Ask Our Founder: An Interview with Mike de Livera on the Future of the Spice Trade

The spice trade is ancient. Older than modern borders. Older than corporations. Older than most of the systems we still rely on to move food around the world.

For centuries, spices shaped economies, drove exploration, and built entire cultures. Today, they sit quietly on supermarket shelves, stripped of story, stripped of context, and often stripped of quality.

And right now, the spice trade is under more pressure than it has been in generations.

Climate change is reshaping where and how crops grow. Consumers are asking questions the industry never had to answer before. Technology is forcing transparency onto supply chains that were built to stay invisible.

To talk about what comes next, we didn't want speculation from a distance. We wanted the view from someone who's lived it, from soil to shelf.

So we sat down with DRUERA founder Mike de Livera.

Mike doesn't frame his thinking in terms of trends or market share. His perspective comes from two decades of hands-on work, deep ties to Sri Lanka, and a business model built slowly, often the hard way.

"I don't really think in terms of industries," Mike says. "I think about the farmer, the tree, and the person who's going to cook with it. If the future doesn't work for all three, it won't work at all."

That idea runs through everything that follows.

For those who want to understand the passion that drives our brand, you can start with The DRUERA Founding Story.

Question 1: "What do you see as the single biggest threat to the spice trade in the next decade?"

A Trade at a Turning Point

When people talk about "the future of food," spices are rarely part of the conversation. They're seen as background ingredients. Small. Shelf-stable. Easy.

But Mike sees something different.

"Spices sit at the intersection of agriculture, labor, culture, and trust," he explains. "When something breaks in that system, you feel it everywhere."

What's breaking now isn't subtle.

Climate Change Isn't Coming (It's Here)

When asked about the biggest threat to the spice trade over the next decade, Mike doesn't hesitate.

"It's not a future threat. It's the present. Climate change."

On DRUERA's partner farms in Sri Lanka, the effects aren't abstract models or projections. They're daily realities.

Monsoon seasons that used to arrive like clockwork now shift unpredictably. Heavy rains fall all at once like Ditwah, followed by long dry spells. Soil erodes. Roots struggle. Trees are stressed.

"That affects yield, obviously," Mike says. "But more than that, it affects character."

True Ceylon cinnamon is delicate. Its flavor (light, citrusy, layered) comes from very specific conditions. Soil composition. Rainfall patterns. Temperature ranges. Even surrounding plant life.

"You can't just move these heirloom trees somewhere else and expect the same result," Mike explains. "That flavor is tied to place."

For farmers, this instability carries real consequences. A bad harvest doesn't just mean lower output. It means no income that year. No buffer. No safety net.

That's why DRUERA's focus on sustainable, biodiverse farming isn't marketing.

"It's survival," Mike says.

Mixed planting builds soil structure. Organic matter increases water retention. Healthy ground absorbs rain instead of washing away.

"Soil becomes a sponge," he explains. "It holds water during droughts and drains during floods. It buys you time."

Time is the most valuable thing climate change takes away.

You can read more about that approach in our piece on sustainability in spice farming.

That belief was tested during Cyclone Ditwah, which caused catastrophic flooding across Sri Lanka. More than 500,000 acres of agricultural land were washed away, with estimated damages exceeding USD 814 million. Entire growing regions lost topsoil that had taken generations to build. For many farmers, it wasn't just a bad season—it was the loss of their livelyhood.

On farms managed by the Rajapakse family, a different outcome emerged. Years earlier, they had adopted SLAT (Sloping Land Agricultural Technology), a system designed to work with natural contours rather than against them. By combining mixed planting, ground cover, and structured water flow, SLAT reduced runoff and allowed soil to absorb and hold rainfall. When Ditwah hit, erosion was significantly mitigated. The land remained largely intact while surrounding areas were stripped bare.

That contrast reinforced a hard truth. Climate resilience isn't theoretical, it's built into the soil long before disaster strikes. Farming methods determine whether land collapses under pressure or endures it. This is why DRUERA supports regenerative, biodiverse systems like SLAT. In an era of climate volatility, stewardship is no longer optional; it's the difference between recovery and permanent loss.

Question 2: "There's a growing demand for 'radical transparency.' What does that actually mean for the spice industry, which has historically been so opaque?"

Transparency Is No Longer Optional

Another major shift reshaping the spice trade is consumer expectation.

"People don't accept mystery anymore," Mike says. "They want answers."

For decades, spices were sold anonymously. Labels said Product of Asia or Packed for. No farm. No harvest date. No accountability.

That model is collapsing.

Consumers want to know:

• Where exactly did this come from?
• Who grew it?
• Was it tested?
• Was the farmer treated fairly?

Mike sees this as a positive pressure.

"Fair Trade certifications were a big step forward," he says. "But transparency is the next evolution."

Transparency isn't a badge. It's access.

"It's not about a logo on a bag," Mike explains. "It's about whether someone can verify what you're saying."

This is where technology finally plays a constructive role.

Batch-level lab testing. GPS coordinates. Harvest documentation. QR codes that lead somewhere meaningful.

"At DRUERA, our single-source model was built around knowing the farmer," Mike says. "We didn't start with tech. We started with relationships."

But technology helps back that up.

"We publish heavy metal and purity test results publicly," he says. "Because trust needs evidence."

In an industry with a history of adulteration and contamination, proof matters more than promises.

Question 3: "Let's talk about craftsmanship. With a labor crisis affecting many traditional industries, what is the future of a hand-crafted spice like Ceylon cinnamon?"

Craftsmanship Under Pressure

When the conversation turns to craftsmanship, Mike slows down.

"This is the part that keeps me up at night," he admits.

Ceylon cinnamon isn't manufactured. It's made by hand.

A master peeler lifts the inner bark in a single, paper-thin sheet. It takes years to learn. The work is physically demanding. The margin for error is small.

And like many artisan skills, it's under threat.

"The global commodity market never valued this work properly," Mike says. "So younger generations look elsewhere. And honestly, I don't blame them."

The obvious solution, automation, isn't really a solution at all.

"For Cassia, machines can work," Mike explains. "But for Ceylon cinnamon, machines are bullies."

They crush the bark. They rupture the cells that hold volatile oils. The result looks right but tastes empty.

"You'd be left with cinnamon that has the soul of sawdust," he says.

So DRUERA's approach isn't a replacement. It's support.

Ergonomic tools to reduce strain. Climate-controlled drying sheds powered by solar energy. Better working conditions that improve consistency and reduce waste.

Even small tech plays a role.

"We're exploring image scanning to help with early grading," Mike says. "Not to replace expertise, but to free it up."

That allows master graders to focus on what only humans can do: nuanced judgment.

"The belief is simple," he says. "Technology should serve the craft, not erase it."

"We need to show the next generation that this is a valued, viable future. To truly appreciate the skill we're fighting to preserve, you have to see it in action. We documented the entire, incredible process in our guide on how cinnamon is made. It's a powerful reminder of what we stand to lose, and what we're committed to protecting."

Question 4: "Finally, what is the one thing you hope consumers will demand from spice companies in the future?"

The Question of Value

When asked what he hopes consumers will demand from spice companies in the future, Mike doesn't talk about trends.

He talks about mindset.

"I want people to shift from being price-conscious to value-conscious."

For decades, spices have been a race to the bottom. Cheaper jars. Bigger volumes. Less accountability.

That pressure ripples outward.

Soil is exhausted through monocropping. Labor costs are squeezed. Quality erodes. Adulteration creeps in.

"In some cases," Mike says, "that cheap price comes with real health risks."

Lead chromate contamination didn't happen by accident. It happened because the system rewarded shortcuts.

"What I hope people start asking is: what did this actually cost?"

Was the land depleted?
Was the farmer supported?
Was the product tested?

"Ask the uncomfortable questions," Mike says.
"When a company can't answer them, that silence tells you everything."

Why This Matters Beyond Spices

Mike is quick to point out that this isn't just about cinnamon.

"It's about how we think about food," he says.

Spices may be small, but they reveal big truths. About supply chains. About trust. About how disconnected consumers have become from origins.

"When people reconnect with where their food comes from," Mike explains, "they start making different choices."

Those choices ripple outward. They support better farming. Better labor conditions. Better products.

"It changes what's possible," he says.

The Future Is Decided One Purchase at a Time

The spice trade is at a crossroads.

The anonymous commodity model is cracking. It's environmentally unstable. Ethically fragile. Unsustainable long-term.

What replaces it depends on demand.

Companies alone can't fix it. Farmers can't shoulder it alone either.

Consumers play a role whether they realize it or not.

Every purchase is a vote. For shortcuts. Or for stewardship. For opacity. Or for accountability.

At DRUERA, we've been building toward this future for twenty years. Slowly. Deliberately. One harvest at a time.

The future of spice isn't abstract.

It's in your pantry.
It's in your cooking.
It's in the choices you make every day.

👉 Explore our collection of Ceylon Cinnamon and join the movement.