Kashmiril Founder Kaunain Kaisar Wani Tackles Adulteration in Kashmiri Products With Direct-to-Consumer Model

VMPL
Anantnag (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], February 16: At a time when studies estimate that 70 to 80 percent of saffron sold globally is adulterated -- mixed with dyed corn silk, coconut fibers, or synthetic coloring -- a young Kashmiri entrepreneur is building what may be India's most transparent supply chain for authentic Kashmiri products. Kaunain Kaisar Wani, Founder and CEO of Kashmiril, is leveraging direct farmer relationships, ISO-standard lab testing, and a content-first digital strategy to reconnect consumers with the real produce of Kashmir.
A Heritage Under Threat
The numbers tell a troubling story. Kashmiri saffron production has plummeted from approximately 16 tonnes per year to less than 3 tonnes over the past two decades -- a decline exceeding 80 percent -- driven by climate change, shrinking agricultural land, and urbanization in the Pampore region. What little genuine saffron reaches the market is frequently undercut by cheap Iranian imports repackaged as Kashmiri, or outright counterfeits made from turmeric and paprika.
The problem extends well beyond saffron. Unpurified Shilajit sold online has been found to contain dangerous levels of heavy metals including lead and arsenic. Commercial honey marketed as "raw" and "Kashmiri" is routinely heated to temperatures that destroy its glucose oxidase enzymes -- the very compounds responsible for its antibacterial properties. For the 30,000-plus farming families in Kashmir who depend on these crops for their livelihood, the flood of fakes has driven prices down and eroded consumer trust in an entire region's produce.
"Growing up in Kashmir, I saw the real saffron my family's farmer friends harvested," says Kaunain. "When I started looking at what was being sold online as 'Kashmiri saffron,' I realized most consumers have never even tasted the real thing."
From Pampore's Karewa Highlands to the Consumer's Door
Kaunain's response to this crisis was not to launch another e-commerce store, but to build an entirely different kind of supply chain. Born and raised in Kashmir with direct family connections to saffron-growing communities in Pampore, he understood both the agricultural realities and the market failures firsthand.
Kashmiril, launched in October 2025, sources every product directly from Kashmiri farming families -- eliminating the layers of middlemen who have historically compressed farmer earnings while enabling adulteration at every stage. The model is straightforward: when there are no intermediaries between the Pampore farmer and the end consumer, there is no point at which the product can be tampered with.
Every batch of saffron undergoes laboratory testing aligned with ISO 3632 protocols, verifying three critical markers -- crocin content for color potency, picrocrocin for flavor, and safranal for aroma. The results are notable. Kashmiril's Mongra-grade saffron tests at 18 to 22 percent crocin content, compared to the 8 to 15 percent typically found in standard Iranian varieties. This measurable chemical superiority is a direct consequence of the Pampore terroir -- the unique Karewa highlands at 1,600 to 1,800 metres altitude, where intense UV exposure and mineral-rich soil force the Crocus sativus plant to produce higher concentrations of protective bioactive compounds.
"The farmers in Pampore have been growing saffron for generations," Kaunain explains. "When you cut out the middlemen, two things happen -- farmers earn what they deserve, and consumers get what they're actually paying for."
Beyond Saffron: Mapping Kashmir's Full Terroir
While saffron remains Kashmiril's flagship, the platform has expanded to represent the full breadth of Kashmir's natural produce. Himalayan Shilajit, sourced from high-altitude rock formations and sold exclusively as purified resin -- not powdered capsules that may contain fillers -- comes backed by third-party Certificates of Analysis confirming fulvic acid content and heavy metal safety.
The range includes raw, unpasteurized Kashmiri honey in acacia, black forest, and sidr varieties, each processed without the industrial heating that strips conventional commercial honey of its enzymatic value. Kashmiri walnuts and mamra almonds are sourced from orchards across the Valley, while the Chilgoza pine nuts in Kashmiril's catalogue carry a particular scientific interest -- they contain 14 to 19 percent pinolenic acid, a fatty acid that research has linked to triggering GLP-1 satiety hormones, compared to less than 1.5 percent in standard pine nut varieties.
Traditional Kashmiri kehwa teas, prepared from recipes that have remained largely unchanged for centuries, sit alongside a newer category: saffron-based skincare and cold-pressed Kashmiri oils. This last segment reflects Kaunain's broader vision of transitioning Kashmir's produce from raw commodities into finished, value-added products -- serums, resins, and formulations rather than bulk spices sold by weight.
Education as a Business Strategy
Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of Kashmiril's approach is its content infrastructure. The brand has published over 100 evidence-based articles on its blog and continues to publish daily, covering topics from the biochemistry of crocin to home methods for testing saffron authenticity -- including the baking soda reaction test that can expose synthetic dyes. The brand also offers a digital Saffron Purity Checker tool on its website.
This content-first strategy, executed without any expenditure on paid advertising, serves a dual purpose. It positions Kashmiril as an educational authority in a market saturated with misleading claims, while building long-term organic visibility in a product category where consumer trust is the primary purchase barrier.
"We publish two articles every day because we believe an informed customer is our best customer," says Kaunain. "If someone reads our blog and learns how to spot fake saffron, that's a win even if they never buy from us."
Scripting a New Narrative for J&K's Economy
Kashmiril enters the market at a moment of broader economic transformation in Jammu and Kashmir, where the number of registered startups has grown from a few hundred to nearly 1,000 by late 2024. The brand represents what observers have described as the region's shift from raw commodity exports to intellectual property-driven ventures -- building global brands around GI-tagged products rather than selling unbranded produce at wholesale rates.
For the saffron farming families of Pampore, who hand-pick 150,000 flowers to produce a single kilogram of the world's most expensive spice, Kashmiril's direct procurement model offers something the traditional mandi system has not -- price stability, fair compensation, and a market that values provenance over volume.
"Kashmir produces some of the finest natural products in the world," Kaunain reflects. "My goal is simple: make sure people can access the real thing, not a diluted version of it."
About Kashmiril: Kashmiril.com is a direct-to-consumer platform founded in 2025 by Kaunain Kaisar Wani, based in Anantnag, Kashmir. The brand specializes in authentic, lab-tested Kashmiri products including GI-tagged Pampore saffron, Himalayan Shilajit, raw honey, premium dry fruits, traditional kehwa teas, and natural skincare. For more information, visit Kashmiril.com
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