Our Story · Since 1896
Purity, Purpose & Possibility
In every Indian home, spices are more than ingredients — they are memory, medicine, and magic. Spice Drop was born to make that magic accessible, consistent, and honest. Every single drop.
1896
Family Legacy Begins
45+
Years in
Oleoresins
Oleoresins
55+
Spice
Extracts
Extracts
Kochi
Spice Capital, Kerala
"We are not selling spices. We are delivering trust in every drop."
The Spice Drop Belief
Chapter One · The Beginning
Roots in Tea,
Eyes on the World
Our journey began with the Shah family — rooted in a legacy tea business dating back to 1896. Frequent travels across the world opened our eyes to a striking contrast: while India lived and breathed spices, much of the world found them intimidating, inaccessible, or inconsistent.
At the same time, even within India, something was changing. Families living away from the source struggled to access spices at their freshest. Requests for cardamom, pepper and essentials became routine — because what was
available locally often lacked vitality.
This gap wasn't just about supply. It was about experience.
Chapter Two · The Discovery
The Question That
Changed Everything
The world was discovering oleoresins in the 1970s — the purest extracts of
spices, capturing their true essence without compromise. While the West
embraced them for consistency and efficiency, for the Shah family, it was
something deeper.
What if spices could be as fresh as the moment they were harvested… yet
simple enough for anyone, anywhere, to use effortlessly?
That question became our purpose. And it drove everything that followed.
Chapter Three · The Science
Building the Science,
Honouring the Nature
In the 1980s, we began manufacturing oleoresins — working at the
intersection of science and nature, preserving the soul of spices in their most potent form. The process captures both the Essential Oil (aroma) and the Resin (flavour character) — unlike ordinary extraction methods that capture only one.
Universal Oleoresins was established in Kochi, Kerala — the spice capital of the world. We worked at industrial scale, supplying food manufacturers
globally with consistent, certified spice extracts.
But the insight kept nagging: this technology belonged in everyday homes, not just factories.
Chapter Four · The Brand
Spice Drop Takes Shape —
An Idea Before a Product
In the 1990s, Spice Drop took shape — not as a product, but as an idea. An
idea to make purity practical. To take something complex and make it
intuitive. To deliver the full depth of taste, aroma, and wellness of spices in a form that fits seamlessly into modern lives.
Yes, it took time. Because we weren't just introducing something new — we were changing how people think about spices.
Today, Spice Drop stands for something simple yet powerful: the belief that when intentions are pure, what you create carries that truth forward. And that is what flows through every drop.
The Oleoresin Process
The Science Behind
Every Drop
Oleoresin is the purest, truest essence of a spice — the concentrate that is devoid of moisture, capturing both the essential oil (the aroma you smell) and the resin (the flavour you taste). It is the same technology used by Michelin-starred kitchens and global food manufacturers. Now available to you, at home, in one precise drop.
Unlike steam distillation, which captures only the Essential Oil (aroma), oleoresin extraction captures both the oil and the Resin (flavour character) — delivering the complete, authentic taste of the whole spice. Nothing is lost. Nothing is added.
| Attribute | 💧Spice Drop | Spice Powder | Whole Spice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Captures full aroma | ✓ | Partial | ✓ |
| Captures full flavour | ✓ | Partial | ✓ |
| Consistent every use | ✓ | Varies | ✗ |
| Works in cold liquids | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| No all-in-one bottle | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| 2-year shelf life | ✓ | 6–12 mo | 3–6 mo |
| No adulteration risk | ✓ | ✗ | Low |
How It Works — The 3-Step Oleoresin Process
01
Source & Select
Whole spices are sourced directly from their origin regions — cardamom from Idukki, pepper from Wayanad, saffron from Kashmir. Only the finest quality produce is accepted into our facility as inputs.
02
Extract & Capture
Spices are processed through distillation and solvent extraction in our USFDA-approved, ISO, HACCP and FCCI-certified facility. Both the Essential Oil (aroma) and Resin Flavour are approved — nothing lost, nothing added.
03
Pack & Protect
The water-soluble concentrate is packed in glass dropper bottles — not plastic — to prevent loss of volatile oils. Each batch is tested for purity, potency and safety. Sealed and tested for 2 years of freshness.
Today, Spice Drop stands for something simple yet powerful.
We are not selling spices. We are delivering from every drop.
The purity of nature, captured at its peak — oleoresin extraction at the moment of maximum potency, sealed in glass.
The honesty of process, with nothing unnecessary added — no artificial flavours, no colours, no preservatives. USFDA and ISO certified.
The consistency of experience, every single time — the same perfect result whether it's your first cup or your thousandth.
The ease of use, designed for real lives — not ideal kitchens — one precise drop, works in hot and cold, no fuss, no grinding, no mess.
The goodness of health and taste, without compromise — whether in a home kitchen or a professional one, the authenticity is never sacrificed.
At our heart is a simple belief:
"When intentions are pure, what you create carries that truth forward."
And that is what flows through every drop of Spice Drop.
Trust & Certifications
Backed by the World's
Highest Standards
In the wake of the 2024 FSSAI Export adulteration crisis — what saw Indian spice brands banned in Singapore, Hong Kong, Nepal, and with 12% of FSSAI-tested spices failing safety standards — our certifications are not just credentials. They are our commitment to you. Every bottle. Every batch. Every drop.
FSSC 22000
A GFSI-recognised standard ensuring rigorous, audited control across the entire manufacturing process
Kosher
Independently certified to meet strict kosher dietary standards, verifying ingredient purity and process integrity at every stage.
USFDA
Our Kochi facility is registered with the US Food & Drug Administration, meeting one of the world's strictest food safety benchmarks.
HALAL
Every ingredient and process audited to comply with Islamic dietary law for global market trust.
FAMI QS
The international quality and safety standard for specialty feed ingredients and mixtures, ensuring consistent, contamination-free production
Hospisource Innovation Award 2023 Recognised for outstanding innovation in the food and hospitality ingredients sector — honouring our work in making premium oleoresin concentrates available to the Indian consumer, and helping to engineer recipes today in detection of the idea that first led to the 1970s and food Oleoresin to realise.
What Drives Us
Five Values,
One Promise
Every decision at Spice Drop — from how we source our spices to how we design our bottles — is governed by these five beliefs.
Purity First
No artificial flavours. No synthetic colours. No preservatives. No shortcuts. What nature created is what you receive — nothing more, nothing less.
Uncompromising Consistency
Every bottle produces the same authentic flavour. Your first cup and your hundredth cup should be indistinguishable. That is our commitment.
Intelligent Simplicity
Complex science. Simple experience. One drop should be all you need — no timing, no technique, no measuring. Just cook, and trust the drop.
Radical Honesty
We tell you exactly what's in the bottle, how it's made, and what it can and can't do. No exaggeration. No hidden ingredients. No fine print surprises.
Purpose Over Profit
We're not in the business of selling bottles. We're in the business of restoring the connection between people and the spices that have sustained them for centuries.
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