Reshaping the spice trade: From Zanzibar to the Netherlands

At the point of production there are producers like 1001 Organic in Zanzibar, which works with more than 500 smallholder farmers to produce organic cinnamon, pepper, cloves, chili, and vanilla. As a social enterprise, 1001 Organic champions fair trade, sustainable and transparent commerce, and female leadership, with over 60% of its workforce being women. Their mission is to enhance the social, ecological, and financial well-being of smallholders by integrating them into the spice value chain, promoting organic production, and providing access to high standards and reliable markets

At the other end of the chain, in the Netherlands, the Good Spice brings premium spices directly to conscious consumers and chefs, creating, along the way, meaningful jobs for people who are typically at a distance from the labor market.

Together, 1001 Organic and The Good Spice show that it’s possible to reshape the spice trade from start to finish.

Consider the smallholder farmer in Zanzibar. Despite cultivating crops that fetch high prices on world markets, many farmers lack the training, infrastructure, and market connections they need to secure a fair price. The result: they sell premium spices at low rates, often without the support to expand or improve their harvests.

Now consider the consumer in Europe. Spices are bought every day, yet buyers rarely know who produced them, whether they were grown sustainably, or how much the farmer was paid. And in the Netherlands, there’s another group often overlooked – people with barriers to employment who want and deserve meaningful work.

Both sides need a new approach and challenge the status quo.

That’s where 1001 Organic and The Good Spice come in. 1001 Organic supports farmers by providing training in organic standards, certifying crops, and paying fair premiums. Their vertically integrated model allows them to export directly to Europe, giving farmers a transparent route to market.

The Good Spice takes those same principles and applies them at the consumer end. By shortening the chain, practicing radical transparency, and working with social workplaces, the company ensures that spices are not

only fairly sourced but also packed with care by people who gain pride and purpose from their work.

Rabo Foundation strengthens both of these efforts. For 1001 Organic, a trade finance facility in 2024 allowed the company to pre-finance spice sourcing, and bring100 additional farmers into their network. The facility empowered 1001 Organic and its network of smallholder farmers to reach additional international clients and complete the full sales cycle, from order to harvest, processing and delivery, more efficiently. For The Good Spice, Rabo Foundation is supporting their growth into new B2B collaborations, the development of new spice mixes to sell, and enhanced transparency throughout the value chain.

These dual investments demonstrate Rabo Foundation’s systemic approach: reinforcing multiple points in the same supply chain to maximize impact.

The results speak for themselves. For smallholder spice farmers within the network of 1001 Organic, smallholder incomes have risen by as much as 70%, with farmers earning premiums for organic produce and women gaining greater economic opportunities. In the Netherlands, The Good Spice partners with social enterprises like Siza and Tiem, providing jobs to people at a distance from the labour market that offer a real sense of pride and belonging. For consumers, the outcome is clear: spices of exceptional flavor and quality, fully traceable from farm to kitchen.

These results point to more than just success stories. A spice trade that rewards farmers fairly, gives workers dignity, and offers consumers quality and transparency shows what systemic change can look like.