Roberson Harold: The Jelly Man

By Francisco Coronado 

The Jelly Man, otherwise known as Roberson Harold, has been making jelly from scratch since he was 13 years old. For years, he has been honing his craft and turning his hobby into a business that has gained a reputation for quality and good taste.

Harold is a junior environmental studies major and a minor in entrepreneurship here at Trinity University. Before attending Trinity, Roberson only sold his jelly at local markets.  With the new clientele at Trinity, he was able to increase his sales and eventually established his business, The Jelly Man.

The Jelly Man currently sells six flavors, jackfruit, strawberry, jalapeno, strawberry jalapeno, peach, and mesquite bean. These jellies are made with simple fresh ingredients that typically vary depending on what’s in season and can be procured in a cost-effective manner.

“ I sell all my jelly for $8 a jar but the strawberry jalapeno cost a lot more to make. But it offsets with the cheaper jellies to make like the mesquite,” said Harold.

“When buying from The Jelly Man you not only get high-quality homemade jelly for a reasonable price, but you are helping out a family business that truly cares about their customers and products,” said Joe Wolken, a junior here at Trinity University.

Running such a family business is no easy task. Harold’s dorm is not equipped with a fridge large enough to store his ingredients nor a stove top. This has posed restrictions on how frequently Harold can make his jellies. “I have to make my jelly at home. So I go home about every other weekend and whenever I need to restock on supplies,” said Harold.

Harold has competed in multiple food competitions such as the Taste of Texas Food Show, winning the runner-up for his strawberry jalapeno jelly, and The Poteet Strawberry Festival, where he won best of show for his strawberry jackfruit jelly. 

He credits his mother and aunt for introducing him to the art of jelly making, they provided Harold with the tools necessary to not only make a variety of jellies but also explained the proper method for canning.

The Jelly Man is not able to compete with large name brands or sold at stores.  So Harold’s business strategy focuses on creating meaningful connections with his customers and encouraging feedback from them.

This strategy has worked well. “I believe it’s some of the best jelly I have ever tried and it spices up a boring jelly market,” said one of his customers, Evan Mailloux, a junior at Trinity, who has grown tired of generie grape jellies in the stores.

Harold also applied his learning from the entrepreneurship minor to help grow his business. “The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship has helped me grow my business,” said Harold. “Working with other entrepreneurs in the department has connected me to people in my industry and helped refine my product.”

The Jelly Man has extended his outreach by creating an Instagram account and plans to expand his operation to a commercial kitchen. Harold’s goal is to sell jelly in stores throughout Texas.