Podcasts about rumi spice

Howdy, Ags! Keith Alaniz ‘04 returns to the show today to share the progress his company, Rumi Spice, has made and what actions he took to get the business where it is now. He describes the beginnings of the business, the lessons he's learned and pivots he's taken, as well as the importance of following your North Star, and much more. If you would like to connect with Keith and Rumi Spice, check out their website at https://www.rumispice.com/  or on Instagram @rumi_spice!              About Rumi Spice, is a direct source of the highest quality spices from rural farmers and women in Afghanistan to help provide reliable wages and economic stability. Rumi Spice is on a mission to create connections to the vibrant culture of the Middle East, its delicious food, and its people. Timestamps: [00:00 - 01:36] Intro [01:37 - 05:17] Starting Rumi Spice [05:18 - 13:56] Changes Made to be Sustainably Profitable [13:57 - 17:23] Impact, High-Quality, Transparency, Ethical Sourcing   [17:24 - 21:33] Political Risk  [21:37 - 25:58] Lessons Learned  [25:59 - 29:44] Leveraging AI in Rumi Spice  [29:45 - 31:16] BHAG & Connect with Keith    [31:17 - 36:37] Chris and Greg's Takeaways [36:38 - 37:49] Outro   Resources: Website: https://www.rumispice.com/             AGH Website: https://www.aggiegrowthhacks.com/   Connect with Greg and Chris! Apple: http://bit.ly/AGH-Apple Spotify: http://bit.ly/AggieGH Stitcher: http://bit.ly/AGH-Stitch Podbean: http://bit.ly/AGH-PB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCZx9NMwnBXs5RWC3Rwqkpw

Keith Alaniz is in the business of doing good and doing well. He is one of the founders and CEO of Rumi Spice, a social enterprise that promotes peace in Afghanistan by connecting farmers with markets and empowering Afghan women. Keith's military service in Afghanistan inspired him to start Rumi Spice in 2014, which has since become an award-winning company known for its high quality spices and its commitment to fostering peace through business. In addition to his military service, Keith has an impressive educational background. He received his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University and a Master's degree in Engineering Management from the Missouri University of Science and Technology. He later attended the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where he earned his MBA and was recognized as the top entrepreneur for the 2018 class. Keith also worked for three years at Google as a program manager for the technical infrastructure supply chain team. We speak with Keith about how his time in Afghanistan led to the creation of Rumi Spice, how the company bootstrapped and how it actively works to benefit Afghan farmers while running a profitable business. Follow Rumi Spice online: https://www.rumispice.com/ Follow Rumi Spice on Instagram: @rumi_spice Follow Moneda Moves on Instagram: @MonedaMoves Follow your host Lyanne Alfaro on Instagram: @LyanneAlfaro Main podcast theme song from Premium Beat. Our music is from Epidemic Sound.

Keith Alaniz, the Co-Founder and CEO of Rumi Spice, joins the show to share his journey from neutralizing IEDs with the US Army in Iraq to connecting Afghan spices with the world. Hear the behind-the-scenes of saffron production, how to create a culture that creates opportunities, run your business from across the world, add more products to your mix, and get creative with your cooking. Connect with Keith at RumiSpice.com

Howdy, Ags! Keith Alaniz ‘04 returns to the show today to share the progress his company, Rumi Spice, has made and what actions he took to get the business where it is now. He describes the beginnings of the business, the lessons he's learned and pivots he's taken, as well as the importance of following your North Star, and much more. If you would like to connect with Keith and Rumi Spice, check out their website at https://www.rumispice.com/  or on Instagram @rumi_spice!            About Rumi Spice, direct source the highest quality spices from rural farmers and women in Afghanistan to help provide reliable wages and economic stability. Rumi Spice is on a mission to create connections to the vibrant culture of the Middle East, its delicious food, and its people. Timestamps: [00:00 - 01:36] Intro [01:37 - 05:17] Starting Rumi Spice [05:18 - 13:56] Changes Made to be Sustainably Profitable [13:57 - 17:23] Impact, High-Quality, Transparency, Ethical Sourcing   [17:24 - 21:33] Political Risk  [21:37 - 25:58] Lessons Learned  [25:59 - 29:44] Leveraging AI in Rumi Spice  [29:45 - 31:16] BHAG & Connect with Keith    [31:17 - 36:37] Chris and Greg's Takeaways [36:38 - 37:49] Outro   Resources: Website: https://www.rumispice.com/             AGH Website: https://www.aggiegrowthhacks.com/   Connect with Greg and Chris! Apple: http://bit.ly/AGH-Apple Spotify: http://bit.ly/AggieGH Stitcher: http://bit.ly/AGH-Stitch Podbean: http://bit.ly/AGH-PB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCZx9NMwnBXs5RWC3Rwqkpw

Join us for our conversation with Patti Doyle, the CEO of Rumi Spice. Founded by military veterans who served in Afghanistan, the spice company's mission is to bring flavorful, ethically sourced and socially responsible spices from Afghanistan to share with customers worldwide. In her own right, Patti is an accomplished and innovative B2C and B2B marketing executive with profit and loss responsibility, extensive experience in marketing strategy, business development, digital marketing, advertising, brand management, CRM and eCommerce. She Utilizes her outstanding interpersonal skills to lead cross-functional teams and to ensure that goals and objectives are achieved. In talking with Patti, we learn about Rumi Spice and her personal connection to the brand. In addition, she shares some of the challenges she has encountered throughout her career, as well as the pivotal and proud moments that pushed her to grow.Today's episode is hosted by Diana Fryc of Retail Voodoo, connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianafryc/QUOTES"I'm a big believer in the power of the network. Those networks and the people you meet are the ones that are going to help chart that path for you." - Patti"I'm so proud that we've grown our network of farmers and we've grown our network of women that are a part of harvesting and processing." - PattiABOUT THE GUESTPatti DoyleChief Executive Officer at Rumi SpiceLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pkdoyle Website: https://www.rumispice.comCHAPTERS00:00 | Introduction03:32 | Ethically Sourced & Socially Responsible Spices08:39 | Personal Connection12:26 | Facing Business Challenges Head On17:04 | Pivotal Career Moments22:06 | The Importance of Mentorship27:42 | A Career Filled With Proud Moments30:52 | Creating & Launching New Spice Flavors37:38 | Craving Global Flavors42:11 | Women Who Bring The Flavor45:43 | Learn More About The CompanyThis episode is brought to you by Retail Voodoo. A brand consultancy focused on building, growing, and revitalizing brands in the food, beverage, health, and wellness industries. If you are ready to find a partner that will help your business create a high-impact strategy that gives your brand an advantage, please visit retail-voodoo.com/contact to set up a discovery call today.Produced by Heartcast Media.https://www.heartcastmedia.com/

In this episode of the WPAOG Podcast, Bridget Altenburg ‘95, President and CEO of the National Able Network, is joined by Kimberly Jung ‘08, CEO of Blanchard, and Emily Miller ‘08, Senior Impact Fund Manager at Twilio.org. In 2014, they founded Rumi Spice, an award-winning social enterprise that provides high-quality, sustainably farmed saffron to world class chefs and Michelin-rated restaurants, by sourcing directly from Afghan farmers in an economic partnership partners in the supply chain.Kimberly and Emily are 2008 graduates of the US Military Academy at West Point, former US Army Engineer officers, and Harvard Business School graduates. As social entrepreneurs and co-founders, Kimberly led Rumi Spice as CEO and Emily as COO. They have employed more than 4,000 Afghan women and partnered with more than 300 Afghan farmers. Their work has been featured on Shark Tank, selected for Y Combinator's social fellowship program, and featured in the New York Times, the Atlantic, Foreign Policy, NPR, Forbes, the Chicago Tribune, Nightline with Diane Sawyer, Voice of America, Food & Wine, and more.In this episode, Kimberly and Emily talk about how their time at West Point and in the military prepared them for becoming entrepreneurs, the tremendous impact Rumi has had on the spice trade in Afghanistan, and how their startup has helped create jobs for women in the country. They also recount stories of their experiences serving abroad in the Middle East.---------Key Quotes“I think really what West Point teaches you is about leadership and management, which I think has been the most helpful in my career, and also in my time as an officer in the Army. That leadership part, you really just can't get anywhere else in the same way that West Point gives it to you. And you learn it by doing. You learn it through practice. You learn it by following. You learn it by leading in small teams over and over again, and getting feedback for how to do it better. And that's what I think is the most important thing that comes out of West Point into the Army” - Kimberly Jung “Entrepreneurship is not for everybody, but it is addicting once you do it because you realize it has so many similarities to the West Point and Army experience, you know, in combat. It's fast paced, it relies on a small, tight team. You have to move fast. You have to ruthlessly prioritize. You have to be incredibly creative about how you problem solve, and you know, make things happen. You know, you've got this big commander's intent and you have to figure out how you operationalize this and work. And then I think the other thing is just being undaunted by failure and by being told no. You know, getting comfortable with being uncomfortable all the time. I think that is, that is what entrepreneurship is.” - Emily Miller---------Episode Timestamps(02:46) High School Experiences(04:30) Why they attended West Point(06:31) Their R-Day experiences(10:03) Stories at the academy(11:09) Activities at West Point(13:15) Picking a military branch(17:58) Attending Sapper school(22:45 ) Deployment experiences(31:09) Creating Rumi Spice(35:30) Rumi's impact on Afghanistan(39:19) Business Ventures after Rumi Spice(40:49) How West Point and the military prepares entrepreneurs(43:00) How West Point and the military have helped Rumi SpiceLinksKimberly Jung's LinkedInEmily Miller's LinkedInBridget Altenburg's LinkedInWest Point Association of GraduatesOn Point Podcast

Randi covers a range of topics including the disruptions happening in the gaming industry and E-Sports with the former president of Nintendo, as well as the CEO of Enthusiast Games. She also takes some time to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of America's military in celebration of Military Appreciation Month!

Emily Miller and Kim Jung went to the West Point Military Academy, they were eventually connected to Keith Alaniz, a Texas A&M graduate while stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood. They served in Afghanistan together as Combat Engineers and eventually their friendships led to to founding Rumi Spice. Their time in Afghanistan and working with the Afghan people, gave them an idea for creating “sustainable rural economic development in Afghanistan and providing countless jobs to Afghan farmers and women who harvest and process the spice.” Rumi Spice Founded in 2014, Rumi Spice hit the ground running with their mission of providing a market for Afghan saffron. They work directly with close to 1000 Afghan farmers to provide the world's highest quality saffron. Three years after their inception they appeared on Shark Tank, which opened doors to continue grow and expand their market. They are currently sold nationwide and are the first nationally distributed product from Afghanistan. Interested in trying out some spices?  Check them out below. Learn More Website:  https://www.rumispice.com Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/rumispiceco Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/rumi_spice VeteranCrowd Network Our "forever promise" is to build the veteran and military spouse community a place to connect and engage. VeteranCrowd is simply a national network of veterans, veteran led businesses and the resources they need to prosper. Subscribe to stay in touch, or consider if Individual or Corporate Membership in the Network is a fit for you. About Your Host Bob Louthan is a VMI Graduate, Army veteran, and executive with over 25 years of experience in mergers, acquisitions and private capital formation. He founded the VeteranCrowd Network to bring veterans and veteran-led businesses together with each other and the resources they need to prosper.  

At Bunker Labs, we try out best to serve the Military connected community in the best way we know-how. Now the dust has settled a bit, and the reality of life after The War in Afghanistan has set in, I felt it was an appropriate time to discuss Afghanistan with the Military-Connected community. To join me, I invited Kimberly Jung and Keith Alaniz, Founders of Rumi Spice, which brings flavorful, ethically sourced, and socially responsible spices from Afghanistan to the world. Subscribe to the Transition Newsletter on Substack here: https://bit.ly/37Bb8Ne I release a newsletter every Tuesday, and a podcast every Thursday. You can leave a comment about each episode on Substack, and if you have any questions about your own venture, post that as well. I'm always looking for content and would love to learn what you all are struggling with in your own ventures. To learn more about Rumi Spice, visit www.rumispice.com Additional Resources: For veterans seeking help directly, Veterans Crisis Line offers free, confidential, 24-7 support from mental health professionals by calling 1-800-273-8255, texting 83825 or chatting online. Tune into Office Hours In addition, we're also hosting Live-Weekly Office hours for you every Tuesday on Linkedin, Facebook, and Youtube at 11 AM EST. If you find yourself stuck, have questions about Bunker Labs programming, or just want to get some tips and advice for your venture, tune into Office Hours. It's hosted by yours truly, along with other members of the Bunker Labs Marketing Team, as well as guest SME's and other members from around the community. Get Connected with Bunker Labs If you want to get plugged into the Bunker Labs ecosystem, visit www.BunkerLabs.org, select a city nearest to you, sign up for the local newsletter, and attend one of our networking events. It's that simple. From there be sure to get connected in Bunker Online, where you can learn about our many different programs to support your entrepreneurial journey. We have programs that will take you from idea to invoice, incubate you, and position you to grow alongside other founders and CEOs. Register today by clicking connect at Bunkerlabs.org

Keith Alaniz ‘04 joins us today to talk about establishing his international spice company, Rumi Spice. Keith breaks down how his team has overcome business challenges in Afghanistan, and the positive impact they have had on farmers and the spice industry. We appreciate Keith for coming on the show and we encourage you to check out rumispice.com and try out Keith's products for yourself! Thanks and Gig ‘em!   Contact: Keith Alaniz Rumi Spice Chicago, IL keith@rumispice.com info@rumispice.com customerservice@rumispice.com   Podcasts: Freakonomics with Stephen Dubner, How I Built This with Guy Raz Books: N/A   Timestamps & Show Notes:  (0:00 - 1:51) Intro / Keith Alaniz ‘04 (1:52 - 3:31) Aggie Memory (Corps of Cadets and Aggie Football) (3:32 - 7:21) Rumi Spice (Why, What & Passion) (7:22 - 10:00) Biggest Challenge to Growth & How Keith has Hacked it (10:01 - 14:37) Figuring out Supply Chain Issues (14:38 - 16:55) Rumi Spice's Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) (16:56 - 20:22) Avoiding the Taliban through Business (20:23 - 21:58) Lightning Round (Favorite Hack and Podcasts) (21:59 - 23:40) Aggie Network & Contact (23:41 - 26:57) Wrap Up and Outro

On this episode of More Than Profit, Bryce talks with Emily Miller, Deputy Director of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship within the U.S. Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Emily is also co-Founder of Rumi Spice, a public benefit corporation committed to empowering Afghan women by bringing flavorful, ethically sourced and socially responsible spices from Afghanistan to customers around the world. Emily shares how her experiences growing up in a loving family in the Midwest, attending West Point and finding support as an LGBGTQ+ cadet in the midst of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy; and subsequently serving as a U.S. Army Officer on the battlefield of Afghanistan impacted the trajectory of her life. Emily also provides valuable insight into the EDA and how to work in partnership to advance innovation and entrepreneurship across the country. Learn more on this episode of More Than Profit, Love, Service, and a Life Without Regrets With Emily Miller. Learn more about our work at Access Ventures.

Kimberly Jung is an Army Veteran, serial entrepreneur and engineer on the MIT Emergency Ventilator project. Listen in on how her team is innovating and iterating at a rapid pace to bring life-saving equipment to medical workers on an accelerated timeline to respond to COVID-19. Bunker Labs is #All_In to equip military-connected entrepreneurs through COVID-19 and beyond with tangible tips, actionable resources, and perspectives from past experiences. https://e-vent.mit.edu/

Rachel Neasham has never been one to turn down a challenge. And when things become challenging or she needs a source of fuel, here solution is always to “do more push-ups”. Listen to her conversation with Lola.com’s CMO, Jeanne Hopkins, on the newest episode of Table Fries for a deep dive into Rachel’s thoughts on her experience in the military, obsession with Wombats, and why she loves doing push-ups. About our guest: Rachel Neasham is the Director of Product here at Lola.com, where she works directly with the product and engineering team to build a consumer-grade travel product that our customers will love. Rachel graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point back in 2009 and went on to serve over 5 years in the US Military. Prior to coming to Lola Rachel served as an Engineer Officer then went on to serve as the COO of Rumi Spice before entering the travel industry at Lola.com.

How will you use your one wild and precious life? Kimberly Jung, co-founder of Rumi Spice, shares how she is living a life well lived.. Show notes at lifeskillsthatmatter.com/show241 The post Living Your One Wild And Precious Life With Kimberly Jung (241) appeared first on Life Skills That Matter.

In this episode, we are glad to welcome Kimberly Jong, the CEO, and Co-founder of Rumi Spice. Rumi Spice is a for-profit social enterprise that imports saffron from Afghanistan. The company started about four years ago when a team of US military veterans partnered with Afghan farmers to cultivate saffron in the country. It aims at telling the story behind the Afghanistan saffron by bringing high-quality saffron to customers across the world. Its mission is to empower Afghan women and help in the growing of the country’s economy.  Last year, they were lucky enough to go on Shark Tank and have Mark Cuban agree to invest in the business. This was a really big milestone as it meant more than 8 million people worldwide knew about them. In the beginning, these farmers wouldn’t shake my hand because I was a woman but after a year, and after we’ve exported over 100 kilos of saffron, these farmers not only shake my hand but also take selfies. They understand the business part of this and it's why capitalism is a great way to lay a foundation for peace. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN; How the business began. The harvesting and processing procedure. How gender difference is a factor when it comes to working on the farms. The mission of the business. How they fitted into the Afghan’s people culture. Who are their customers? What are some of the uses of saffron? Obstacles faced when the business was starting. How the business has contributed to the growth of the surrounding community. How long it took for the business to be established. What is the role of Mark Cuban in the business? Advice to people looking up to start a similar business. If Rumi didn’t exist, what other business would she venture into? Links mentioned Website: www.rumispice.com   Did you like this? Thank you for listening to this episode! If you enjoyed it, please feel free to share it using the social media buttons on this page. I’d also be VERY grateful if you could rate, review, and subscribe to  Food Heroes Podcast on iTunes. Or, if you use Stitcher, you can leave a review right here. That all helps a lot in ranking this show and would be greatly appreciated. And if you have any comments or questions, leave a comment below! If you need a little help navigating iTunes check out the tutorial I made Here.  

Kimberly Jung, CEO and co-founder of Rumi Spice, chats with Chef Clarke about growing up in LA's Chinatown, serving in Afghanistan, building a sustainable business. and where to find the world's premiere saffron. https://www.rumispice.com/

Kimberly Jung, CEO and Co-Founder of Rumi Spice, shares her inspiring story of seizing a business opportunity in Afghanistan that also addressed social issues. She realized her military training and her business school knowledge could be used to help Afghan farmers find economic success, and to provide opportunities for Afghan women to excel economically while retaining their culture. Kimberly exemplifies the dedication required, and rare feat, to create a market.     Key Takeaways [2:29] Kimberly describes her experience entering West Point. Her immigrant parents had wanted her to go to an Ivy League school but Kimberly’s West Point perspective changed their hearts. [5:13] Kimberly was deployed as a Platoon Leader in Afghanistan when she met Emily Miller. When they ended their tours, they observed that the future of Afghanistan would not be reached through force but through the economic empowerment of business. [6:21] Kimberly and Emily both went to business schools. Another veteran told them about an Afghan farmer with no market for his saffron. Kimberly decided to start a business partnership with Afghan farmers to import saffron. She invited a business advisor to Afghanistan and met with 12 Pashto farmers. Instead of body armor and weapons, she wore a scarf. [8:11] The farmers were growing some of the best saffron in the world but they had no resources for food safety, packaging, marketing, selling, or distributing the crop. 80% of Afghans are farmers. [10:10] Afghan women are vital to the saffron industry. They traditionally prepared the flowers at home. Kimberly explains how renting appropriate facilities with the right equipment improved food safety and how providing a safe workplace with direct wages improved women’s economic standing. [13:43] Most problems are economic until one has met basic needs. Kimberly describes how The Plant, in the Southside of Chicago, is becoming a self-sustaining, beautiful community, bringing together the Southside and the Northside over food. Rumi’s warehouse is in The Plant.[17:23] Trust is earned in Afghanistan by building a reputation over time. The reputation of Kimberly’s Afghan partners allowed Rumi to become the largest private employer of Afghan women, assuring them a safe place to work and allowing them to carry on in their culture and customs, and it also preserves the women’s reputations. Afghan women want economic opportunities, sewing machines, and medical supplies to care for their families.[24:18] A partnership like Rumi can’t be run as a side business. Either you’re all in, or you’re not in at all. Entrepreneurism is not for people with other priorities. Strategy is all about setting priorities. You can have it all, just not all at once. Kimberly credits West Point and her Army leadership experience with giving her the resilience and ability to make choices that prepared her to run Rumi as an entrepreneur. [28:52] Kimberly and Emily faced catastrophic failure when their loan got pulled back. They had no way to pay the farmers. They worked through it. Kimberly is learning how to listen to the people who work for Rumi, accept their input, and check her ego.   Website: RumiSpice.com Saffron: RumiSpice.com/saffron-products Twitter: @Rumi_Spice Facebook: RumiSpiceCo   Quotable Quotes   We felt the way to a sustainable future for Afghanistan was not through force but through economic empowerment.   What will you do with your one wild and precious life?   Drop by drop a river is made. — Dari saying   You cannot say you’re dedicated to the future of Afghanistan and these farmers if you’re going to have another job.   “This is not Americans managing things in Afghanistan. This is an American partnership with our Afghan partners.”   Bio Kimberly Jung is CEO and co-founder of Rumi. Since leaving the military, Kim and her co-founders feel there is unfinished business to support Afghanistan and its people, so they founded Rumi to work directly with Afghan farmers to import exceptionally high-quality saffron in a for-profit enterprise in partnership with the farmers. In Afghanistan, Rumi has hired 384 Afghan women, organized three processing facilities, and has over 90 farmers in their network. Rumi saffron now graces the tables and kitchens of Michelin and Relais & Chateaux establishments across the world.   Prior to her civilian ventures, Kim was an Engineer Officer who led a route clearance platoon in the Wardak and Ghazni provinces of Afghanistan in 2010-2011. She also served with provincial reconstruction teams as a female engagement team member to help empower Afghan village women.   She holds a Professional Engineering license in Mechanical Engineering from the State of California, and she graduated with her MBA from Harvard in 2015. She earned her Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy in 2008.

What would you do when you hit a storm in the middle of climbing to the mountain top? Would you stop? Would you keep going? She would keep climbing. What would you do when your parents want you to marry a doctor or a lawyer, go to Harvard or Stanford? She would rebel. She would choose a different path, become an army officer and an entrepreneur. How? Who is she? She is Kimberly Jung - CEO/Founder of Rumi Spice. Kimberly shares the story of her becoming brave, transcending barriers and making tough choices at different crossroads in her life. Listen to Part 1 of my interview with Kimberly Jung in Episode #3 “Breaking Barriers.” Music Used: David O'Brien's Busy Bees Andy G. Cohen's A Perceptible Shift Lee Rosevere's Love Wins Jahzzar's No-End Ave

Rumi Spice is a business co-founded by Keith Alaniz who discusses the Afghan saffron trade and how they employ 300 women to harvest saffron from 100 farms in Herat for the American market. The business unites veterans and farmers in Afghanistan.

This episode, host Dana Cowin takes on trends and triumphs in new consumer products. Cowin interviews Jordan Gaspar, Managing Partner of AccelFoods is an investor in innovative and disruptive food and beverage companies. She describes how she chooses between the thousands of products she and her team review every year to find the winners, and why her first investment was in a cricket bar. Gaspar also talks honestly about the challenges of balancing travel, work and young kids. Plus, Army vet turned entrepreneur Kim Jung explains the mission behind Rumi Spice, a company with works with women farmers in Afghanistan: bring peace through saffron. And product expert Tina Ujlaki tells us what to look for in new products on the market.

On this episode of Prince Street, we asked some of the most interesting people in the food world to tell us about a moment in their life when they chose the riskier path. Chef-extraordinaire Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin talks about writing his first memoir with novelist Jay McInerney; Howie Kahn talks to former U.S. Army Captain Kimberly Jung about starting Rumi Spice, her saffron exporting business in Afghanistan ; Sierra Tishgart reports on the big gamble two editors are taking by launching two print food magazines aimed at gay men. All this, plus an encounter with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Scarlett Johansson and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spice Work. Can a spice store be a community gathering place? It can. Meet Phyllis Hunter of The Spice Diva. This former opera singer turned shop owner has been bringing people together over their shared love of spices since opening her shop in The Main Street Market in 2011. The Spice Diva is not only a source for fresh and unusual spices for local chefs, bartenders, and food enthusiasts, but a way for community members from other countries to find reminders from home. Her cooking classes bring folks together over the stove and her vast, ever-growing spice knowledge is reminding us all about the value of buying fresh, buying local. Her shop, located in a well-loved but underappreciated part of town, expands our views about the world over a shared love of food and flavor. How can we make sure West Main Street remains a vital part of the community and its members remain in the conversation with regard to beneficial development and growth? We talk about that. The Midtown Street Fair was my favorite event of the year, not only for the food but for the broad swath of folks who attended. Can we bring it back? How do we include every neighborhood in the conversation when it comes to festivals and development benefitting the entire community, not just students and tourists? How do we help the homeless population in a way benefitting their needs as well as the needs of business owners? We cover that too. Smell is such a powerful sense. Instantly you're transported to a different place and time. It's just one of the reasons Phyllis discovered her passion in food was spice. After walking into the Oxbow City Market in San Francisco she was transfixed. And knew in an instant we had to have something like that here in Charlottesville. Did fate cause her to go into that spice shop? Whatever it was, we're the lucky ones. In her new, much larger space Phyllis has the resources to offer even more gathering opportunities: cooking classes, tastings, book signings, whatever you can think of related to teaching the endless knowledge around herbs, spices, and teas. In addition to all this, The Spice Diva carries salts and peppers, oils and vinegars, Belgian chocolate, cocktail bitters and syrups, as well as the famous Habiba Sauce and salad dressing from Aroma's. She'll soon carry gelato from Splendora's and the saffron from Rumi Spice is a collaboration with a nonprofit that benefits Afghan saffron farmers. Her patrons including area chefs and bartenders from Brazos Tacos, Michael's Bistro, Tavola, Revolutionary Soup, Ten, Alley Light, Feast!, and Mountain Culture Kombucha cement the fact this shop is a gathering place for the entire Charlottesville food community. Chef Harrison Keevil from Brookville came in while we were talking! Like many grocery store foods, spices and salts are processed with preservatives added to keep them fresh. So the good stuff comes out and nutrients like iodine get added back in, Morton's salt being just one example. Everything at The Spice Diva is Kosher and Halal, as well as additive-free with no MSG or anti-caking agents. Spices start to lose their flavor after two weeks with nuances of flavor decreasing over time. The Spice Diva turns over half the shop every week, so you can be sure everything you buy is at peak flavor and freshness, without preservatives. Why is she an advocate for buying local? How does having fresh and unusual spices change the way you cook? What are the additional revenue streams she uses to keep her business viable and thriving? What is berbere spice and why are local foodies clamoring for it? What is Relay Foods and how does their locally-based "Blue Apron"-type service work? What are the wonderful origins behind her logo? We talk about it all. I love how Phyllis is using spice to bring people together for teachable moments. Not just about flavors and where they originate, but about expanding the whole notion of what it means to buy local. It's so much more than going to the farmer's market. Everyone uses spice even if it's just the salt they sprinkle on a hardboiled egg. The day I interviewed Phyllis in her store all I saw was smiling faces. You smell cinnamon, or nutmeg, or clove and you feel joy. It reminds you of home and hearth. Of good times. Spices cross cultures. Cumin is used in India, Mexico, Africa. You find curries not just in Asia and India but in Africa and early American cookbooks from the 19th century. Spice as community. I like it. And I think you'll like this episode. Cheers. SHOW NOTES - Links to resources talked about during the podcast: Cooking Classes at The Spice Diva! - Area food historians, butchers, and chefs teach you the basics, culinary history, and how to implement spices in your kitchen. Do you have a large dinner group but a small kitchen? Have your dinner at The Spice Diva! Maybe you and your friends want to learn more about spices? Phyllis can design a cooking class catering to your needs! SCORE - Want to start a business? This nonprofit can help. JQ Dickinson Salt Works - Artisanal salt farmed by hand from an ancient ocean buried underneath the Appalachian mountains. For 7 generations. Peg's Salt - You'll want to put it on everything! Relay Foods - Local business that does the shopping for you. Buy spices or have their registered dietician plan a week of meals. Rumi Spice - Kimberly Jung and Emily Miller are US Veterans working to help Afghan saffron farmers by connecting them to the international market. iSpice - an iPhone app that can teach you about spices. This episode is sponsored by In A Flash Laser Engraving.

Army veteran Kimberly Jung is now returning to Afghanistan to help farmers create a future for Afghanistan. #OneSentenceOrLess

When thinking of great places for a startup, Afghanistan probably wouldn't jump to the top of your list. But a few Army vets sensed an opportunity while serving there, and Rumi Spice — a company looking to grow the American saffron market— was born. More valuable by weight than gold, a saffron crop meant Afghan farmers could septuple their annual income with a single sale. But first they'd have to stop growing poppies. Which is difficult for a variety of reasons. Including the Taliban. In this episode, host Mike O'Toole is joined by Kimberly Jung, Co-founder of Rumi Spice. They chat about the many hurdles the company has to get over, both in the U.S. and Afghanistan, and what Rumi Spice is doing to build its wasta — the Afghani version of clout. You can also subscribe to The Unconventionals on iTunes and Stitcher. And be sure to join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter as well.