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TanSpice’s Bet on Tanzanian Spices

Beyond the Raw Commodity

Tanzania

The United Republic of Tanzania has a long history with spices. In the early 19th century, spice farming had already commenced along Zanzibar’s fertile volcanic soils; with cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper. By the late 19th century, the archipelago was responsible for nearly 80% of the world’s clove supply.

Today, Tanzania continues to grow spices across a wide range of regions, from Tanga and Morogoro to Kilimanjaro and the lake zones. However, overall production remains low relative to global demand, certified organic output is still minimal, and the country continues to export mostly raw, undifferentiated commodity spice rather than the higher-value, branded, traceable product that global buyers increasingly want and will pay more for.

TanSpice Agri Limited

Photo Credit: TanSpice Agri Limited

That gap; agronomic advantage on one side, and underdeveloped market infrastructure on the other; is exactly the space TanSpice Agri Limited operates in. Founded and led by CEO Delux Range and based in Dar es Salaam, the company works to connect Tanzanian smallholder farmers producing spices, herbs, grains, and other agricultural goods directly with international buyers. "Built around a stated commitment to quality, sustainability, and ethical trade."

For Mr. Range, that mission is inseparable from what he understands entrepreneurship to actually require in this sector: "Entrepreneurship to me is about identifying opportunities, taking calculated risks and staying committed even when things are uncertain," he says. "Building TanSpice has demanded a lot of patience, resilience and continuous learning, especially when dealing with farmers, international buyers, financing and the realities of the export business."

Central to TanSpice's model is a deliberate focus on smallholders, women, and youth.

Mr. Range is direct about why that isn't a side commitment but the core of the business logic: "Smallholder farmers are at the heart of the spice value chain, so our growth has to grow with them." That framing matters in a sector where, historically, the people actually growing the crop have often captured the least value from it. TanSpice's answer, in Range's words, is "building long-term relationships, promoting fair sourcing practices and creating opportunities for women and young people to participate more meaningfully in the sector."

MARKUP II's role in TanSpice's growth shows up most concretely in market access. Range points to the company's participation in Food Ingredients Paris 2025, supported by MARKUP II, as a formative experience. "I learnt that international buyers are not only looking for a good product," he reflects. "They want consistency, traceability, food safety, certifications and a supplier they can trust. You need to understand their market requirements and be able to deliver the same quality consistently."

Photo Credit: TanSpice Agri Limited

It's a clarifying way to describe the actual work of export-readiness; not only having spices to sell, but also building the systems that let a buyer plan around you season after season. It also mirrors what MARKUP II has been building at the sector level in Tanzania, through initiatives like the Tanzania Spices Label, developed with TanTrade and the Tanzania Spices Association to help producers meet Tanzania Bureau of Standards specifications and Good Agricultural Practices, so that certification and consistency aren't something each individual exporter has to solve alone.

Asked what he wants to see for Tanzania's spice sector going forward, Range's answer is a reflection of the whole value chain's central problem: "I would like to see more investment in value addition, quality control, farmer training, certification and market access. Tanzania produces very good spices, but we need to move from mainly supplying raw commodities to becoming known internationally for high-quality, traceable and value-added Tanzanian spices."