Our newest venture: Faluma Coconut Oil, rooted in ancestral wisdom.
Check It Out
I've been lucky enough to travel across the Americas, but one place keeps calling me back—Cali, Colombia. I’ve spent enough time there to fall in love with the city’s rhythm, its people, and especially its markets. Cali’s markets aren’t just places to buy food; they’re living stories of culture and community. And it was in this world, earlier this summer, that I met Helena.
Helena is the founder of Artesanales Helenita. She started making fruit preserves during the pandemic—small batches from her home kitchen, shared with neighbors and friends. But her craft goes way beyond those first jars. Her recipes and techniques come from generations of her family who cooked with the native fruits of Valle del Cauca: lulo, maracuyá, uchuva, piña, and so many others that define the region’s flavor.
As more people fell in love with her preserves, Helena decided to train formally in culinary techniques. What began as comfort cooking became a true craft. Today, she’s known for her no-sugar-added jams—bright, aromatic, naturally sweet, and packed with real fruit. They’re not just delicious; they carry her family’s heritage.
Her stand in Cali’s iconic Alameda Market became her workshop, classroom, and community hub. Locals, chefs, and tourists stopped by to taste, talk, and learn. Through those conversations, Helena refined her recipes and built a following rooted in trust and connection.
When we started working together, our goal wasn’t to push her into mass production or change her style. It was to help her grow while staying true to who she is. At Goodgrow, we’ve been supporting her with packaging, distribution pathways, and the systems that help artisans expand without losing their identity.
Her jams have already made a difference far from Cali. One message we received says it all:
“Your products have been very helpful for my wife who, due to dementia, has problems swallowing. Mixing these jams into the pureed food improves both flavor and texture enormously.”
A recipe born in Cali, shaped by generations, is now helping a family across the world. That’s the power of giving artisans agency and visibility in the supply chains they fuel.
Helena’s story is more than a business story. It’s about resilience, tradition, and what happens when artisans are supported—not just sourced from. For us at Goodgrow, she represents the future we want to build: a world where communities are not the first step in a supply chain, but co-authors of the entire system.
If you want to help Helena grow her craft while keeping her heritage at the center, feel free to 👉 Explore the latest products and be part of her story.
Taste the sunshine of the tropics with Helenitas artisan marmalades, handcrafted in small batches and made with nothing but fresh, natural fruit. Each jar is a little burst of paradise — no preservatives, no artificial colors, no fillers — just real tropical fruit cooked slowly con mucho amor y cariño.
