" I can still close my eyes, travel back to my childhood, and smell and taste my grandmother's food. I remember when she roasted the spices for her own curry mixture, and the aroma spread throughout the house"

Behind Kandy Spices is chef David de Silva, who previously had the critically acclaimed Davids Bistro in Østerbro. David's first experiences with spices started with the smell as a child in his grandmother's outdoor kitchen in a small backyard in Colombo. Here, she roasted the grains over an open fire, and then David's father, with two buckets in hand, was sent around the corner to a man with a small coffee grinder, who ground the spices for his grandmother for two rupees.

David de Silva has spent part of his life in Sri Lanka, and has embraced his gastronomic heritage so emphatically that he has both learned to master the authentic, local cuisine and created the company Kandy Spices, which sells single origin spices grown in a socially sustainable and environmentally responsible manner.

It is important to us that we know the origin and route of the spice's journey from the local farmers to the spice shelves in Danish homes. Our spices are grown by small family farms in wild forest gardens near Kandy, Sri Lanka according to the ancient 'Kandyan Forest Garden method' without the use of artificial fertilizers or additives of any kind. All spices are 100% naturally and sustainably grown, handpicked, freshly ground and intense in taste and aroma.

Kandy Spices works closely with local spice farmers and we visit them regularly to maintain a good relationship and learn about the spices, the seasons and the cultivation method. When we buy our spices, we try to minimize the number of intermediaries and we often deal directly with the farmer. This ensures that we have control over the quality and that the farmer gets a fair price for their product. We follow the course of the year and buy spices home as they ripen and are harvested, so that the aroma and fragrance are best preserved.