Athlete-backed Jams takes on peanut butter and jelly, protein craze

The classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich is getting a modern day upgrade and backing from some top athletes.

Jams, a new company created by 26-year-old Connor Blakley, launched Monday and hopes to take on Smucker’s Uncrustables as the next locker room and lunch box staple. Like Uncrustables, the sandwiches fall in the frozen foods category.

Backed by names like U.S. soccer legend Alex Morgan and NFL Pro Bowlers C.J. Stroud and Micah Parsons, Jams will be available exclusively at 3,000 Walmart stores nationwide.

Uncrustables has dominated the market with a near PB&J monopoly, but Blakley is hoping to differentiate his products by appealing to health-conscious consumers.

“No. 1 is it’s no seed oils,” he said. “We have no dyes, no artificial flavors or colors, no high fructose corn syrup, and we have the most protein per ounce of any peanut butter and jelly that’s currently on the market.”

Smucker’s parent company J.M. Smucker, late last month said it would remove synthetic food colors from all of its consumer food products by the end of 2027. 

Jams is a slightly larger project than the Smuckers option, at a weight of 74 grams versus Uncrustables’ 58 grams. Blakley also said his product has a lower total sugar content, and each sandwich contains 10 grams of protein.

Walmart also stocks Uncrustables at a $4.34 price point. Jams will cost slightly more at $5.97 per box.

Jams will initially be available in two flavors: strawberry and a mixed berry option.

The entrepreneur, who dropped out of high school when he was 17, said he has taste-tested more than 250 iterations of PB&J sandwiches in the process of developing Jams. The sandwiches are manufactured in Ohio and Wisconsin.

But Blakley has a steep hill to climb.

In its most recent earnings call in June, J.M. Smucker said it is on track to generate over a billion dollars in net sales by the end of fiscal 2026 from Uncrustables, noting that they are the No. 1 product in the the total frozen category.

To support the rising demand, Smucker’s recently opened its third and largest Uncrustables manufacturing facility in McCalla, Alabama.

Blakley said he believes the key market for his sandwiches will be athletes.

NFL teams consume more than 80,000 Uncrustables per year as a growing number of teams and athletes look for a fast, convenient and filling snack, according to a 2024 report by The Athletic.

“Athletes want to get the best possible products to fuel their body and lifestyle,” Blakley said.

He attributed the success of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich to two things: nostalgia and ease.

“I think convenience is really, really a big part of why category has and will continue to take off,” he said.