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The Basmati Difference

08 September 2022 - Written by  Jon Calland

The Basmati Difference

Infamously recognised for its distinctive flavour and aroma, learn more about the basmati difference.

Delivering the highest quality of rice sits at the heart of what we do. With the aim to be one of the most responsible rice producers in the world, we work closely with farmers to carry out stringent checks to ensure our standards are met, providing you with the purest grains.

Shipping rice

Embarking a 4000+ mile journey, our Basmati rice is grown and harvested in the regions of Northern India and Pakistan. Typical characteristics include long slender grains with a fluffy, light texture after cooking which triples in weight and elongates when cooked. Each grain is purity tested and packed in accordance with the Basmati Code of Practice to ensure you have the fluffiest rice grains for your biriyani or curry.

Our rice is transported by boat to our mill on the River Thames, London. We use this method of transportation as boats are more energy-efficient and have a lower carbon footprint in comparison to airfreight.

The Basmati Difference

How is Basmati grown?

Grown in the region of Indo-Gangetic Plain, predominantly in the state of Haryana, our extensive network of smallholder farmers plant saplings by hand in June each year while harvesting takes place in October. Once the crop has matured, we use DNA analysis to ensure our rice is one of the officially recognised Basmati varieties, a rich variety of rice grains.

Why do we care about rice?

Rice is a staple food for 1/3 of the world’s population, sitting at the heart of many cuisines. Amongst these is the fragrant rice varieties, with Jasmine and Basmati rice that particularly stand apart.

The Basmati Difference

Why do we care about our farmers?

We’re committed to our farmers. Traditionally, agricultural supply chains are often exploited by large organisations wanting to buy products as cheaply as possible and sell at a premium price to maximise profit. At Tilda, we operate differently. We have a view of farmers being equal partners, so we commit to fair pay when developing contracts with our farmers to buy their rice. Without them and their expertise, we have no Basmati rice to sell. In the interest of the farmers and Tilda, we educate farmers on an ongoing basis about how to maintain soil quality, reduce the use of chemicals and conserve water. This helps maximise yields and protect the environment in the long run.

The Basmati Difference

Sourcing responsibly for you

We take great pride in ensuring we have sourced the highest quality of ingredients such as eggs, oils, herbs and spices for a fair price in order to produce high quality products. This allows us to protect the supply chain, not only benefiting the end consumer, but also the environment and farming communities who we rely heavily on to make the operation work.

Our supply chain focuses on three key areas:

  1. Environmental impact
  2. Ethical standards
  3. Farmer livelihoods

Our suppliers to adhere to the following principles:

  1. Compliance with relevant laws and regulations
  2.  Safe and fair working conditions
  3. Respect for human rights and prohibiting enforced labour and child labour
  4. Minimising environmental impacts