Discover...
Our story
A love story, a tale of family, and creativity...
The encounter
Over 30 years ago, Karine and Jeff met. Picture a young, reserved girl, passionate about dance, and eager to learn. Gradually, an idea took root in Karine's mind, becoming a certainty: "To experience pleasure, one must be creative." From that moment on, Karine created her own choreographies, which she joyfully performed for entire afternoons.
Now, imagine a young man, devoted to the guitar, for whom music epitomizes the ultimate form of art. Jeff flourished for a decade, becoming a professional musician.
Twenty years later, he still exclaims with the same fervor: "Music has made me attuned to beauty, taught me the art of listening, and offered me the chance to create freely and joyfully."
One fine day, a love story blossomed between the dancer and the musician. Karine & Jeff transformed each other's lives. For Karine, "the doors of the world swung open" as she discovered in Jeff the ideal partner. When they married, Karine was 18 years old, and Jeff was 27.
After 30 years of marriage, the flame is still alive: they remain side by side, supporting each other, setting ever more ambitious goals. Goals they will achieve... together.
THE JOURNEY
In the early years of their twenties, Karine and Jeff were already conscious of the consumerist model to which we indulge in our Western societies.
Without the slightest idea of the place they would one day occupy in "the world of organic," they already sensed the importance that nature, the environment, and humanity would have in their future professional lives.
Nevertheless, Jeff, who earned his living in a store specializing in the sale of musical instruments, would gladly settle for love and fresh water.
Karine, already daring, dreamt of freedom and decided to fulfill one of her dreams: joining a dance school in Los Angeles. Overwhelmed with love, the young musician chose to follow his muse – heading towards America!
From this decision was born their first shared journey, to Central America, and then to South America... It marked the beginning of a passion for travel, the discovery of landscapes, culinary traditions, humanity, and its diversity.
After a challenging return to France, where boredom threatened to appear at any moment in an environment that did not allow them to flourish, Karine and Jeff set off again. This time, their destination was the Middle East, passing through Europe, then heading to the Cape of Good Hope, crossing Africa.
HAPPINESS IS IN THE JAR: THE BIRTH
One beautiful day, the obvious became clear: what had always fascinated them, what they had always done together, was cooking. The idea was born.
Upon their return to France in 1999, Karine and Jeff settled in the southwest of France, in the village of Jegun. The couple acquired a truck, some cooking pots, and set out on their venture.
It seemed easy, at least on the surface. They had to wake up at the crack of dawn to travel and visit markets and fairs all over France to offer the dishes prepared in their family kitchen.
Luck smiled upon Karine in the form of two business creation contests, which they easily won. "I went to participate in the regional 'Défi Jeune' (Young Challenge) with my basket, my little jars that weren't sterilized. I had nine minutes to convince them," Karine remembers. Convinced, all the members of the jury wanted to taste her dishes.
The prize they won was used to create their first culinary workshop.
At the same time, Joachim, the couple's fourth child, now twenty-two years old, was born alongside this project of setting up their business with the evocative name: "Happiness is in the Jar."
FROM FRANCE TO THE UNITED STATES, THROUGH EUROPE
These new facilities will allow Karine & Jeff to improve their production capacity and continually enhance the quality of their recipes.
Innovation is also part of the journey: in 2013, Manuel, the couple's eldest son, opens the first organic boutique restaurant in Toulouse. In 2015, Karine receives the Innovation Trophy, recognizing female entrepreneurship.
However, Karine doesn't stop there and continues her mission: more than ever, she wants to share her passion for healthy food and aims to play an active role in health and well-being education.
It's time to embark on the international path. In the summer of 2015, they undertake two study and prospecting trips to the United States. The recipes are warmly welcomed, and by October of that year, the first deliveries are sent to American and Canadian distributors.
After thirty years of life together, with their products being marketed in Europe, North America, and Canada, Karine and Jeff still share the conviction that one of life's fundamental values lies in organic food. They are committed to spreading this message with passion and sensitivity while demonstrating that one can live "differently."