Kelly’s is a family-owned, woman-run, Oregon-based specialty food producer that effortlessly blends tradition with a modern taste esthetic to deliver premium pepper jellies and sweet fruit spreads. Kelly’s is a bridge to new experiences. It creates conversation, invites pairings and serves as an entertainer’s secret weapon. Kelly’s builds confidence by blazing a trail and pointing the way for those wanting to try new flavors and explore.
Kelly’s spreads tradition through the sharing of food. As a specialty food producer, we create premium, small batch hot jellies and sweet fruit spreads using only natural ingredients sourced from producers who represent the best of their local production. We want to add flavor and delight to everyday life. As part of the Portland creative class, Kelly’s is driven to collaborate, innovate and support the community.
OUR PEOPLE
Kelly and Adam have built the Kelly’s Jelly brand from the ground up, learning the business one day at a time. At Kelly’s Jelly, the team works hard, plays harder, and laughs a lot.
As parents, we understand the huge benefit it has been to have their children see and be involved with what it takes to run a small business.
“Some people stick to their guns on the sentiment that “bigger is better”. In the specialty food industry, though, sometimes the smallest factors have the power to set a precedent. As a company where the employee roster only includes three people, Kelly’s Jelly embodies this idea.”– Chandler, Deli Market News
Kelly Calabria
Kelly is our fun-sized, black belt leader who has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. She started her first job early in high school, continued working while attending the University of Oregon and hasn’t stopped since. Throughout her career she has held many positions, starting her company, Calabria Events when she was 25, moving into Real Estate and finally co-founding Kelly’s Jelly with her husband Adam the “Jelly Good Fellow”.
Kelly has never shied away from hard work or getting her hands dirty. If you stopped by the KJ warehouse, you could find her building a pallet of jelly, negotiating trucking rates or brainstorming the next great marketing idea! Kelly is excellent at forming and building relationships, but she has truly flourished in her ability to turn those relationships into successful partnerships. Her goal is to have everyone benefit and have fun while they are doing it.
With her long list of accomplishments, the one that she takes the most pride in is her family. She and Adam have two girls, who are always the number one focus. She makes this happen by carefully prioritizing, surrounding herself with a good team, and integrating all of her family into the business.
Adam Calabria
Co-Founder, Adam Calabria , AKA “Jelly Good Fellow” is our humble champion. A little known secret, the whole idea of Kelly’s Jelly (right down to the name) was dreamed up by Adam. Adam heads up many divisions at Kelly’s Jelly, including Production Management, Supply Chain, Research, Development and Pricing Strategy…he’s the numbers guy. The ultimate team player, Adam always shows up with a smile and genuine caring for those around him. Even though the recipe comes from Kelly’s family, it was Adam that spent day and night producing and perfecting every batch of Kelly’s award winning jelly.
On more than a few occasions, the overzealous sales team (Kelly & Hilary) have been known to sell Kelly’s Jelly flavors, not yet in existence. Under the pressure of Wife and BFF, Adam developed the entire line of Kelly’s Jelly (outside of Aunt Danny’s original Habanero Pepper Jelly recipe). Adam has always risen to the challenge, creating the tastiest ideas Kelly and Hilary can dream up. Adam is the calm sounding board, and without question the smartest person in the room.
Adam grew up in Houston and moved to Lake Oswego High School where he and Kelly met. He had an exciting tour of Colleges, beginning at Johns Hopkins, where he played football and ending with a Mathematics degree from Portland State University. Outside of work, you can find Adam golfing, playing games ,watching sports and easily winning the title, “Dad of the year.”