THE BIRTH of Norfolk Saffron
Norfolk Saffron, England’s leading commercial saffron producer, is based in Norfolk near Burnham Market, and run by Dr Sally Francis, an Oxford-educated botanist born and bred in Norfolk. Sally is helped by her family during busy periods in the year, especially by her mother Jill - probably the most experienced saffron picker in England!
The HQ is our smallholding and it’s been in the family since 1934. We started growing saffron when Jill bought 20 saffron corms for Sally's birthday present in 1997.
Our stock of plants multiplied up over the years. By 2009 there was too much saffron to use ourselves so we took some to a market – and were astounded by the enthusiastic response. Sally used her expertise in 'alternative crops' and the farming skills of her beloved late father, Edward, to take things forward, and with the help of RDPE funding, Norfolk Saffron was born. A few years on we have many awards under our belt, and are really proud to have been selected by the Government as a "Food Star", one of the nation's 50 most innovative food and drink businesses.
Although Norfolk and saffron are two words that aren’t normally associated with each other, we discovered that saffron was once very important locally - and it had a reputation for excellent quality too. Huge amounts were exported from north Norfolk ports in a lucrative trade to the Low Countries. We now have 20-years' worth of hard-won experience in saffron production and are very proud to be the first to offer Norfolk-grown saffron for sale again. We put masses of TLC into every gram of Norfolk Saffron, all so you can enjoy saffron at its very best.
The HQ is our smallholding and it’s been in the family since 1934. We started growing saffron when Jill bought 20 saffron corms for Sally's birthday present in 1997.
Our stock of plants multiplied up over the years. By 2009 there was too much saffron to use ourselves so we took some to a market – and were astounded by the enthusiastic response. Sally used her expertise in 'alternative crops' and the farming skills of her beloved late father, Edward, to take things forward, and with the help of RDPE funding, Norfolk Saffron was born. A few years on we have many awards under our belt, and are really proud to have been selected by the Government as a "Food Star", one of the nation's 50 most innovative food and drink businesses.
Although Norfolk and saffron are two words that aren’t normally associated with each other, we discovered that saffron was once very important locally - and it had a reputation for excellent quality too. Huge amounts were exported from north Norfolk ports in a lucrative trade to the Low Countries. We now have 20-years' worth of hard-won experience in saffron production and are very proud to be the first to offer Norfolk-grown saffron for sale again. We put masses of TLC into every gram of Norfolk Saffron, all so you can enjoy saffron at its very best.
Norfolk saffron'S Quality
We know from our customers and from professional chefs that Norfolk Saffron is very strong, potent and of the highest quality.
Annual independent laboratory testing shows that our saffron always conforms to ISO 3632 category I, the top international grade for saffron quality (see our FAQs page for a full explanation). This puts Norfolk Saffron in good company - with the very best Spanish saffron (only premium Mancha grades and Coupe/Coupé grade, the grade above Mancha) and finest Iranian/Persian saffron (Sargol grade). Because of this, a tiny amount goes an astonishingly long way!
What else sets us apart? Our customers enjoy:
Annual independent laboratory testing shows that our saffron always conforms to ISO 3632 category I, the top international grade for saffron quality (see our FAQs page for a full explanation). This puts Norfolk Saffron in good company - with the very best Spanish saffron (only premium Mancha grades and Coupe/Coupé grade, the grade above Mancha) and finest Iranian/Persian saffron (Sargol grade). Because of this, a tiny amount goes an astonishingly long way!
What else sets us apart? Our customers enjoy:
- Saffron that's packed as only whole, intact threads.
- Saffron from only the most recent season’s crop, which guarantees exquisite colour, flavour and aroma.
- Saffron with a unique provenance and terroir. The effects of our soil and unique coastal micro-climate, plus our picking and drying methods, all determine Norfolk Saffron's qualities.
- Saffron with zero air miles, that's fully traceable and is produced in accordance with UK food hygiene regulations.
