# Cardamom: Commercial Product History

Canonical: https://thefoodthatshapedus.com/food-evolution/cardamom
Market: United States
Coverage: 3 product families; 13 confirmed observations; 2016 to 2026-08-30.

## Historical identity
Cardamom is native to the wet evergreen rainforests of the Western Ghats in southern India, a region historically known as the Cardamom Hills. The spice traveled ancient maritime Silk Road routes to the Middle East and Mediterranean, eventually reaching Scandinavia via Viking trade connections with Constantinople. The full Cardamom history article traces that epic trade journey; this buying guide evaluates current United States retail choices, whole versus ground packaging, and botanical varieties.

## Current product snapshot
- Burlap & Barrel Cloud Forest Cardamom Pods (Whole Green): Whole cured green cardamom pods (Elettaria cardamomum); 1.6 oz (45 g) jar; observed price $12.99 for 1.6 oz; observed 2026-08-30.
- Spicewalla Cardamom, Green Powder: Finely ground green cardamom seed powder; 1.8 oz tin; observed price $14.99 for 1.8 oz; observed 2026-08-30.
- The Spice House Whole Black Cardamom Pods (Badi Elaichi): Whole smoke-dried black cardamom pods (Amomum subulatum); 1.5 oz glass jar; observed price $11.99 for 1.5 oz; observed 2026-08-30.

## Confirmed timeline
- 2016: Burlap & Barrel began direct-trade single-origin spice sourcing. Burlap & Barrel dates its founding to 2016 to build single-origin spice supply chains directly with smallholder farmer cooperatives.
- 2026-08-29: Current U.S. product observations compiled from the linked product and seller evidence.

## Method and limits
No missing year is treated as evidence that a price, package, formula, owner, origin claim, or availability stayed unchanged. External source material remains with its rights holder; this record publishes source metadata, links, and checksums.

## Sources
- Burlap & Barrel. About Us: Our Story. https://www.burlapandbarrel.com/pages/about-us (2016; captured 2026-08-29).
- Burlap & Barrel. Cloud Forest Cardamom Product Details. https://www.burlapandbarrel.com/products/cloud-forest-cardamom (2026; captured 2026-08-29).
- Cambridge University Press. Cambridge World History of Food. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-world-history-of-food/ (2000; captured 2026-08-29).
- Indian Spices Board / Ministry of Commerce. Cardamom: Production, Chemistry, and Technology. https://www.indianspices.com/spice-catalog/cardamom-small.html (2024; captured 2026-08-29).
- International Organization for Standardization. ISO 882-1: Cardamom Specification. https://www.iso.org/standard/24610.html (2021; captured 2026-08-29).
- Spicewalla. Green Cardamom Powder Specifications. https://www.spicewallabrand.com/products/green-cardamom-powder (2026; captured 2026-08-29).
- The Spice House. Black Cardamom Pods Product Details. https://www.thespicehouse.com/products/black-cardamom-pods (2026; captured 2026-08-29).

Public JSON: https://thefoodthatshapedus.com/food-evolution/cardamom/data.json
Public CSV: https://thefoodthatshapedus.com/food-evolution/cardamom/data.csv
Buying guide: https://thefoodthatshapedus.com/buying-guides/cardamom
Full food history: https://thefoodthatshapedus.com/food/cardamom