The Saffron Shop

Afghan Saffron — Super Negin Threads

Herat, Afghanistan · The 2026 Harvest

Authentic Afghan Saffron.
Super Negin, every size.

All-red ISO 3632 Category I threads from the Herat valley — every size from the 1 g starter to the 10 g foodservice bottle.

Bottles from $20 · Free U.S. shipping over $39 · 30-day money-back

Crocin 296.5 · ISO 3632 Cat. I — see the lab certificate · dosage & value calculator

Why this is the real thing

Named origin, not "imported"

Every lot is hand-harvested at dawn in the Herat valley, Afghanistan — a single named origin, not a blend of unknown provenance.

Published lab numbers

Graded ISO 3632 Category I by the Herat Directorate of Agriculture laboratory — crocin 296.5, picrocrocin 114.2, safranal 32.7 (read the certificate).

All-red Super Negin only

The highest thread cut — no yellow style, never powder, never dyed.

Hand-bottled in Lynn, Mass.

A family trade since 1996, founded by Amrudin Qutubzad — bottled in small batches in Lynn, Massachusetts and shipped the same week.

Restaurant or retail quantities → wholesale & bulk saffron

One valley, one grade, one promise — threads you can verify.

  • ISO 3632 Category ILaboratory-graded
  • Hand-harvested HeratAfghanistan
  • Free U.S. shippingOn orders over $39
  • 30-day guaranteeFull potency, refunded

11 products

About our saffron

Raihan Saffron is a premium saffron house. We control our saffron from source to packaging — hand-picked at dawn in Herat, Afghanistan and hand-packed in Lynn, Massachusetts. Every lot is laboratory-graded against ISO 3632 Category I and sold as whole, all-red Super Negin threads — never powder, never dyed.

How to use saffron

Use 10 to 15 threads per pot of tea or rice, bloomed in warm water or milk for 5 to 10 minutes before adding. For risotto or paella, use about 1 to 2 pinches (~20 threads) per four servings. Less is more — saffron should warm a dish, not overpower it.

How to store saffron

Store sealed in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. Stored well, our saffron keeps full potency for about 24 months — and every bottle is dated, so you always know when it was packed.

Wholesale & foodservice

We ship to restaurants, cafés, tea shops, and specialty grocers across the United States. The 10 g bottle is our most-ordered foodservice size. See our wholesale page for a rate sheet.

Find your bottle

Three ways to start.

For first-timers

The 1 g starter bottle

About 250 threads — enough for 15–20 family meals. The lowest-risk way to taste the difference.

$20Shop 1 g
Most popular

For weekly cooks

The 3 g kitchen bottle

A full season of rice nights, teas, and desserts — the best balance of value and freshness. Ships free.

$45Shop 3 g

For gifting

The gift bundle

A sealed burgundy-and-gold gift box with a printed how-to-use guide — ready to hand over.

$119Shop gift

Every bottle, compared.

BottleThreadsMakesBest forPrice
1 g bottle ~250 15–20 meals First taste $20 Shop →
2 g bottle ~500 30–40 meals Weekly cooking $35 Shop →
3 g bottle ~750 45–60 meals Most popular · ships free $45 Shop →
5 g bottle ~1,250 75–100 meals Households & gifting $65 Shop →
10 g bottle ~2,500 150–200 meals Restaurants & foodservice $99 Shop →
Macro of all-red Super Negin saffron threads from Herat, Afghanistan

Source to seal

Picked in Herat. Packed in Lynn.

Every bottle in this collection is hand-harvested at dawn in the Herat valley of western Afghanistan, where the high-desert climate produces the longest, deepest-red Super Negin stigmas in the world. Each lot is laboratory-graded against ISO 3632 Category I, then shipped to our small facility in Lynn, Massachusetts, where it is bottled by hand and sent out the same week.

  • Hand-harvested at dawn in Herat, Afghanistan
  • Laboratory-graded to ISO 3632 Category I
  • All-red threads only — never powder, never dyed
  • Hand-bottled in Lynn, MA and shipped the same week

Still deciding?

Start with the 1 g bottle — about 250 threads, enough for 15–20 family meals, at the lowest risk.

Shop the 1 g bottleHow to bloom saffron

Buyer questions

The questions we get most.

Which size should I order if I'm new to cooking with saffron?

Start with the 1 g bottle or the 2 g bottle. The 1 g gives you about 250 threads — enough for 15–20 family meals — and is the lowest-risk way to try the brand. The 2 g is what most of our cooks settle into within their first month.

What does "Super Negin" and ISO 3632 Category I mean?

Super Negin is the grade name for long, all-red saffron stigmas with no yellow style attached — the highest visual grade. ISO 3632 Category I is a laboratory standard that measures crocin (color), picrocrocin (bitterness/flavor), and safranal (aroma). Category I is the strongest tier on the scale, and every Raihan lot is tested against it.

How long does saffron last?

Stored sealed, in a cool dry place, away from direct sunlight, our saffron retains full potency for about 24 months. The bottle you receive is dated — you'll always know when it was packed.

How much saffron should I use per dish?

About 10–15 threads per pot of rice or tea, bloomed in warm water or milk for 5–10 minutes before adding. For risotto or paella, 1–2 pinches (~20 threads) per 4 servings. Less is more — saffron should warm a dish, not overpower it.

Is the gift bundle ready to give as-is?

Yes — the gift bundle ships in a sealed burgundy-and-gold gift box with a printed how-to-use guide, ready to hand over. We can include a gift note at checkout if you'd like.

How does shipping work?

All orders ship from our Lynn, Massachusetts facility within 1 business day. U.S. shipping is $6.95 and orders over $39 ship free. We also ship to Canada ($16) and the United Kingdom ($26); the free-shipping threshold applies to U.S. orders only.

Do you offer wholesale or restaurant pricing?

Yes — we ship to restaurants, cafés, and tea shops across the U.S. The 10 g bottle is our most-ordered foodservice size. Reach out for a wholesale rate sheet.

What if my bottle doesn't taste right?

Email us within 30 days and we'll refund the bottle or send a replacement — no questions, no return required. Our 30-day potency guarantee is on every order.

See all FAQs