Ep. 008 Kimberly Jung of Rumi Spice: Laying a foundation for peace one saffron flower at a time. - a podcast by k80jones

In this episode, we are glad to welcome Kimberly Jong, the CEO, and Co-founder of Rumi Spice. Rumi Spice is a for-profit social enterprise that imports saffron from Afghanistan. The company started about four years ago when a team of US military veterans partnered with Afghan farmers to cultivate saffron in the country. It aims at telling the story behind the Afghanistan saffron by bringing high-quality saffron to customers across the world. Its mission is to empower Afghan women and help in the growing of the country’s economy.  Last year, they were lucky enough to go on Shark Tank and have Mark Cuban agree to invest in the business. This was a really big milestone as it meant more than 8 million people worldwide knew about them.

In the beginning, these farmers wouldn’t shake my hand because I was a woman but after a year, and after we’ve exported over 100 kilos of saffron, these farmers not only shake my hand but also take selfies. They understand the business part of this and it's why capitalism is a great way to lay a foundation for peace.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN;

• How the business began.
• The harvesting and processing procedure.
• How gender difference is a factor when it comes to working on the farms.
• The mission of the business.
• How they fitted into the Afghan’s people culture.
• Who are their customers?
• What are some of the uses of saffron?
• Obstacles faced when the business was starting.
• How the business has contributed to the growth of the surrounding community.
• How long it took for the business to be established.
• What is the role of Mark Cuban in the business?
• Advice to people looking up to start a similar business.
• If Rumi didn’t exist, what other business would she venture into?

Links mentioned Website: www.rumispice.com  

Did you like this?

Thank you for listening to this episode! If you enjoyed it, please feel free to share it using the social media buttons on this page. I’d also be VERY grateful if you could rate, review, and subscribe to  Food Heroes Podcast on iTunes. Or, if you use Stitcher, you can leave a review right here. That all helps a lot in ranking this show and would be greatly appreciated. And if you have any comments or questions, leave a comment below! If you need a little help navigating iTunes check out the tutorial I made Here.  

Further episodes of Food Heroes Podcast

Further podcasts by k80jones

Website of k80jones