Matiz Saffron (Azafrán), used by the world-renowned chef Ferran Adria, regularly tests at over 240 UPC. This pure Spanish saffron is packaged in beautiful recycled glass jars and hand-sealed with wax.

Today, the market is filled with counterfeit and poor-quality saffron being sold as a premium product. The important factor in determining quality is a saffron’s power of coloration. According to the ISO norms, grade 1 saffron has a power of coloration above 190 UPC (units of power of coloration).

Can you imagine pulling tiny pistils out of 150,000 crocus flowers – one by one? That is how many it takes to produce 1 kilogram of saffron! And it is all done by hand – just as it has been done for over 3,500 years. The La Mancha region of Spain is famous for its high-quality saffron that is used to give flavor, aroma, and color to many wonderful traditional dishes including the increasingly popular paella!