Britain imports a lot of spices. It has to. From black pepper and cumin to ginger, turmeric and cinnamon, most of the raw material used by British food companies comes from overseas.
The market is not limited to a few big import houses either. There are spice processors, ethnic-food wholesalers, seasoning manufacturers, ingredient suppliers and smaller specialist businesses spread across the country. London is an important centre, but Birmingham, Bristol, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and several other areas have their own buyers.
That is something exporters should keep in mind when looking for spice importers in the United Kingdom . The biggest name is not always the right buyer.
The import numbers give a better feel for the market. Britain bought US$27.04 million of whole dried pepper in 2024 and US$45.55 million of crushed and ground pepper. Ginger was a much bigger trade at US$66.09 million. Turmeric came to US$11.72 million, while cumin seeds were worth another US$33.25 million.
There is no single “spice imports” figure because different spices have different HS classifications. Looking at individual products gives a clearer picture.
| Spice | HS Code | UK Imports in 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Whole dried pepper | 090411 | US$27.04 million |
| Crushed/ground pepper | 090412 | US$45.55 million |
| Ginger | 091010 | US$66.09 million |
| Cumin seeds | 090930 | US$33.25 million |
| Turmeric | 091030 | US$11.72 million |
| Cinnamon, whole | 090610 | US$5.89 million |
| Cinnamon, crushed/ground | 090620 | US$10.36 million |
| Nutmeg | 090810 | US$5.50 million |
Ginger is a good example of the UK's dependence on overseas supply. China alone supplied US$49.63 million worth of ginger to Britain in 2024. Brazil, India, Peru and Nigeria were also among the suppliers.
Cumin has a very different sourcing pattern. India supplied US$30.22 million out of the UK's US$33.25 million cumin imports in 2024. In volume terms, that was about 5.10 million kg.
Turmeric is even more concentrated around India. Indian shipments were worth around US$9.40 million, close to four-fifths of the UK's imports under HS 091030.
There isn't a dependable public ranking of British companies according to the amount of spice they purchase every year. Some import directly. Some buy through European traders. Others bring in raw ingredients and then process them themselves.
So the companies below are not presented as numbers one to ten by purchase volume. They are established businesses worth knowing when researching the UK market.
1. British Pepper & Spice Company
The name is fairly self-explanatory, but the business is broader than pepper.
Based in Gloucester, British Pepper & Spice makes herbs, spices and seasoning products for the UK food market. Its products go into cartons, tubes, grinders, jars, tins, refills and sachets, among other formats.
That puts the company on the manufacturing side of the trade. An exporter supplying whole spices or processed ingredients can therefore approach it differently from a conventional wholesaler.
2. BART Ingredients
BART started out as a small Bristol business more than 60 years ago. Today, it has production facilities in Bristol and Newbury and deals with a much wider list of food ingredients.
Its sourcing stretches across more than 130 suppliers worldwide, covering around 500 raw materials. Whole spices, herbs, ground spices and seasoning blends all sit within the dry-ingredient business. BART also makes white-label and private-label products for retailers and food brands.
There is a manufacturing side to the business as well, so it is not simply a wholesaler moving imported material through the supply chain.
3. EHL Ingredients
EHL Ingredients has been in the UK food-ingredient business for more than 25 years. Spices are only one part of what it handles. Herbs, seasoning blends, lentils, beans and seeds are also on the list.
The company sources from different producing countries and supplies manufacturers, foodservice businesses and wholesalers. Its spice selection includes ordinary commercial grades as well as organic lines such as cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger and turmeric.
The wider ingredient catalogue is useful for exporters who deal in several agricultural products rather than one spice alone.
4. Sleaford Quality Foods
Sleaford Quality Foods has spent decades working with food ingredients from its base in Lincolnshire. Dried and dehydrated products make up a large part of the business, along with herbs, spices, seasonings, pulses and seeds.
The sourcing map is quite wide, covering more than 65 countries. India supplies a number of products including onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, chilli, ginger, turmeric and fenugreek. Pepper and star anise come from Vietnam, while Indonesia is an origin for products such as nutmeg, mace and cinnamon.
With food manufacturers on the other side, consistency becomes a practical issue here. A shipment that matches the specification once is useful; being able to supply the same material again is what keeps the business going.
5. Organic Herb Trading
Organic Herb Trading has been around since 1982 and is based in Somerset. Herbs, spices and botanicals make up the core of its business.
It has a separate bulk operation for larger orders and lists full-container and pallet shipments from origin. The catalogue covers dried herbs, powdered ingredients, spices, teas, botanicals and oils, along with smaller pack sizes.
Organic and specialty suppliers will naturally find more room here than a standard commodity seller. And the location is worth remembering — a serious UK spice buyer does not necessarily have to be in London.
6. Natco Foods
Natco has been part of the British food market since 1961 and is particularly well known in the South Asian food segment.
Spices and herbs sit alongside lentils, rice, nuts, flour, sauces and other products. Its customers include retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers and supermarket chains. The Hayes operation also supplies retailers and restaurants around London.
For Indian spice exporters, Natco is a fairly natural name to investigate. Cumin, turmeric, chilli and several other products already fit into the company's established product mix.
7. Westmill Foods
Westmill Foods belongs to Associated British Foods and has a sizeable presence in the UK food market.
Its portfolio runs from rice and flour to oils, sauces, noodles and spices. Rajah Spices is one of the better-known brands in the group, alongside Elephant Atta, Lucky Boat and Green Dragon.
Restaurants, takeaways and retail customers are all part of the business, so its spice activity reaches several different channels.
For exporters dealing in South Asian spices, Westmill is a company that naturally belongs on the prospecting list.
8. East End Foods
East End Foods has been trading in Britain's Asian-food market since 1972. It started by serving Indian, Pakistani and East African food demand and gradually expanded into a much larger wholesale business.
Spices remain one of its important categories. The company sources from growers in different parts of the world and uses laboratory testing as products move through the supply chain. Its portfolio now runs to around 1,250 products, including spices, pulses and rice.
That existing Asian-food network makes East End a familiar name for exporters from India and other producing countries in the region.
9. Eurostar Commodities
Eurostar Commodities operates from Brighouse in West Yorkshire. It is a family-run business that began in 1994 and supplies food manufacturers, wholesalers, foodservice operators and ethnic retailers.
Imported food ingredients form the main business, with suppliers spread across several producing countries. Eurostar also holds BRCGS AA accreditation and supplies customers in Britain as well as Ireland and parts of northern Europe.
Spices are part of the mix rather than the whole story. That is useful for exporters who have several food ingredients to offer instead of just one commodity.
10. R H Amar
R H Amar operates from High Wycombe and works as a food importer and distributor.
It handles a wide variety of imported food products, with spices forming one part of the business. UK trade records show activity involving whole pepper, ground Capsicum products, saffron, spice mixtures, mace and ginger.
It is not a specialist spice house in the same mould as some of the other companies on this list. It is better understood as a broader food importer that has spice products within its trading portfolio.
| Company | Location | Business Type | Main Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Pepper & Spice | Gloucester | Spice & seasoning manufacturer | Spices, seasonings, blends |
| BART Ingredients | Bristol / Newbury | Ingredient manufacturer | Whole & ground spices, private label |
| EHL Ingredients | UK | Ingredient supplier | Spices, herbs, blends |
| Sleaford Quality Foods | Lincolnshire | Food-ingredient supplier | Spices, herbs, seasonings |
| Organic Herb Trading | Somerset | Bulk importer/supplier | Bulk spices, herbs, botanicals |
| Natco Foods | Buckingham / Hayes | Importer & distributor | South Asian spices |
| Westmill Foods | London / UK | Food manufacturer & supplier | Rajah spices and global foods |
| East End Foods | Birmingham | Importer/wholesaler | Asian spices and ingredients |
| Eurostar Commodities | West Yorkshire | Importer & ingredient supplier | Food ingredients and spices |
| R H Amar | High Wycombe | Food importer/distributor | Spices and imported foods |
(This is a practical buyer list, not a ranking by annual purchasing volume.)
Pepper has a substantial market in Britain. Whole dried pepper imports were worth US$27.04 million in 2024. Ground and crushed pepper added US$45.55 million.
Vietnam was the largest supplier of ground pepper, with exports to the UK worth US$27.80 million. Indonesia and India followed.
Ginger is bigger again. UK imports reached US$66.09 million in 2024, with almost 30 million kg coming into the country. China alone supplied more than 24.3 million kg. India was another supplier, shipping 764,165 kg worth about US$3.06 million.
Cumin is a very different market. India supplied US$30.22 million of Britain's US$33.25 million cumin imports in 2024 — more than 90% of the reported value.
Turmeric follows much the same pattern. Indian supplies were worth US$9.40 million out of the UK's US$11.72 million imports.
Cinnamon has a broader supplier base. Britain imported US$5.89 million of whole cinnamon and US$10.36 million of crushed or ground cinnamon during 2024. Indonesia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, China and India all feature in the trade.
Nutmeg is smaller, although Indonesia still accounted for about US$3.76 million of the UK's US$5.50 million imports.
Felixstowe: A major container gateway on the east coast. It is convenient for cargo moving towards eastern and central England.
London Gateway: Its Thames-side location makes it handy for London and the southeast. That is particularly useful when looking for bulk spices buyers in London , where food importers and distributors are concentrated.
Southampton: Another large container gateway, with access to southern and central parts of England.
Liverpool: More useful when the final destination is in the northwest or around parts of the Midlands.
Freight is only part of the calculation. Haulage after the container leaves the port, available equipment, sailing schedules and the distance to the buyer's warehouse can change the number quite quickly.
Brexit left Britain with its own import procedures for food. An exporter shipping to the UK therefore needs to check the British rules for the particular spice and origin rather than relying on an old EU shipment checklist.
Herbs and spices entering Great Britain have to comply with UK food hygiene and safety rules. A health certificate is not normally required for these products, although additional controls can apply to particular products and origins.
Some spices are currently subject to specific GB import restrictions because of pesticide-residue concerns. Cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, saffron, turmeric, coriander and fennel are among the products covered by relevant UK controls.
The exact requirement depends on the commodity and where it comes from.
Before the shipment leaves, the usual documentation should include:
Retail packaging has its own requirements. Food name, net quantity, ingredients where applicable, date marking, storage information and the details of the responsible food business operator are among the information that may need to appear.
There is another point that exporters sometimes miss: certain high-risk food imports have to be pre-notified through IPAFFS before entering Great Britain. The UK importer normally handles the notification, but the supplier needs to provide the information required for it.
Tradologie can help you connect with the top spice importers in the UK who are ready to import in bulk.
Instead of genuine cold coolings or visiting international trade shows, you can negotiate directly with buyers and quote your offer on bulk import requirements.
That is useful when searching for spices importers in the UK , particularly when the exporter already knows the product and volume it can supply.
This wider network is worth considering when approaching bulk spices buyers in the United Kingdom.
Export or import spices in bulk. Register as a buyer or seller on Tradologie today.
Major imported spices include ginger, cumin, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon and nutmeg. Ginger was the largest among the listed products at $66.09 million in 2024.
Yes. India supplied more than 90% of the UK's reported cumin import value in 2024 and around four-fifths of turmeric imports under the relevant HS classification.
British Pepper & Spice Company, BART Ingredients, EHL Ingredients, Sleaford Quality Foods, Organic Herb Trading, Natco Foods, Westmill Foods, East End Foods, Eurostar Commodities and R H Amar.
London is an important centre, while Birmingham, Bristol, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and other regions also have spice processors, wholesalers and ingredient businesses.
Felixstowe, London Gateway, Southampton and Liverpool are important container gateways, with the most suitable port depending on the buyer's warehouse and inland logistics.
Depending on the product and origin, exporters may need commercial invoices, packing lists, product specifications, Certificates of Analysis, pesticide-residue reports, microbiological or contaminant testing, phytosanitary documents where required, traceability information and UK-compliant labelling.
