"Founded in Chicago in 2017 by Mohammad Salehi (a 2021 Eater New Guard member), this company focuses on making saffron more accessible to Americans while creating a more stable economic structure for farmer families in Afghanistan: it employs 28 families growing saffron as part of a cooperative, provides workshops on production and harvesting techniques and supplies tools and resources to maintain quality. As Ruchi Kumar explains, “what sets [the company] apart, making it lucrative for farmers, is the payout: significantly more than market rates. The company also sends a percentage of its profits to support two local schools in Herat Province, a way to give back to the children of the farming community.”" - Francky Knapp