The main difference between sustainable and conventional spices is that sustainable spices are grown and harvested in an environmentally friendly manner. This means that no harmful pesticides or artificial fertilisers are used, and local wildlife is protected during harvesting. Conventional spices, on the other hand, are grown using chemical agents that are harmful to the environment and animals. Additionally, sustainable spices are often organically grown and usually produced using sustainable techniques such as water and energy conservation, which reduce CO2 emissions and the overall environmental impact.
Terms of Trade for Sustainable Spices
Furthermore, with sustainable spices, you can expect them to offer fair trade conditions for farmers and workers representing poor and/or vulnerable communities in developing countries.
An example of an organisation that supports fair trade is Fairtrade. A trade movement that offers fair trade conditions for farmers and workers representing poor and/or vulnerable communities in developing countries. Fairtrade ensures producers a fair price for their products, allowing them to improve their living standards. It also provides access to financial services, enabling producers to develop their businesses, such as improving the quality of their products and investing in the local community.
If you buy a product with a Fairtrade logo, you can assume that the supplier pays the minimum price. This is to prevent the farmer from making a loss if the price of a product suddenly drops. That's a good start, of course, but we go a step further. We don't want to pay the farmer the minimum price, but we engage in dialogue with them to ask what they need for a living income. Not just to barely survive, but so they can expand their business and provide for their family and friends.
Taste of Sustainable Spices
Our spices are Single Origin. This means they come from one specific location. Just like with wine, for example, the soil (terroir) on which the crops grow influences the taste. Unfortunately, with conventional spices, harvests are often mixed with low-quality harvests from cheap production countries like China, or with old harvests. Conventional spices are also often filled with, for example, fillers or ingredients like grain to prevent moisture ingress, but also to increase quantities. You can probably imagine that all these factors do not improve the taste of the spices. Sustainable spices therefore have a much more intense flavour and are thus a much better addition to your kitchen cupboard!
