Spice Reports

Summer 2009

Think Outside the Nut...

Looking for that perfect seasoning to liven up those Cashews or to spice up that Trail Mix? BDS has developed several unique seasoning blends that can be used on Almonds, Peanuts, Sesame Seeds, and a variety of mixed nut combinations.

Think outside the nut and try some of these unique seasoning profiles developed by BDS Natural Products.

Savory Profiles

Bacon Horseradish	French Onion	Peppercorn Ranch
Bloody Mary	Garlic Basil Pesto	Pickled Jalapeno
Bourbon BBQ	Ginger Teriyaki	Roasted Garlic
Carolina Vinegary BBQ	Hawaiian Maui Onion	Ole Mole
Chesapeake Bay Beer	Hickory Bacon	Salsa Picante
Chile and Cotija	Honey BBQ	Salsa Verde
Chile Limon	Honey Dijon	Sea Salt and Vinegar
Cracked Pepper	Louisiana Hot Sauce	Sesame Wasabi
Dill Ranch	Margarita Lime	Smoky Maple BBQ
Flammin Buffalo	Mesquite Chipotle

Sweet Profiles

Amaretto	Caramel and Sea Salt	Maple Brown Sugar
Brown Sugar Praline	Cinnamon Churros	Vanilla Caramel
Butter Rum	Honey Butter	Vanilla Rum
Cafe Mocha	Honey Gingerbread

Seasoning samples and ideation lists are available upon request. Contact our customer service department at (310) 518-2227.

Anise Seed

The major producers of Anise Seed are Turkey and Syria. In 2008 the crop was very small due to the drought conditions in both countries. The supply situation will remain tight until new crop material begins to arrive, which will not be available until August. Indications of a large crop in both Turkey and Syria are reported, however the Turkish government does limit the export of Anise as it is a major component of the Raki and other Alcoholic beverages.

Basil

The crop from Egypt has been average this year. Inventory levels within the U.S. are declining due to lack of importing product within the U.S. and not due to shortage in origin. Main dealers in New York have been holding stocks for several reasons brought on by the banking issues. Keep an eye on your needs.

Black Pepper

The world demand for Black Pepper continues to increase. The new crop from Vietnam was 95,000 metric tons which is significant. India's Malabar crop was normal, however internal Indian demand has been growing the last few years so we are seeing far less offered at competitive prices than we have seen in the past. The Indonesian Lampong crop is nearly all sold until new crop later this summer. Sarawak (Malaysia) is not a factor in the U.S. market as most of their product now goes to Japan.

Cinnamon

Prices are still at historically low levels in Indonesia, the main producer of Cinnamon for America. The 2008 usage in the U.S. was 17,319 metric tons, and in 2004 it was 14,520 metric tons. Demand continues to increase and we expect this to continue. Quality has been good and we do not foresee any issues this year. The Cinnamon out of China and Vietnam has also been in more demand.

Fennel Seed

Fennel Seed has been at reasonable price levels for the last 3 years. India has had a below average crop this year and we are seeing prices from the growing region move up. The Indian domestic market has been buying larger quantities for the increasing use of the larger Indian middle class. We do not expect India to be competitive in 2009. Egypt has had an average crop this year. However prices are moving up due to the lack of Indian material being available in world market. We strongly recommend buying your next 12 month requirements.

Ginger

China is reporting a good crop for 2009, so we do not see any issues on supply. The quality continues to improve on the whole material as the Chinese equivalent of the FDA known as CIQ has been checking all raw materials being shipped from China. The price has been moving up due to the weaker U.S. dollar. Ginger from India (Cochin) has been moving up in price as internal demand from the local population increases. Other origins, such as Indonesia and Nigeria, are also competitive, but the quality is not as good.

Oregano

The European variety of Oregano from mainly Turkey has dropped over 50% in price from the 2007 crop prices. The new 2009 crop due in June/July is expected to be normal as long as the weather stays on the cooler side. We see prices moving up as stocks are reduced and the traditional exporters are holding lfewer inventory because of the difficulty of getting extra finance from the banks.