# Cinnamon: Commercial Product History

Canonical: https://thefoodthatshapedus.com/food-evolution/cinnamon
Market: United States
Coverage: 3 product families; 13 confirmed observations; 1976 to 2026-08-30.

## Historical identity
Cinnamon was among the most fiercely guarded commodities of the ancient and medieval spice trade, with Arab merchants inventing mythical stories of giant birds and deadly serpents to conceal its Sri Lankan and Southeast Asian origins from Greco-Roman buyers. The full Cinnamon history article traces the botanical expeditions, Portuguese conquests, and Dutch monopoly wars that defined global spice politics; this buying guide evaluates current United States retail labels, species differences, coumarin safety, and culinary use cases.

## Current product snapshot
- Burlap & Barrel Royal Cinnamon (Saigon / Cinnamomum loureiroi): Heirloom single-origin ground Saigon cinnamon bark; 1.8 oz (51 g) jar; observed price $9.99 for 1.8 oz; observed 2026-08-30.
- Frontier Co-op Regenerative Organic Certified® Ceylon Cinnamon Ground: Ground organic Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum); 1.76 oz (50 g) glass bottle; observed price $8.09 for 1.76 oz; observed 2026-08-30.
- McCormick Ground Cinnamon (Korintje Cassia): Ground Indonesian Korintje cinnamon (Cinnamomum burmannii); 2.37 oz plastic bottle; observed price $5.49 for 2.37 oz; observed 2026-08-30.

## Confirmed timeline
- 1976: Frontier Co-op began commercial operations as an herb and spice cooperative. Frontier Co-op dates its founding to 1976 as a member-owned cooperative distributing herbs and spices across the United States.
- 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. Royal Cinnamon Product Specifications. https://www.burlapandbarrel.com/products/royal-cinnamon (2026; captured 2026-08-29).
- Frontier Co-op. About Frontier Co-op: Our History. https://www.frontiercoop.com/about-us (1976; captured 2026-08-29).
- Frontier Co-op. Regenerative Organic Certified® Ceylon Cinnamon Ground. https://www.frontiercoop.com/products/frontier-co-op-ceylon-cinnamon-ground-regenerative-organic-certified-1-76-oz (2026; captured 2026-08-29).
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). Frequently Asked Questions about Cinnamon and Coumarin. https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/faqs_about_cinnamon_and_coumarin-196024.html (2021; captured 2026-08-29).
- McCormick. Ground Cinnamon Indonesian Korintje. https://www.mccormick.com/spices-and-flavors/herbs-and-spices/spices/cinnamon-ground (2026; captured 2026-08-29).
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Spice trade in antiquity. https://www.metmuseum.org/ (undated; captured 2026-08-29).
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration / USDA FoodData Central. Cinnamon: Botanical Overview and Regulatory Standards. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171320/nutrients (2023; captured 2026-08-29).

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