Pantry · Oakland, California
Diaspora Co.
Heirloom single-origin spices bought directly from farms in India and Sri Lanka.
- Founded
- 2017
- Founded by
- Sana Javeri Kadri
- Based in
- Oakland, California
Their story
Diaspora Co. is the work of Sana Javeri Kadri, who grew up in Mumbai and moved back to India in 2017 with about $2,000 and a question: where does the turmeric in all those trendy lattes actually come from? What started as something close to an art project turned into a spice company.
Sana spent years traveling between farms to find growers she wanted to work with. Today Diaspora sources from around 140 farms across India and Sri Lanka, with no middlemen in between, and offers a lineup of about 30 heirloom spices. Its first and best-known spice is Pragati turmeric from Andhra Pradesh.
The company ran on its own profits for more than five years before taking outside money, and it chose to raise from a large group of angel investors rather than traditional venture funds.
How it's made
Diaspora buys directly from partner farms and pays well above the commodity price, often with advance payments before harvest. Spices are single origin and traceable to the farm, and the company also runs a fund that supports farmworkers' health care, pensions, and children's education.
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Garam Masala Spice Blend (47G)
$13.00
The ubiquitous garam masala elevates just about any dish with its signature complexity, versatility, and heat.
Shop Diaspora Co.
5 in stock
Why we carry them
Open a jar of their turmeric or cardamom next to a supermarket version and the difference is obvious. We like stocking spices where we can tell you exactly which farm they came from.
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