Saffron Road

Saffron Road Food

Type| Private
Industry| Food production and distribution
Headquarters| Stamford, Connecticut

Areas served

| United States

Key people

| Adnan Durrani (founder)

Number of employees

| 28[1]
Parent| American Halal Company
Website| saffronroad.com

Saffron Road is an American food brand.[2][3] It is a subsidiary of American Halal Company, Inc.[4] Saffron Road manufactures clean-label frozen foods, meal pouches, simmer sauces, family sized meals, and healthy snacks that are halal certified, all of which are made with ingredients from global cuisines.[5][6] Saffron Road products are sold through 25,000 retail locations[7] across the nation such as Whole Foods Market, Kroger, Safeway Inc., Giant Food Stores,[8] Publix, Sprouts Farmers Market[9] and H-E-B and Walmart, where it is the top natural protein-based entree.[10][11]

## History[edit]

In 2009,[12] Adnan Durrani founded American Halal Company in Stamford, Connecticut.[6] The American Halal company sells halal certified food products under the brand Saffron Road Foods.[8] The name "Saffron Road" was inspired by Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road project.[13] In July 2010, Saffron Road was launched through Whole Foods.[14] Its products are halal certified, antibiotic free, gluten free, and non-gmo project verified.[15] Some products, like their simmer sauces, are also vegan. Ingredients come from family owned, sustainable farms.[16] In August 2015, American Halal acquired Mediterranean Snack Foods, a lentil snack food manufacturer, which was added to the Saffron Road line.[17]

By 2014, Saffron Road produced fifty different products.[18] Product lines include frozen entrees, appetizers and desserts, chicken nuggets and tenders, skillet sauces and broths,[16][19] and snacks such as Crunchy Chickpeas, BeanStalks[20] and ChickBean Crisps.[21] Before Saffron Road, CEO Adnan Durrani was a principal equity partner and director at Stonyfield Farm (now Groupe Danone) and founder of Vermont Pure Spring water.[2]

### Recognition[edit]

Saffron Road was ranked number 642 on the Inc. 5000 list in 2015, number 703 in 2016, and 4800 in 2019.[22] It ranked third in natural frozen food sales in the United States by 2014.[23]

## References[edit]

1. ^ Dawn Reiss (May 24, 2021). "Saffron Road founder talks succeeding with Walmart". New Hope Network.
2. ^ a b "Bringing a Muslim Culinary Tradition Mainstream". Inc. magazine. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
3. ^ "How to Succeed in Socially Responsible Business". The Wall Street Journal. 9 September 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
4. ^ "Top 10 Plant-Based Food Trends for 2021". The Healthy. 16 December 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
5. ^ "20 Healthiest Sauces and Condiments to Keep in Your Pantry". Good Housekeeping. 30 June 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
6. ^ a b Liz Skalka (February 13, 2017). "Muslim businessman finds challenges, graciousness in Stamford". Stamford Advocate.
7. ^ "Nightly Business Report – February 1, 2017". NBR. February 1, 2017.
8. ^ a b Jeff Green, Craig Giammona (September 14, 2016). "How Halal Food Became a $20 Billion Hit in America". Bloomberg.
9. ^ Elaine Watson (March 26, 2014). "Frozen food 2.0: Saffron Road notches up triple-digit growth as shoppers seek flavor, authenticity, and 'clean food'". Food Navigator.
10. ^ "Ignoring naysayers, CPG trendspotter forges path down the Saffron Road". Food Navigator. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
11. ^ Elaine Watson (October 3, 2012). "Saffron Road: 'The most successful natural food brands are built in mainstream supermarket retailers'". Food Innovation.
12. ^ Patrick Clark (April 22, 2013). "From Bloggers' Wrath to Foodies' Delight: Saffron Road". Bloomberg.
13. ^ Samuel G. Freedman (June 13, 2014). "A Muslim Entrepreneur Follows a Kosher Model to Mainstream Success". The New York Times.
14. ^ Emma Janzen (April 2015). "Saffron Road Goes Above and Beyond Organic". Profile Magazine.
15. ^ "The 10 Best Vegan Simmer Sauce Brands". Veg Out. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
16. ^ a b "Saffron Road". Profile Magazine. April 2015.
17. ^ "American Halal Buys Mediterranean Snack Foods". Specialty Food Association. August 24, 2015.
18. ^ Michael Wolfe (March 28, 2016). "Muslim Business Entrepreneurs and the American Economy". Huffington Post.
19. ^ Monica Watrous (February 2, 2015). "Q&A: Saffron Road on the fast track". Food Business News.
20. ^ Kacey Culliney (June 18, 2012). "Halal specialist's chickpea snacks hold health appeal". Bakery and Snacks.
21. ^ Natalie Taylor (June 20, 2017). "Saffron Road To Reveal New Look at Summer Fancy Food Show". Grocery Headquarters.
22. ^ "Saffron Road Foods". Inc.
23. ^ "Introducing Your Next Healthy Food Trend: Halal And Kosher". Fast Company. July 15, 2014.