Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Reimaging how to source spices helped Burlap & Barrel meet demand for fresh flavors

A front-runner in reimaging the spice trade is Burlap & Barrel – Public Benefit Corp on a mission “to end inequity and exploitation in food systems by connecting farmers to high-value markets” so they can capture a larger share of the product’s value while simultaneously sharing with consumers the vivid flavors of spices, sweeteners and other ingredients that are cultivated with care for quality rather than volume.

In this episode of FoodNavigator-USA’s Soup-To-Nuts Podcast​, Burlap & Barrel Co-founder and activist entrepreneur Ethan Frisch shares how the single origin spice company and social enterprise is creating a better value proposition for smallholder spice farmers and consumers interested in fresher, more flavorful spices. He also shares how consumer interest in spices is evolving, including how the current economic environment is influencing their purchase decisions and the types of products and flavors they want. Finally, he shares strategies for engaging consumers and creating new business opportunities through collaboration.

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A fresh approach to sourcing spices attracts new consumers seeking bold flavors​

Burlap & Barrels’ exponential growth illustrates that its unique approach to sourcing and selling single origin spices is resonating with modern consumers who are eager to try new flavors and who want to know that their purchases – especially in the current economic environment – support the greater good.

According to the company’s recently released 2023 social impact report​, it shipped 24% more orders to home cooks, chefs, manufacturers and retailers last year while many food companies and ingredient suppliers struggled with declining volumes and unit sales.

Part of this comes from expanded distribution and increased consumer awareness, but Frisch also attributes it the company’s uncompromising values and the resulting higher-quality product offering.

“We are a social enterprise, which means we work directly with small farms in now 30 different countries. We are a public benefit corporation, which emphasizes that commitment to our impact. And our goal is to connect smallholder farmers with high value markets,” he said.

He explained Burlap & Barrel’s supply chains look different for each farmer in part because spices are grown under different conditions, but each partnership is the same in that they are all direct and each prizes traditional crops and growing techniques, which Frisch says results in products that are better for the earth and consumers.

This is different than conventional sourcing models that prioritize volume and incentivize farmers to choose varietals that are easier to grow but may be less flavorful and to use farming techniques that take more from the land than they give.

Frisch notes that Burlap & Barrel’s approach is better suited to meet modern consumer demands.

“We’ve definitely seen consumer interest in regenerative [agriculture]. And flavor is an indicator of those trends. Sometimes something tastes better because it is fresher, because it is better for you, because it was produced in a way that is better for the planet,” and consumers are making that connection and prioritizing it in their purchasing decisions, he explained.

From honey and unrefined sugar to ‘funny experimental spices’​

Despite the current economic environment that has many shoppers pulling back on their spending, Frisch reports many consumers will pay more for products that ultimately help them save money by cooking at home more versus eating out and which they feel good about buying because they positively impact the environment or welfare of others.

To meet this need, he adds, the company is aggressively expanding its product lineup.

“We are launching a line of single origin honey in a partnership with Dr. Jane Goodall. These are single origin, wild honey from Tanzania and [sourced from] one of the last wild chimpanzee habitats in the world,” said Frisch. He explained that the careful cultivation of honey from the habitat is one way to protect the forest and chimpanzees who live there because farmers can make money without needing to clear the land for crops.

Burlap & Barrel also recently launched a line of single origin unrefined sugars, including a panela cane sugar, jaggery from India and turbinado style sugar from Barbados. It also has a wood-fired maple sugar. Because the sugars are unrefined they are more flavorful, according to Frisch, who adds they are responsibly sourced like all of Burlap & Barrels spices.

Beyond sweeteners, Frisch said, the company is “constantly launching new, funny, experimental spices. We find there a lot of appetite – no pun intended – for specialty flavors. People want to taste something, but maybe it doesn’t need to be part of their everyday cooking for the rest of their lives,” and so Burlap & Barrel will do limited runs on unique flavors.   

As Burlap & Barrel has expanded consumer awareness and its distribution beyond the “really exceptional home cook” who favors specialty food to more mainstream shoppers, Frisch said the company has seen increased interest in blends.

In 2023, the company more than doubled their popular origin blends lineup, which includes familiar blends – like curry or chai – but with a unique twist, such as a regional difference. The blends also are a way for the company to offer farmers to take a larger share of the value chain as they cultivate the spices, blend them and sell them to the company directly, rather than selling individual spices to someone else to make a more valuable product.

The blends are part of the company’s strategy to launch more products that consumers will use daily to counter-balance the specialty spices that may be purchased less frequently.

Beyond blends, Frisch says he sees increased consumer interest in flavors that are tart, citrusy and have a “tingly sensation.”

Collaborations build engagement, expand reach​

Burlap & Barrel also leverages collaborations to innovate and engage consumers and in doing so create additional opportunities for other brands and businesses that share its social values to expand their reach and impact.

In 2023, the company developed and launched 13 new collaboration blends with chefs, writes, musicians and restauranters and has and upcoming collaboration with Martha Stewart.

The company is committed to creating at least four collaborative products each year to include in its quarterly spice club subscription, which Frisch says is another way to engage consumers and meet their desire for new flavors.

Looking forward, Frisch is optimistic about consumers’ growing interest in new flavors and spices. He also is optimistic other food manufacturers and ingredient suppliers will look at the success of his company and rethink how they source ingredients to drive growth in their businesses while also better supporting farmers and serving consumers.