RUMI: Where Passion Meets Grit

Being in Afghanistan was our moment of serendipity as entrepreneurs.

CEO Kim Jung and COO Emily Miller are featured on the cover of Vetrepreneur, the official magazine of the National Veteran-Owned Business Associtaion (NaVOBA).

We went there looking to provide stability and peace.  We came back with the purpose of putting Afghanistan on a different map, the luxury food one, and to help people discover its unique flavor profile.  As Americans, we were afraid of what we didn’t know: we though Afghanistan was just a dangerous, fucked up country. Soon we realized that we were ignorant about Middle-Eastern cultures. We felt inspired by the opportunity to do something bigger. How can we help recover a sense of pride around Afghan culture?  This rich culture should been associated to something more positive. We know that farmers feel proud about their produce. If we help them cultivate something more sophisticated and profitable, would that boost their pride to an even higher level?

Kim Jung picking saffron in Herat

So we asked ourselves: what if we take a crop that Afghanistan grows better than any other region and help the rest of the world appreciate it? How would that transform the way the world thinks about the flavor of saffron?  How would it transform the farmers way of living? How would it transform what chefs and other foodies think of Afghanistan? How would it transform us?

Originally, we thought that we had to control the entire production, the farmers and product. We then realized that too many people have tried to tell the Afghan people how things should run in their country.  Instead, we chose to empower farmers.   Our role is to help them produce this amazing saffron, with a unique taste profile because it’s grown in a new region. We provide tools, education and, most importantly, access to foodies and buyers across the globe. The unique flavor profile of our Afghan saffron has not been unnoticed. From renowned Michelin star chefs to food experts all the way to specialty food retailers, are providing excellent reviews and adding it to their repertoire. Actually, some of the most influential and progressive players, such as Daniel Boulud and Eric Ripert, are personally endorsing. Amazingly enough, chefs and foodies are finding our Afghan saffron to be transformational. Its subtle, nuanced flavors can turn Bouillabaisse and Tagines into something extraordinary. We are ambassadors of Afghan saffron. We don’t represent a country, we represent a unique flavor, an exotic terroir. Our insights on this blog are to help you understand who we are, what we care about, and also to hear you - please comment, engage and share your thoughts.  If you'd like to contact us in regards to a post please email info@rumispice.com and include "blog" in the subject line.