I get asked this question all the time, and honestly, it trips people up more than you'd expect - even people who eat jam every single day. So here's a proper explanation, from someone who has spent the last ten years thinking about very little else!
What is a jam?
Let's start with jam, because it has an actual legal definition in the UK. Under The Jam and Similar Products (England) Regulations 2003, to legally call your product a jam it must contain:
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A minimum of 60% sugars (that includes natural fruit sugars and added sugar combined)
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A minimum of 35% fruit
That second number is the one that always surprises people. 35% fruit. You can legally sell a product, call it jam, and have it be nearly two-thirds sugar. That's not something I can get excited about.
There are exceptions - blackcurrants only need 25% fruit, for example - but the overall picture is the same. Jam regulations set a floor, not a ceiling, and most commercial jams sit right at it.
What is a preserve?
Preserve is a broader, looser term - and that's actually why we use it. There's no legal minimum for what a preserve has to contain, which means we can make something with much more fruit and much less sugar than a jam, and describe it accurately.
Our fruit preserves contain at least 50% fruit, and most contain much more. Because we cook them in small batches for a shorter time, the fruit flavour stays bright, and the total sugar content stays well below 60%. Which means we genuinely cannot call them jams - they don't meet the legal threshold. Preserve suits us perfectly.
You'll also notice that a preserve tends to have lovely chunks of fruit in it rather than a smooth set. That's by design. We want you to taste the fruit, not just the sugar.
One small caveat though: because "preserve" has no legal definition, anyone can put it on a label. Some producers use it to signal quality and high fruit content - others just use it because they think it sounds nicer than jam. So it's still worth turning the jar over and checking.
What is a conserve?
Conserve is another term with no legal definition in the UK, so in theory it can mean whatever a producer wants it to mean. In practice, it's used in a similar way to preserve: typically a high-fruit, chunky spread with a looser set than jam. We could just as easily call our products conserves, but we prefer preserve - it feels more honest about what they are.
If you see conserve on a label, it's usually a signal that the producer is aiming for something a little more premium than standard jam. But again, do check the ingredients, because without a legal definition, there's nothing stopping someone using the word on a low-fruit product.
What is a marmalade?
Marmalade does have a legal definition: it's a preserve made from citrus fruit. The UK regulations specify that it must contain at least 20% citrus peel (which gives it that characteristic bitter bite), and similar sugar minimums apply as with jam.
Historically marmalade meant Seville orange, but today you'll find lemon, lime, grapefruit and all sorts of other citrus varieties. We make four: Amalfi Lemon (our most decorated - it was named the best marmalade in the world at the World Marmalade Awards), Tahiti Lime, Seville Orange, and Blood Orange when the season allows.
The key thing that makes marmalade marmalade is the citrus. By law, it must be made from citrus fruit - that's the defining rule. The bitter edge and chewy texture you associate with a classic marmalade come from the peel, but not all marmalades contain it. Personally, I load ours with peel! I think that bittersweet hit is what makes a great marmalade, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
So what should you actually buy?
If you want maximum fruit flavour and minimum sugar, look for a preserve or a conserve with a high fruit percentage on the back of the jar. Jam is legally allowed to be mostly sugar, and plenty of them are.
If you want to try what we make, our fruit preserves are a good place to start. We make them with fruit we've sourced specifically for flavour - single varieties chosen because they taste exceptional, not because they're easy to grow at scale.
