Anna; the woman behind Good Jamu

I'm Anna, the woman behind Good Jamu. For me, Good Jamu is more than just a brand, it's part of my identity.

Back to the tradition

My grandparents were born and raised in Ambon, the capital of the Moluccan Islands. Early in their adult lives they came to the Netherlands, where my father met my mother, who is Dutch. I grew up in the Netherlands, but being half Moluccan I always had a strong desire to return to Indonesia and get to know the place my grandparents once called home. After studying journalism at university, I decided to do that and left for Bali.

During my stay I saw how naturally herbs and spices are part of daily life in Indonesia, just as they were during my childhood. At home there was always a pot of tea or a herb blend ready. That brought me back to the tradition, and I became interested in the recipes themselves, and in the people who pass them on.

The beginning of Good Jamu

Jamu has always been an important part of my life, even before I was born. When my mother was pregnant with me she used a jamu paste, as was customary in our family. During my childhood my parents and grandparents gave me jamu to drink, but the busyness of adult life made me lose track of this ancient tradition.

During my travels I was reacquainted with jamu. I was lucky enough to learn about jamu from an experienced jamu master, a woman who had learned the craft of making jamu from her ancestors and had an in-depth knowledge of its history. Meeting her gave me a real insight into the cultural aspects, and I started drinking jamu every day.

When I returned to the Netherlands, I missed jamu so much that I started making it based on the knowledge I got from the jamu master. I shared the first batch with friends and they were obsessed. They asked for more, and I made more. Then I realized something: people on this side of the world want jamu and it's the way to introduce this dying craft here.

From this moment Good Jamu has come into existence.

Why Good Jamu

But that's not the only reason why I founded Good Jamu. Jamu is a dying craft. In Indonesia, people no longer have time to make jamu because the preparation process is labor intensive and also not as profitable as it used to be due to the mass production of cheap crops for worldwide consumption. Each island has its own jamu, but as people are no longer interested in making it, many of the spices used to make these special editions are disappearing. I feel it is my duty to keep this ancient tradition alive in the modern world, and I hope I can do that with Good Jamu.

I believe a daily ritual can be attractive and inspiring, and something everyone can enjoy, regardless of age or where they come from. I want Good Jamu to embody that.

Do you have questions about jamu? We can answer them. With Good Jamu we want to share the flavours and the history of jamu with the world. We believe in honest, organic ingredients and in recipes that have been passed down for generations.