It is said that long before there was gold, there was pepper. The spice that we all have come to know and love as one of our favorite seasoning on basically everything, was once but a mythical substance that determined trading routes and even dynasties. Many a wars have been lost and won for the rights to control and dominate spice trading routes.
My guest today, Sana Javeri Kadri, has a mission. A mission to decolonize the spice trade and her spice company Diaspora based in San Francisco and India is doing just that. Even her tagline – building a better spice trade alludes to her vision.
To understand the mission of Diaspora, you have to understand the spice trade, especially as it relates to India. Whether it was the Arabs in 5th century BC or the Greeks & Romans in the 4th century BC, Indian spices ruled the trade routes for several hundred years. Spices like pepper, cloves and cinnamon were not only used in food but also for medicinal purposes. Pepper was used to preserve and to flavor spoiled meat. Cloves and cinnamon were used as substitutes for cleanliness and ventilation. They were strewn across the floor to prevent foot odor from permeating the room. Traded by the Arabs, many of the spices from the Indian subcontinent made their way all over Europe. 
Having tasted the magic of the spices and tired of paying a premium for it, the European countries set out to search for a sea route to India. The colonization of India and Americas was a result of such expeditions undertaken by different European nations. Americas were discovered while Columbus was searching for East Indies (India) through the Atlantic sea route. The original intent of colonial conquest of the Indian subcontinent was a desire for domination of the spice trade. A system where the farmers made no money, spices changed hands upwards of 10 times between farmer and consumer, and the final spice on the shelf was usually an old, dusty, and flavorless shadow of what it once was.
With a background in food sciences and a curiosity of spices in today’s food industry, Sana set out to research the origin of spices in India. She soon found that much of the archaic spice trading practices of colonial times hadn’t really changed in today’s spice commodity trading. Farmers were still be overworked and underpaid. A meeting with the Indian Institute of Spice Research opened her up to the world of heirloom turmeric, organic cardamom farms and the whole diaspora of locally harvested spices. She got introduced to farmers who were looking to grow the best of the best – ethically, sustainably and profitably.
Today Sana is well on her way to do exactly what she set out to do four years ago…decolonize the spice trade in India, partner with and support local farms, encourage fair trade and fair compensation for the Indian farmers, and provide the best quality of spices to her customers. This lovely lady is certainly an inspiration for all small businesses wanting to make an impact in the world and I cannot wait for you to meet and get to know Sana on this episode of CulturallyOurs.
{Headshot by Aubrie Pick and harvest photos by Sana Javeri Kadri}
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