Heray Spice Receives ETP Grant

Chicago-based, family-owned, Afghan saffron company, Heray Spice, is the latest recipient of the Non-GMO Project Equitable Transfer Program (ETP) grant. Launched in 2023, the project supports equity and inclusion in the natural products industry by supplying financial resources to Black, Indigenous, multi-racial, and people of color (BIMPOC)-led brands for Non-GMO Project verification costs. Heray Spice used their grant to complete Non_GMO Project verification for five of its products including: Afghan Saffron, Afghan Caraway Seeds, Green Coriander Seeds, Herati Mint Leaves, and Afghan Wild Cumin Seeds.

Founded in 2017, Heray Spice ensures fair-trade prices for farmers, established a farmers' cooperative with profit-sharing options in 2019, partners with 110 Afghan farms, expanded into diverse crops based on consumer demand farmer availability, and has joined Atlantic Sea Farms, Califia Farms, and Pasturebird as a founding brand cohort member of the project's new Food Integrity Collective—an initiative focused on revolutionizing the retail food system by taking aim at the root causes of food and health crises. 

"The Non-GMO Project team impressed us at every turn. Their unique approach, clear communication, and genuine care set them apart. Achieving this verification reflects not just our commitment to transparency, but also the Project's exceptional support throughout our journey. Their mission resonates with ours," shared founder Mohammad Salehi.