President of the European Spice Association (ESA) & Executive Chairman of the Seasoning & Spice Association TCI International Ltd Mr. Simon Cripps is the Owner and CEO of the Food Ingredients business TCI International Limited. He has over 25 years of experience in food ingredients business specifically in spices and herbs. Currently he is the Chairman of the seasoning and spice association in the UK and recently elected President of the European Spice Association and Director of the Food and Drink Federation. Former VP of the European Spice Association, former board member of the American Spice Association and concurrently a director of BC Foods Europe Ltd.
Mr. Donald G. Pratt is the Managing Director for McCormick Global Ingredients Ltd. (MGIL), a wholly owned subsidiary of McCormick & Company, Inc. He has been with the company for 11 years and, along with his MD duties, he is responsible for the development and application of McCormick’s global Spice and Herb source strategy and its 2025 sustainable source goals delivery. Mr. Pratt's team does all the sourcing, origin development and relationship management for all the spices and herbs McCormick uses globally. He champions the McCormick Sustainable Sourcing program that facilitates the inclusion, development and integration of vetted and competitive diverse smallholder farming businesses into the McCormick Supply Chain.
Mr. Geemon Korah, a graduate in Agriculture, post graduate in Management, Exec Ed from Harvard Business School and IIM, started his professional career with the Kerala Government and an European Union Project on Horticulture Development in Kerala State. Having then moved to Kancor over 2 decades ago, has developed businesses and helped build the organisation to what it is today, seeing through several changes, new businesses, expansion into new geographies and new JV's.
Since taking over as CEO of Kancor in 2006, the company has seen a 5 fold growth over the last decade both in terms of size and also in terms of Intellectual gains. Known widely for team building, talent management, retention, and a brand ambassador through several representations at various global meets, Geemon has been an ardent driver and supporter of several new initiatives driving the change towards global harmonisation of standards. He has been the Chairman of AISEF twice and member of the Exec Committee of Flavours and Fragrances Association of India. His passion to create a bridge between Industry and Academia has lead him to be on the Board of Studies of prestigious institutions.
While not in office, he is usually traveling the world or working on his automobiles with a passion as deep as his love for spices.
Mr. Jasvinder Singh Sethi is the founder and CEO of a movement called NAMAGRO. Based in Vietnam his company focuses on capability building and sustainability of small and medium scale participants in the black pepper supply chain. Prior to being an entrepreneur, he worked as a senior manager in the realm of agricultural commodities for over 15 years with companies such as Olam and ITC. He has worked extensively in all major black pepper origins as a trader, purchaser and a plant head
Mr. Jaap Hengstmengel, Senior Account Manager at Eurofins Food & Feed Testing Netherlands. Mr. Hengstmengel joined Eurofins in 2010 as a trainee, focusing on the pesticide market in the Netherlands. After his traineeship, he kept working for Eurofins, who is the world leader in the food and feed testing market. After several positions Mr. Hengstmengel operates now as Senior Account Manager with special focus on the international spice market. ‘Due to daily contact with our spice customers, we try to understand the market needs better and better. Next to offering analysis results we also work on supply chain solutions with our customers’
PEARL CORPORATION Founded in 2006 and engaged in export business of Agricultural product as member of Vietnam Pepper Association VPA, Pearl Corporation is one of the leading companies of Vietnam in exporting agricultural products to international markets such as pepper, chilli, turmeric, ginger, rubber, rice, peanuts, cassia, star anis, and processed items to promote the Vietnam trading.
BCFoods (www.bcfoods.com) is one of leading global food raw ingredient supplier with manufactures in China, distribution and custom blending in Chicago, and also warehouses in USA, Canada and Europe. Culinary Farms (www.culinaryfarms.com) is BCFoods' specialty foods company for tomato and chilies, manufacture in California, USA and sales worldwide.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry administers two departments, the Department of Commerce and the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion.
The Department of Export Agriculture (DEA) is the main government institution which comes under the purview of Ministry of Social Welfare and Primary Industries, is responsible for the Research and Development by means of productivity, production and quality improvements of a group of perennial, Export Agricultural crops (EAC) namely Cinnamon, Pepper, Cardamom, Clove, Nutmeg, Coffee, Cocoa, Vanilla, Betel, Citronella, Lemongrass, Arecanut and traditionally grown in Sri Lanka
"A" Grade Government Department which involves in "Planning and implementation of an appropriate research and development program with the prime objective of earning more foreign exchange through enhancement of quality and quantity of Export Agricultural Crop (EAC) production for sustainable development of economic and social standards of all the stakeholders of EAC sector while ensuring the safeguards to environment.
Vietnam Pepper Association
SPICES BOARD IS THE FLAGSHIP ORGANIZATION UNDER THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, GOVT. OF INDIA FOR EXPORT PROMOTION OF INDIAN SPICES AND SPICES PRODUCTS
MALAYSIAN PEPPER BOARD IS A GOVERNMENT AGENCY WITH ITS OBJECTIVES TO PROMOTE PEPPER PLANTING, RESEARCH ON PEPPER AND PEPPER PRODUCTS AND TO DEVELOP AND PROMOTE PEPPER INDUSTRY IN MALAYSIA. THE BOARD ALSO INVOLVES IN PEPPER TRADES.