Our Story on The Wall Street Journal: The Journey, The Purpose
Eight years ago, if someone had told me that the story of our small saffron company would one day be featured in The Wall Street Journal—in both digital and print—I would have smiled and shaken my head in disbelief. Back then, Heray Spice was just an idea rooted in hope: a vision to connect farmers in Afghanistan with kitchens across America, and to do it with dignity, authenticity, and transparency.
Today, that dream has come true.
Our feature in The Wall Street Journal is more than just a proud moment. It’s a milestone in a journey built on resilience, community, and a deep love for the land and people of Herat, Afghanistan.
You can read the article here:
👉 Wall Street Journal: An Afghan in Chicago Finds Success Selling Saffron From Back Home.
A Voice for Farmers, A Bridge Between Cultures
Heray Spice started with a simple but powerful goal: to support Afghan farmers—especially women in rural areas—by sourcing saffron directly and paying fair, transparent prices. As refugees and immigrants, we knew how painful disconnection can be.
And as veterans and community leaders, we knew how powerful connection through food could become.
What began with a few saffron threads in Herat has now grown into a business with purpose. We now source and share spices that hold deep cultural meaning, and we proudly represent a generation of diaspora entrepreneurs who are changing the food world one jar at a time.
Our work is about:
• Reclaiming narratives about Afghanistan—focusing on beauty, culture, and craftsmanship.
• Building ethical trade systems that center farmers and dignity.
• Resisting extractive industry norms by embracing traceability, purity, and community.
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Overcoming Obstacles with Purpose
Behind the beauty of saffron lies a difficult reality. As a small business importing from countries like Afghanistan, Guatemala, Sri Lanka, and Turkey, we face not only logistical and political challenges—but also unfair trade barriers, including Trump-era tariffs that still remain in place.
These tariffs penalize the very importers working to improve transparency, ethics, and quality in the spice industry. And yet, we press on—because the mission is greater than the margin.
Every time someone chooses Heray Spice, they are choosing:
• A saffron flower picked by hand in Herat.
• A family paid fairly for their labor.
• A vision of trade rooted in trust, not exploitation.
This Moment Belongs to All of Us
Our feature in The Wall Street Journal is not just a personal achievement—it’s a recognition of the power of community, of teamwork, and of never giving up on a dream.
To our customers, thank you for believing in us.
To our farmers, thank you for trusting us.
To our team in Herat and Chicago, thank you for building with love and purpose every day.
This moment belongs to all of us.
Heray Spice is not just a spice company. It’s a movement for a better food future—one that honors people, place, and planet.
And we’re just getting started.
With gratitude,
Mohammad Salehi
Saffron Farmer | Founder of Heray Spice
Member, Board of Directors – Non-GMO Project
