The modern-day spice trade is devastating to both people and the planet. The industry traditionally favors quantity over quality and puts farmers under pressure to maximize production using GMO seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and other inputs. On top of this, a complicated network of distributors manipulates prices and leaves less revenue for the farmers.

A growing number of direct source producers are disrupting the spice trade and presenting consumers with better (tastier) options-- we are thrilled to be a part of that movement.

Working in collaboration with local farmers and producers, we’re building relationships first-- ones that lead to sustainable solutions. We pledge to tread lightly on the planet, treat people fairly, and empower others with economic opportunity -- all while producing a premium product.

From Our Kitchen to Yours - With Care, Purpose, and Flavor

I started Heart & Harvest as a chef who couldn't find ingredients that lived up to both my standards and my values. After years in professional kitchens - from classical French pastry training to working with Michelin-starred chefs in New York - I wanted to cook at home with clean, flavorful, beautifully made products. But what I found was a marketplace flooded with fillers, overly processed goods, and opaque sourcing.

That set me on a personal quest: to find ingredients that were ethically grown, full of natural flavor, and crafted with integrity. I began with vanilla - partnering directly with small-scale farmers in Madagascar who grow and hand-pollinate each orchid with incredible care. Through direct trade, we're able to pay them fairly, support the local community, invest in sustainable farming, and eliminate the layers of middlemen that usually drive up costs without adding value.

Fair, clean, beautifully made ingredients should be within reach - for the cook, and for the farmer. Heart & Harvest has since grown to include small-batch olives, vibrant antipasti, and thoughtfully blended spices - all crafted with the same attention to sourcing and flavor. Our approach is guided by one clear belief: cooking well doesn't have to be complicated. With just a few beautiful ingredients, even everyday meals - roasted vegetables, a quick pasta, or homemade pizza - can feel generous, flavorful, and full of care.

Whether you're layering flavors into something slow and soulful or putting together a weeknight dish with what's on hand, I hope our ingredients bring joy to your kitchen - and make it a little easier to cook the way you want to: honestly, intuitively, and with heart.

With heart,

Shabnam

Chef & Founder, Heart & Harvest