Whole Foods Market is a specialty food retailer that prides itself on carrying high quality products at competitive prices. However, when it comes to ground cumin, Whole Foods has some of the highest prices in the country.
Ground cumin is an herb native to southwest Asia that is used as a spice in Asian and Mediterranean cuisine. It is also a key ingredient in Indian curries and Persian stews. The word “cumin” comes from the Latin “cumino,” meaning “to smoke,” referring to the way the seeds are roasted before they are ground into powder. Cumin seeds are small and slightly heart-shaped and vary in color from yellowish brown to black.
The price of ground cumin at Whole Foods ranges from $8.69 per pound to $14.99 per pound, depending on the region where you shop. This puts Whole Foods’ prices for ground cumin between 100 percent and 300 percent higher than prices for other spices at leading supermarkets around the country. [Graph: http://www.ourspiceonline.com/data/ground-cumin-prices-at-whole-foods]
While ground cumin may seem very expensive compared to other spices, it may not seem quite as pricey when compared to
It can be difficult to fully understand the factors that go into the price of ground cumin and why it is priced so much higher than other spices. To ensure you are getting the best price on ground cumin, you may want to take some time to find out where the product is cheapest, including shipping costs.
Taste and Smell
Cumin has a distinctive, slightly nutty flavor and odor. It is not as pungent as rosemary or sage, but it does have a stronger aroma than many herbs. In fact, the name for the herb and spice comes from the same linguistic roots: cumin comes from the Latin cyminum, which evolved from the Greek kyminon. The Arabic word for cumin is jimin .
Because of its distinctive flavor and aroma, cumin can enhance a variety of recipes, although it is also sometimes used as an ingredient on its own. Cumin can be used in breads, soups and stews. It is also popular in Indian cuisine, where it may be used in curries and marinades.
It can also be added to pickling spice blends or sprinkled over dishes before serving. For example, in Mexico, it may be sprinkled over beans or rice before serving
Cumin seeds are popular in many cuisines, with a flavor similar to oregano, thyme, and mint. Many cooks prefer to buy whole cumin seeds and grind them at home just before they prepare a dish.
Whole Foods tells us that ground cumin can be found in their bulk spice section and goes for $13.99 per pound.
And the question is why? Why is ground cumin so expensive when other spices are cheaper?
The answer is that ground cumin is not made of cumin seeds, but rather the cumin seed coats. The actual seeds themselves can be sold as such at a much lower price.
A comment on the piece reveals that grinding your own whole cumin seeds costs about $4 per pound, which means that Whole Foods’s markup on ground cumin alone could be 2,500%.
This spice is used in many dishes and is a main ingredient in Indian curries, Mexican and Middle Eastern cooking. In short, it’s not an obscure spice that no one uses. Yet the price of ground cumin can be five times more than that of other spices such as cinnamon, cardamom and black pepper.
The difference stems from how cumin is sold. The bulk of these ground spices are sold in bulk to restaurants, spice wholesalers and distributors, who then sell them to smaller grocery stores. Because large amounts are ordered at one time, the price per pound can be much cheaper than the cost of small amounts bought at specialty shops for home use.
What makes up the difference? Labor costs and packaging, for starters.*
When it comes to the cost of ground cumin, a few different factors are at play. The most obvious is demand. Cumin is an incredibly popular spice in many cuisines, and ground cumin is far more common than whole cumin.
Ground cumin also has a reputation for being pungent, spicy and flavorful. But buying ground cumin also means you’re buying convenience — and that’s where things start to get complicated. Ground cumin tends to be made from lower quality seeds than whole cumin seeds because the latter have a much longer shelf life.
Taste aside, whole cumin seeds can last up to twenty years — making them an ideal choice for bulk shoppers or anyone planning to cook Indian food on their own for the long haul (or who’s got an Indian recipe book with a lot of cumin-heavy meals).
Next, remember that if you’re buying ground cumin at Whole Foods, you’ve also got to pay for the store’s overhead costs.
Whole Foods has 28 locations in Manhattan alone, which means that it pays hefty property taxes just to operate its stores there. It also has high labor costs — particularly when it comes to salaries — since its employees are often unionized. And don’t forget about
**High Quality Cumin:** Whole Foods is known for having high quality, organic and natural items. From produce to spices, Whole Foods sells only the highest quality items on the market today. Ground cumin is a spice that Whole Foods sells and it is considered to be one of the higher priced spices on the store’s shelves.
Cumin seeds are naturally grown in India and they are imported into the United States after they have been cleaned and dried. These seeds can grow up to 3-5 feet in height and they have a distinctive aroma that is commonly used in many Indian dishes. The seeds are ground up into a powder which adds an extra level of flavor to the food cooked with them. Some of the most popular dishes that use cumin include curries, chilis, rice dishes and meats.
Cumin is considered to be one of the most flavorful spices in India. It is also one of the most popular spices in other areas around the world as well. Even though it is such a powerful spice, it just takes a pinch of it in order to give any dish an extra kick in flavor. Choosing whole cumin seeds will make it easier to grind up into a powder when you get home from your trip to Whole Foods.
First of all, most spices are sold in smaller amounts and they are used in less expensive dishes. Ground cumin, on the other hand, is very popular in North America, mostly because of its use in Mexican cuisine. It’s also used in the Middle East and in India. Even though you can use ground cumin for a variety of dishes, it’s mostly used for meat and chicken recipes.
A pound of ground cumin can cost around $10.00 in most major grocery stores. That’s about $3.33 per ounce. It’s not the most expensive spice you can buy, but it’s not cheap either considering that some types of spices cost only $2.00 or less per pound (for example, black peppercorn or red pepper).
Taste is a very important factor that determines how much we’re willing to pay for certain foods or ingredients. However, if the taste is not the only thing that matters to you, then you should consider finding places where you can buy ground cumin at lower prices.*
