Keraliam Spices

We are based out in Uzhamalakkal, near Kottoor. The air around our place usually smells like pepper or ginger, depending on what’s being processed that day. It’s a very local operation. We work with the spices that grow in this region, drying them out and getting them ready for sale. The pace here is a bit different than the big cities. We follow the rhythm of the harvest and the weather. If it rains, we have to hurry to cover everything up so the moisture doesn't ruin the crop. It’s a lot of manual labor, turning the spices over so they dry evenly under the sun. We don't have a big factory; it's more of a traditional setup. Most of the people working here are from the nearby villages. We’ve known each other for years. We aren't trying to be some global conglomerate. We just want to process good spices like our families have done for a long time. The office is just a small room with a desk where we keep the records. Most of our time is spent outside or in the storage sheds. It’s honest, simple work. When you walk through Uzhamalakkal, you can usually find us by the scent. We don’t do much advertising because the quality of the spices usually brings people back. It’s just us, the land, and the crops we handle every day. We hope to stay here doing this for a long time.