Spices entice, heal and inspire. Background to the documentary

The film takes place in the magical spice forests of Zanzibar and on the mainland of Tanzania, in the wild cloud rainforests of Usambara. Here the exotic spices ripen on trees, bushes and climbing plants. But which spice grows where and how? Find out more about this.

Lucrative monopolies – the history of exotic spices

The warmer the country, the hotter the spices. The Indians were already practicing in 1700 BC. In the 1st century BC, people traded heavily and used the natural antimicrobial effects of spices to make their food last longer. Thanks to Alexander the Great, who reached India on his campaigns, pepper and cinnamon soon became known and popular in Europe. But they were luxury goods that only the rich and noble could afford. In the 8th century, a pound of saffron was paid for a horse. A pound of nutmeg was worth seven fat oxen and peppercorns were even worth their weight in gold. From the 10th century onwards, the spice trade was in Arab hands. The goods were transported exclusively overland and passed from middleman to middleman until they were finally sold in Europe for a hundred times the original price. The discovery of the sea route to India in 1498 marked the heyday of the spice trade. The fight for the lucrative monopolies led to bloody conflicts between the European expansion powers. Portugal became a world power because it took control of most of the spice regions. 100 years later, the Dutch won a monopoly over the territories, especially the Moluccas. They imposed the death penalty on the illegal export of spice plants. They even destroyed their own goods in order to reduce supply and make greater profits. Nevertheless, in 1770, a French official adventurously managed to smuggle out seedlings and cultivate them in the French colonies. The Dutch monopoly collapsed. From then on, England benefited from the still high demand for spices. During the 19th century, exotic spices began to be grown in plantations around the world. Prices collapsed and spices became an affordable commodity for everyone. In Europe people increasingly turned to native, sweeter plants. The exotics fell into disrepute and were sometimes dismissed as barbaric and uncultured.

The spice trade today

Until 1960, spices were primarily used for household purposes. With the emergence of large fast food and grocery chains such as McDonald's, consumption increased exponentially. Suddenly enormous quantities had to be available. The largest spice producer in the world, the American McCormick, previously purchased its products via intermediaries on the European markets in London or Hamburg. Now he ushered in a new era, from now on he sources directly from the growing areas and dictates the conditions on site. The German spice producer Fuchs is following suit. He started out as a one-man business in the post-war period and grew into a quasi-monopolist and the largest spice supplier in Europe. He prefers to buy up competitors and integrate the new brands into his range.

Today, spices are usually traded on the world market below production costs. Prices fluctuate and depend on political, economic and environmental factors. A few wholesalers and middlemen are making a killing while spice farmers are fighting for their existence. Some of the products are in transit for years and can be irradiated, stretched and flavor enhancers added. They come from cross-border cultivation areas and are subsequently mixed together. This allows poor harvests to be bridged and different qualities to be concealed. The customer receives a spice with always the same taste, without nuances or sophistication.