you, take a chance on your business idea. Find fellow entrepreneurs out there to have conversations with. I believe in collaboration over competition. But best yet, find those resources that are provided through places like MEDC, SBDC, MSU Product Center, SCORE, WBC (acronyms are how you learn in the military). These resources are available for a reason, and the best thing is they're all free. Ask for help, use the resources, find people who champion you, and find people who cheer you on. But best of all, find people who are honest with you and say, ‘Girl, no.’ But in a kind and loving way.

How can people find your jam?

We have our storefront, and then we’re in 24 locations. If you visit our website, you can find a store close to you. We only began selling on store shelves in the last year, but if you're a store out there and you're looking to carry our jams, all I need is an email.

Currently, we're in a store in Colorado. She reached out to me and wanted my product because she supports Veteran-owned businesses. The farthest our jam has gone is to Japan; I had a friend who was stationed there with her little boy, so I sent her a box. She was very happy to receive it. My dream is to have our products on shelves coast-to-coast. Having our jams sold in a Maine store and a Hawaii store, would be pretty wonderful.

You came to Michigan for love, but now that you’ve lived here, what do you love about being in the state?

I love the agriculture belt. I'm from a country where you go to the market every day, and you buy food fresh. Knowing that where my business is located is right smack in the middle of where I can get every fruit and vegetable that I enjoy eating and turning into jam for me is by far the best feeling. I love creating with local fruit and working with local farms. I have farmers who now call me and say, ‘Hey, I'm thinking of growing this fruit. Do you think you can make jam with it?’ I have access to what I like to eat and what I like to turn into jam. Our customers know that each jar of Sticky Spoons’ jam is made with Michigan fruit.