The History of Ceylon Cinnamon
Ceylon cinnamon’s value did not arise overnight. Cinnamon is one of the world’s oldest spices. Historically, spices such as Ceylon cinnamon have played an important role in Sri Lanka’s history. In many situations, these valuable species were the most valuable motive for western nations to invade Sri Lanka, aka Ceylon. Based on this, Ceylon cinnamon has retained its worth since ancient times, and it is no surprise that it is in such high demand and price in today’s market.
You would love to learn about the history of Ture Cinnamon in more detail. Here we have a breakdown and a clear description of its history.
Ancient Times
Ceylon Cinnamon has a long history dating back to 2800 B.C. It is even mentioned in the Bible. Initially, It was widely utilized by the Romans to make perfumes, fragrances, and even to flavor food. Also, cinnamon was not a disposable item for the Romans. In Roman history, Emperor Nero burned a year’s stock of cinnamon on his second wife’s funeral pyre to atone for his role in her death.
Moreover, cinnamon was used as a medication in the Middle East. Arabic traders took the lead in introducing this aromatic and strong spice to European countries. As a result, Ceylon cinnamon gained a global market monopoly. Sri Lanka attracted the attention of western countries because of its distinct aroma plus the hundreds of uses and advantages associated with Ceylon Cinnamon. The Portuguese then chose to invade the little island of Sri Lanka to gain control of the highly in-demand Ceylon spices, especially cinnamon.
Invading Sri Lanka for Cinnamon
n 1505 the Portuguese arrived in Sri Lanka to seize control of the Ceylon spices. They also took steps to revamp the traditional Ceylon cinnamon production method. When they understood the quality and true demand for Ceylon cinnamon, they began to build forts to secure their control in Sri Lanka.
However, due to the arrival of the Dutch, the Portuguese could not maintain control over Ceylon cinnamon and other spices. After expelling the Portuguese from the island in 1658, the Dutch acquired control of Ceylon spices. The Dutch also tried to improve the method of harvesting and processing Ceylon cinnamon to preserve the organic aroma.
The British landed on the island to control the highly in-demand real cinnamon. The British acquired control of the supply of Ceylon cinnamon in 1796. However, several alternatives on the market at the time, such as cassia, could be used in place of Ceylon cinnamon. However, they lacked Ceylon cinnamon’s aroma and health benefits to compete in the market.
However, since the country’s independence, Ceylon cinnamon has been exported by local exporters. Most importantly, the constant maintenance of quality and reputation aided local exporters in surviving in the global market.
Ceylon Cinnamon Today
True cinnamon, often known as Ceylon cinnamon, has maintained an unrivaled demand and reputation in the global market thanks to years of journey. However, market competition is another factor contributing to Ceylon cinnamon’s high quality. Today, Sri Lanka meets more than 90% of the world’s cinnamon demand, and the country has been recognized as the world’s leading real cinnamon exporter. Local farmers and Ceylon cinnamon exporters in Sri Lanka have worked hard to earn this trust and remarkable reputation. Furthermore, the government has developed certifications and standards such as SLS-81 for cinnamon exporters to monitor and maintain the quality of the product.
How Lak Cinnamon Contributes
Lak Cinnamon always prioritizes standards over everything else. Furthermore, we believe that we are obligated to safeguard the reputation and trust that Ceylon cinnamon has earned over time. To ensure this, we only use high-quality cinnamon from our plantations to manufacture Lak Cinnamon products. Even during the cultivation process, we only plant top-quality cinnamon crops. In production, we have well-maintained systems to retain authentic cinnamon’s organic nature. Not only that, but we ensure that they are packaged and shipped in a standard manner to ensure that the buyer is completely satisfied.
