What began as a side hustle more than a decade ago has flourished into a successful business for Johwanna “Jojo” Alleyne. Her company, Mojo Jojo Pickles, has gone from a farmers market staple to appearing on shelves in grocery stores and specialty shops across the province. And she has her own storefront selling the pickles that launched her brand.
Don’t let the name fool you — there’s more on offer than just pickles. Alleyne has expanded her line to include jams and condiments, along with syrups, vinegars and mixes to level up cocktails. Williamson gets it. “I’m addicted to her creations,” says Janice Williamson, a friend and customer of Alleyne’s. “Like pear fruit picked near our neighbourhood is transformed into delectable Salted Caramel Pear Spread.”
“People ask me how we come up with ideas, like last year we started making a dill pickle hot sauce and I swear that sometimes we just kick words around until we’re like, ‘Doesn’t that sound good?’” Alleyne says.
The Dill Pickle Hot Sauce has taken off faster than any other product the company has produced, but it’s not the only off-beat and delicious offering — the store’s stock list includes Cherry Chili Hot Sauce and Jerk Peach Ketchup.
Before she started her business, Alleyne was a photographer, and worked as the city of Edmonton’s photographic archivist. As that industry shifted to digital, Alleyne looked for something more hands-on to do. Through her volunteer work canning with Slow Food Edmonton, she discovered the process of canning and pickling similar to working in the darkroom.
“I was so accustomed to the chemicals and the timers and the baths and reeking of vinegar all the time, it seemed a natural fit.”
Since founding the business 15 years ago, Mojo Jojo has gone through several iterations and locations — the pandemic was particularly tumultuous — but Alleyne ultimately landed in her current retail and commercial kitchen location on east Whyte Avenue in 2022. Since then, she’s connected with even more customers who travel across the city for a particular jar of jam or pickle flavour.
“Johwanna’s Mojo Jojo is a boon to our neighbourhood,” says Williamson. And, sure, there are other condiments, but we all love pickles, endless in versatility. “And her many varieties of pickled vegetables are delish.”
“It’s just pickles, right?,” Alleyne says. “But it has purpose, and it gave me purpose. Pickles are very emotional.” Nostalgia is a big draw in her business — people seek out the flavours they’ve always loved, or that remind them of mom’s cooking.
“Edmontonians don’t know we have a pickle store,” says Alleyne. “They’re so excited to find out that we do.”
Now, when she goes out, Alleyne gets called “the pickle lady,” a title she doesn’t mind at all. “People are like, ‘Do you have any pickles with you?’ The way they look at me, it’s like I’m a pork chop.”
Mojo Jojo Pickles
Ritchie | 9627 82 Avenue NW, Edmonton | mojojojopickles.com
