Corporate History

K.N.P. Trading Pte Lte was established in 1958. The company processed and milled spices. The House Brand variety of spices was launched soon after with the introduction of five varieties of ground spice mixes. Today, the company has expanded it products range to more than fifty. It has developed more than fifteen special spice blends. It services more than four hundred retail outlets in Singapore and exports to Brunei and Hongkong.

History of the Spice Trade in South-east Asia

One of the earliest documented records of spices is in the 1550 B.C. medical document "Ebers Papyrus" which stated that anise, cassia, cardamom, mustard and other aromatic were used by Egyptians. Historically, spices have been highly regarded and considered as precious as gold. They have been used for medicinal value in addition to serving as aromatics, preservatives and flavourings.

It was the quest for spices that brought the Portuguese to the East. It was in the sixteenth century that they ventured to the Malay Peninsula which was close to Moluccas, or the Spices Islands. South-east Asia then emerged as a centre for spices. Most spices were indigenous to the hot, damp and tropical regions of South-east Asia. In the seventeenth century, the Dutch displaced the Portuguese in the region and controlled the spice traded. The demand for spices the world over drew the British to South-east Asia as well.

The eighteenth century saw the entry of the United State in the spice trade. They travelled to the East on ships laden with tobacco, foodstuff and even ice in exchange for tea, coffee, textile and spices particularly pepper, ginger, cloves, cassia and cinnamon.

Today, the United State is the largest importer of spices. South-east Asia continues to produce spices like cassia, cloves and pepper. Singapore is the largest entreport for spices notably pepper, cinnamon, cloves, anise, coriander and cumin.