Our Story

Indian family dinner

Our Story

"It all began at our dinner table, as we savored our homemade Indian meal..."

I found myself lamenting the absence of the turmeric I grew up with, while John mentioned how he longed for the teas his mother once introduced to him.

"Why don't you both bring these products here and share them with the world?"

My partner smiled and said those words. Ten months and hundreds of conversations with suppliers, farmers, and friends — and incalculable days of testing later — we launched Living Roots.


The spice industry has a dirty secret: most people have no idea whose hands grew their food. At Living Roots, we're making that connection visible again.

Umshiang Double-Decker Root Bridge

Why "Living Roots"?

A Name Rooted in Heritage

I'm from Shillong, Meghalaya, a place where nature and tradition are deeply intertwined. One of the most iconic symbols of my hometown is the Umshiang Double-Decker Root Bridge — a living structure woven from the roots of rubber trees over generations.

This bridge has always been a source of pride and inspiration, representing the strength and resilience that comes from deep roots.

"Just as roots nourish a plant, our roots nourish our spirit and the products we offer."

Our Values

What We Believe

Wellness

Every product is chosen for its natural health benefits — high curcumin turmeric, antioxidant-rich teas, and spices that heal as much as they flavor.

Direct Sourcing

We work directly with farmers, cutting out middlemen. This means fair prices for them and authentic, traceable products for you.

Sustainability

From biodegradable tea containers to minimal packaging, we obsess over every detail to honor the earth that grows our treasures.

Taiwan tea Spices from India

Our Promise

Custodians of Tradition

Living Roots isn't just about bringing spices and teas to your pantry — we are custodians of tradition with an obsession for authenticity.

We handpick our products with care, working directly with the farmers who nurture these treasures. Our designers meticulously weave local traditions into every label. We spend countless hours researching biodegradable materials for our containers.

From the potent Lakadong Turmeric of Meghalaya to the exquisite Oolongs of Taiwan, our story is woven into every product we offer.

Why Living Roots Is Different

Living Roots Grocery Store
Origin Single farm, named farmer Unknown blend
Farmer Connection Direct relationship None
Lab Tested ✓ Every batch ✗ Rarely
Harvest Date On every label Not listed
Fair Trade ✓ Always ✗ Often not

"Living Roots is more than just a brand — it's a community, a platform for cultural exchange, and a celebration of diversity."

We warmly welcome you to our family.

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Jonali - Founder

I grew up surrounded by the aromatic hills of Shillong, where spice plants climbed the terraced slopes my family had farmed for generations. Some of the farmers we work with today are the children of those my parents knew, our connection to them spans decades, built on shared land and shared values. Their dedication to traditional, sustainable farming is the foundation of everything LivingRoots stands for.

Every jar we ship carries a story. When we source black pepper from the slopes outside Shillong or turmeric from smallholder farms in Jaintia Hills, we're not just buying ingredients, we're celebrating generations of knowledge and care. For us, 'harvest to table' means knowing the farmers by name, understanding their methods, and ensuring their work reaches people who value authenticity as deeply as we do.

When I moved to the US, I searched everywhere for the vibrant, freshly ground spices I grew up with. What I found on supermarket shelves bore little resemblance, stale, flavorless powders that had lost their soul somewhere between farm and shelf. That disconnect drove me to create LivingRoots: a way to bring you spices with the richness, purity, and character I knew was possible.

At LivingRoots, every decision we make honors the farmers who tend these plants and the traditions they've preserved. Our spices aren't just ingredients, they're a living connection between their land and your table, between generations past and meals yet to be shared.

John - Founder

Tea’s not just a drink; it’s a piece of my heritage, always there, like a familiar friend. But look around—the big tea names don’t tell our Asian story. That got me thinking, why not? Living in the US for decades, but with roots in Asia has helped me to realize that we’ve got to do more than just wonder. It’s on us, this generation, to step up and create something that screams ‘this is us’.

​Living Roots isn’t your typical Asian tea label. We’re writing the new story of the Asian American experience, a blend of the east and west. And what better way than through authentic teas and spices. Being a minority here comes with its challenges, navigating through a world where we sometimes feel out of place.

​I want Living Roots to be a shout-out to our next gen—stay bold, stay you, stay Asian American proud. Let’s inspire them to dream big and own it. We’re here to stand out, not just blend in.

Arun

I come from a family with a long history in farming and cultivation. My Thatha (grandpa) was a farmer as were his fathers before him. I am passionate about two things: solving the direct market access problem and the fair price problem.

Spice and Tea trade generally follow the commoditized factory model – buy at cheapest rates from farmers with inconsistent production quality and mix and sell to the retail market. The farmer rarely gets to tell the story of their trade – Living Roots’ mission is to change that paradigm.

We buy directly from the farmer and at a fair price. My Thatha often sold his produce at non-transparent "market rates" to wholesale merchants and the profits were barely sufficient to service the debts he incurred to buy seeds for the next year’s crop or undertake capital expenditures like fixing his irrigation system. This vicious cycle ultimately bankrupted him and he lost everything. This is an all too familiar story in India.

Know that every product you buy and enjoy from our store was bought ethically, fairly paid and was grown using sustainable techniques. It is the best Living Roots can do to keep alive a farming tradition as old as commerce itself.

Kiran

In my day job, I am an obstetrician-physician. When I am not bringing new babies to this world, you might find me busy hiking the remote hills of the Western Ghats or the Himalayas studying exotic trees and shrubs. I like to think that I have deep expertise in local cultures and be aware of cultural sensitivities (it’s basically a job requirement for a physician/doctor in India); I speak 5 languages and I am deeply committed to an equitable planet, the health of our rivers and water bodies.

Hailing from a family of a generation of farmers, I am the first in my family to attend college. I am also interested in bringing the Harvest to Table movement to the farmers I meet in distant communities. I specialize in saffron, chilis and bespoke spices from the vale of Kashmir to the foothills of the Vindhya range. Since I moonlight as an amateur botanist, I take special pleasure in identifying the various cultivars across India