What Kalustyan Corporation does

Kalustyan Corporation is a family-owned B2B importer, processor, and supplier of herbs, spices, and aromatics, headquartered at its Quality Center of Excellence at 855 Rahway Ave, Union, NJ. Founded in 1947 as a specialty goods importing and merchandising business in New York City, the company serves food and beverage manufacturers and consumer packaged goods brands via direct enterprise sales channels. Its product portfolio centers on ethically and sustainably sourced herbs and spices, augmented by service offerings that include contract manufacturing, custom blending, and private label production. The firm operates three wholly-owned subsidiaries—AlbKalustyan (Albania), EgyKal (Egypt), and TurKal (Turkey)—which anchor a multi-continent supply chain across North America, Europe, and the Middle East.

The company's primary technical differentiator is proprietary cryogenic milling, which grinds products at sub-zero temperatures using liquid nitrogen to preserve volatile oils, moisture, and aroma, avoiding the heat-related degradation common in conventional milling. Kalustyan offers four sterilization modalities (ETO, PPO, steam, and irradiation) and operates an in-house quality assurance laboratory and research kitchen within its Union facility. A 30+ year farm-to-fork traceability program, supported by multiple checkpoints along the supply chain, enables documented tracking from origin farmer through to finished product for customers subject to FDA FSMA, FSVP, and equivalent international regimes.

Revenue is generated through one-time sales of herbs and spices, supplemented by professional services revenue from contract manufacturing and custom blending, and licensing/royalty-style arrangements for private label production. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; quotes are negotiated directly via phone and email rather than published online. The company markets primarily through its corporate website, a third-party product catalog listing on Knowde, and sustainability-focused video content, while relying on enterprise field sales for customer acquisition. The firm has operated for over 70 years without institutional funding and maintains a workforce of approximately 51-100 employees.

Name

Kalustyan Corporation

Legal name

Kalustyan Corporation

Website

https://kalustyan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kalustyan Corporation is a family-owned importer, processor, and B2B supplier of ethically and sustainably sourced herbs, spices, and essential oils, serving food manufacturers and CPG brands from Union, NJ, with subsidiaries in Albania, Egypt, and Turkey.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Spice and Herb Processing

NAICS

Other Food Manufacturing (3119), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Ingredients, Spices & Culinary Supplies Distribution (CRAOABAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ethnic Spices, Herbs & Seasonings Wholesale (AFAIAIAF)

Keywords

• Herbs and spices
• Spice processing
• Private label manufacturing
• Custom spice blending
• Cryogenic milling

Headquarters

HQ city

Union

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Herbs and Spices Production and Sales: Core business generating revenue through production and sale of high-quality ethically and sustainably sourced herbs, spices, and essential oils. Products are sold B2B to manufacturers, food companies, and retailers.
2. Contract Manufacturing: Provides customized, large-scale product cleaning for raw material and regrind for customers. Handles steam, chemical, or irradiation treatment according to customer preference.
3. Custom Blending Services: Offers wide variety of custom blends with consistent flavors based on specific customer requirements. Uses lean operation with minimal waste and maximized value.
4. Private Label Services: Innovative product development team offering high quality products under customer specifications in dynamic consumer market with control over production.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kalustyan Corporation is a global importer, processor, and purveyor of high-quality herbs, spices, capsicums, and aromatics serving food and beverage manufacturers and consumer packaged goods brands. The company offers contract manufacturing, custom blending, private label development, multiple sterilization methods, and proprietary cryogenic milling services through its Quality Center of Excellence in Union, New Jersey, with vertically integrated supply via wholly owned subsidiaries in Albania, Egypt, and Turkey.

Product overview

Kalustyan Corporation is an industry leader in ethically and sustainably sourced herbs and spices with over 70 years of experience. The company operates a Quality Center of Excellence in Union, NJ, offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services including cryogenic milling, contract manufacturing, custom blending, and private label services. The product line centers on high-quality herbs and spices processed using cryogenic technology that preserves volatile oils and moisture. The company also maintains three subsidiaries—AlbKalustyan in Albania, EgyKal in Egypt, and TurKal in Turkey—that provide regional supply chain operations, all aligned with Rainforest Alliance and GFSI standards. Services include multiple sterilization methods (ETO, PPO, steam, irradiation) and full traceability from farm to fork.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Herbs, Spices, Capsicums and Aromatics Globally sourced and processed bulk herbs, spices, capsicums, and aromatics sold to enterprise food and beverage manufacturers and consumer packaged goods brands.
• Cryogenic Milling Services Specialty milling service that uses liquid nitrogen to grind spices at extremely low temperatures, preserving volatile oils and moisture for superior flavor and aroma, targeting food and beverage manufacturers.
• Contract Manufacturing Full-scale contract manufacturing service for food and beverage industry customers, leveraging the company's processing capabilities and Quality Center of Excellence.
• Custom Blending Custom spice blend formulation and development service that creates tailored herb and spice blends to customer specifications for food manufacturers and CPG brands.
• Private Label Development Private label spice and seasoning product development service enabling retail and foodservice customers to market Kalustyan-produced products under their own brands.
• Sterilization Services Multi-method sterilization service offering ETO, PPO, steam, and irradiation sterilization options for herbs, spices, and botanicals, allowing customers to meet diverse food safety and regulatory requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 mature trees saved annually through conservation practices
• +4 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• World BankminorOthersKalustyan has worked with the World Bank to assist farming communities by building churches, providing dorm and kitchen equipment, and providing education - supporting their social responsibility initiatives at a global level.
• World BankminorOthersAssistance for communities and families of farmers and vendors through building churches, providing dorm and kitchen equipment, and education support.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Burlap & Barrel: US-based direct-trade spice company sourcing single-origin, transparently sourced spices from smallholder farmers globally. Comparable to Kalustyan in ethical sourcing and traceability positioning, but with a smaller, retail-skewed scale and no contract manufacturing or cryogenic processing.
• Synthite Industries: India-based global supplier of spice extracts, essential oils, and oleoresins serving food and flavor manufacturers. Comparable to Kalustyan as a B2B spice processor with proprietary extraction technology and global supply, but with a different cost structure and primary export orientation.

Broad incumbents

• McCormick & Company: The largest global spice and seasoning company, with a broad portfolio of branded, private-label, and foodservice spice offerings. Comparable to Kalustyan as a spice and herb supplier serving food manufacturers and foodservice, but at dramatically larger scale and with global origin diversification.
• Döhler: Germany-based global supplier of natural ingredients, flavorings, and spice-based solutions for food and beverage manufacturers. Comparable in serving B2B food manufacturers with value-added spice and herb-derived ingredients, though with broader ingredient portfolio scope.
• B&G Foods: Diversified packaged food company with a portfolio that includes spice and seasoning brands (e.g., Spice Islands, Tone's). Comparable in spice product adjacency and US distribution reach, though operates primarily as a branded CPG owner rather than a B2B processor.
• Olam Food Ingredients (ofi): Major global supplier of spices, herbs, and culinary ingredients with vertically integrated sourcing across multiple origins. Directly comparable to Kalustyan in serving B2B food manufacturers with sustainable, traceable spice supply, but at far greater scale and with broader category coverage.

Direct peers

• Frontier Co-op: US-based wholesale supplier of organic herbs, spices, and botanicals with strong sustainability and traceability positioning. Comparable to Kalustyan in certified-organic, ethically sourced spice offerings and B2B/wholesale distribution to manufacturers and retailers.
• Pacific Spice Company: US-based spice and herb supplier offering custom blending, private label, and ingredient solutions to food manufacturers. Directly comparable in B2B enterprise sales, custom blending/private label service model, and US import/processing footprint serving the same customer base.
• Kalsec: Family-owned US supplier of natural spice and herb extracts, colors, and antioxidants serving food and beverage manufacturers. Closely comparable to Kalustyan in B2B focus, family ownership, specialty spice processing capabilities, and emphasis on clean-label, natural ingredients.
• Mincing Overseas Spice Company: US-based importer, processor, and distributor of spices and herbs serving food manufacturers and foodservice. Directly comparable in product mix, B2B enterprise sales motion, and US import/processing footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance15 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kalustyan Corporation