The Origins of the World’s Best Cardamom
Emperor Akbar is renowned the world over for its premium cardamom. It has been authorized to use the GI tag “Alleppey Green Cardamom” as per the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act,1999. And there’s also a lovely little backstory to it all.
Cut to the 18th century… the gentle slopes of Kerala were lush with cardamom plantations. A spice whose demand dated back to historic times, and whose popularity had only strengthened with the passage of time.
Merchants from around the world were taking the arduous sea route just to lay their hands on this Queen of Spices. Realising the global demand for what grew liberally around his kingdom, the Raja of Travancore sniffed a huge opportunity. He decreed that all produce be mandatorily sold only to his official, who would forward it to the main depot in Alleppey, which was then the most important port in Travancore.
The best quality pods were then carefully separated by specially appointed and skilled labourers, and earmarked for export. This led to development of cardamom sorting and processing in Alleppey which resulted in the naming of the most high quality cardamom produce from the region as Alleppey Green Cardamom.
And so was born the legend of Alleppey Green Cardamom. By fate and by design, the Raja had created a unique Green Gold! Or Golden Green at it was called.
Like ants to honey, merchants from around the world sailed across the seas in search of this golden green. And they still do today, albeit via more convenient and regulatory trade channels.
The rich legacy of Alleppey Green Cardamom continues even today, through the commitment and quality of Emperor Akbar Cardamom.
The World’s Best Cardamom Brand is also India’s Topmost Cardamom Exporter
Emperor Akbar Cardamom has been recognised as the Largest Exporter of Green Cardamom for the year 2018-19 & 2019-20, by the Spices Board of India, Ministry of Commerce, Government of India.
Edging out competition from the traditionally exported unbranded Cardamoms or Cardamoms under private labels of foreign importers, an Indian brand of Green Cardamoms is now the Top Most exporter. This is a critical shift in the nature of exports of Indian Cardamoms and the team of Emperor Akbar Cardamom is grateful to the Spices Board for their encouragement.
Emperor Akbar is now exporting Green Cardamoms to 25 countries and growing in popularity around the world. A big thank you for all the love and support!
The Emperor Akbar Story
Emperor Akbar Cardamom is the flagship brand of Samex India Pvt. Ltd. Samex India (erstwhile Samex Agency) was started as a family business in 1981 by the Ruparel family. The business was traditionally dealing in the export of spices and green cardamom was a part of the mixed basket of the products it exported. Historically, cardamom was sold loose in plastic or jute bags. As a consequence, it would quickly lose its aroma and potency. And, as we all know, cardamom without aroma or flavour is of very little value.
Samex knew the gamechanger lay in doing something that would lock in the aroma and flavour for years. That realisation led to the birth of the Emperor Akbar brand.
The brand was launched in 2008 and initially sold in zip-lock pouches. This helped retain the aroma and flavour to a significant extent, although not entirely. After consultation with the packaging industry experts, they came up with a solution to lock in the volatile cardamom oil found in the cardamom seeds. Emperor Akbar Cardamom introduced the world’s first ever Aroma-Lock technology for cardamom packaging.
Emperor Akbar Pioneered the Grading of Cardamom
Emperor Akbar is an innovative brand. The first to introduce Aroma-Lock packaging, the brand has been the pioneer in the industry in terms of setting the grading standards, which has now become an industry standard.
Cardamoms are graded based on their pod diameter (not the pod length as is often misunderstood) and their seed density. The fatter the pod, the more bang for your buck!
Size wise, the pods are then sealed into colour-coded packaging for easy identification.
1) Purple Grade packs : 8mm & above pods
2) Pink Grade packs : 7.5mm & above pods
3) Green Grade packs : 7mm - 8mm pods
4) Orange Grade packs : 6.5mm - 7.5mm pods
5) Red Grade packs : 6mm - 7mm pods
The quality remains world-class across all packs.
When you buy Emperor Akbar Cardamom, you are buying the world’s best Alleppey Green Cardamom from the people who know cardamom best.
Certified as the World’s Best Cardamom
Emperor Akbar claim of being the world’s best Alleppey Green Cardamom isn’t just hollow, but one certified by a prestigious GI Tag. Geographical Indication or GI acts as certification that a product meets certain stringent qualities and standards by virtue of belonging to a specific geographical region.
Alleppey Green Cardamom is known for its unique qualities like fully matured pods, richer aroma, fruity flavour, greater oil content, uniform green colour and a three-cornered ribbed structure that give it a premium status the world over.
Three Star Export House Certified by the Government of India
Emperor Akbar Cardamom is the proud recipient of the Three Star Export House certificate conferred on it by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, under the aegis of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India.
The certification is based on our consistent export performance and acknowledges us as a category leader (Green Cardamom) who has excelled in international trade and successfully contributed to the country’s foreign trade.
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