Most importantly, Rumi Spice is laying a foundation for peace through economic empowerment. The women help harvest the crops and work in the facilities to dry and clean the saffron. Jung continues to travel to Afghanistan to be introduced to other farmers, who find out about Rumi Spice through word of mouth. We talked about startup funding and growing your business. (Photo: Kim Jung/Rumi Spice) “Our … Who in the world are we? A US veteran, Harvard grad, and now at MIT, Jung helped Afghan women start and operate a global spice business. Kim stole the show with her authentic style, transparency and stories of innovation and grit. Rumi Spice has also provided quality training to several agricultural students at Herat University. Ancestry and the DNA moment. Leading the Conversation on Social Change, Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition. 51 likes. A US veteran, Harvard grad, and now at MIT, Jung helped Afghan women start and operate a global spice business. We're talking to Kimberly Jung, co founder of Rumi Spice. Rumi Spice is a for-profit social enterprise that imports saffron from Afghan farmers and cooperatives. BunkerAuthor February 14, 2018. We must see the world as what it can and will be. We came back with the purpose of put “ After hearing of Kim’s and how she started Rumi Spice, I invited Kim as one of the keynotes at our regional veteran entrepreneurial conference. A US veteran, Harvard grad, and now at MIT, Jung helped Afghan women start and operate a global spice business. 4,289 Views. “Selling homegrown saffron is a lot to be proud of,” said Jung. Kim Jung – Rumi Spice Kimberly Jung is a woman of many skills. Kim Jung, a Rumi Spice co-founder, and an Afghan farmer show the saffron that had been farmed there for the company. Despite the warnings and clear disapproval from colleagues, Cuban offered Rumi Spice, a $250,000 investment for 15 percent equity in the company. Founded by army veterans turned entrepreneurs, Rumi Spice provides saffron to US consumers sourced directly from Afghan farmers. Joining us are the other two founders, Keith Alaniz in … On this episode of the Breakdown, our guests are Kim Jung Co-founder & CEO of Rumi Spice and Carson Goodale, Founder of FanFood. Leaders create value by finding creative ways to work together. member companies through a live video conference with Kim Jung, CEO of Rumi Spice, in Afghanistan. Jung later said the team was looking to do more than become a part of the spice industry, they were seeking to build "a brand around saffron and doing other saffron-related products." To start something new is to bare open your soul, wallet, and future. Co-Founder and CEO, Rumi Spice. Jung, a graduate of West Point and Harvard Business School, will provide a look at Rumi Spice's saffron harvesting operation in Kabul. Kimberly Jung is one. Delivered to you. It flourishes in the fields of Afghanistan - fields that the combat veterans who founded Rumi Spice know well. While serving in the US Army as an Engineer Officer, Kim led a route clearance platoon in the Wardak and Ghazni provinces of Afghanistan in 2010-2011. Kim holds a Professional Engineering license in Mechanical … ancestry.com “You can’t force someone to change. s LISTEN TO THE PODCAST. Your email address will not be published. Kimberly Jung. The ability to catalyze a group of people to mobilize and live up to each of his or her full potential causes human beings to do great and fantastical things. Kim is the Co-Founder and CEO of Rumi Spice, a for-profit social enterprise importing saffron from Afghan farmers. We went there looking to provide stability and peace. And, you support Rainmakers, too! Kim Jung. The namesake “Rumi” is a 13th-century Persian poet and theologian. Rumi Spices co-founders Emily Miller, Kim Jung, and Keith Alaniz are all combat veterans who did tours in Afghanistan. Kimberly Jung, left, a former Army engineer officer who served in Afghanistan, is a founder of Rumi Spice. For Kim Jung, Emily Miller and Keith Alaniz, the region is close to heart. What followed was a mission to cultivate peace in Afghanistan through exporting the world's highest quality saffron direct from Afghan farmers for multiple benefits. Rumi Spice helps stimulate the local economy and give women greater freedom by providing them with job opportunities and a way to earn direct wages. Rumi Spice is a company that evolved from a conversation between a curious U.S. Army veteran and an Afghan farmer at a local market. During their time there, they realized they wanted to do something to help the people find economic prosperity. Kim later appeared on Shark Tank and secured a $250,000 investment for 15% equity in Rumi Spice with Mark Cuban. Founder, Rumi Spice. Featured Videos/ Opportunity/ Women & Girls. CEO Kim Jung and COO Emily Miller are featured on the cover of Vetrepreneur, the official magazine of the National Veteran-Owned Business Associtaion (NaVOBA). Congratulations Emily for this outstanding accomplishment! "- Mary Oliver, 2020 Northwestern Mutual Veterans’ Day Keynote Speaker. Rumi Spice appeared on “Shark Tank” seeking a $250,000 investment for five percent equity. Kim is an alumna of the United States Military Academy, Harvard Business School, and is currently a graduate student in Mechanical Engineering at MIT. Although unusual and perhaps slightly odd at first, Emily, Kim, and Keith, are 3 veterans and founders of Rumi Spice, a company that found a way to capitalize on the spice market while simultaneously helping saffron farmers in Afghanistan. 0 Comments. Kim Jung, a U.S. Army veteran, founded Rumi Spice to connect artisanal, high-quality saffron from rural Afghan farmers to you, and to help spur agricultural development and sustainable business in Afghanistan.. Much less costly. “[I realized] business is a sustainable way to lay a foundation for peace,” explains Jung. Veterans Impact Day, Cambridge, Massachusetts. They inspire and align incentives. Saffron is an alternative to poppy farming, which is one of the primary sources of income for the Taliban, not to mention the source of raw material behind the global opium trade. Rumi cofounder Kim Jung believes connecting Afghan farmers with the global market is key to unlocking the economic potential of Afghanistan. Kimberly Jung is a woman of many skills. That’s because the three co-founders of Rumi Spice, a company that sources one of the most prized spices in the world—Saffron—have spent so much time in the region. Join a community service project that helps veterans in Boston and helps close the civilian - military divide in Harvard University. As veteran entrepreneurs, we are proud to support amazing # vetrepreneurs like Emily Miller and Kim Jung of Rumi Spice! Being in Afghanistan was our moment of serendipity as entrepreneurs. The namesake… By giving farmers access to markets and an alternative to growing opium, Rumi Spice hopes to lay a … Your email address will not be published. Kimberly Jung is a woman of many skills. Please enjoy this short video about "Changing The Narrative" from The Commit Foundation. “They are big fans of Rumi Spice, and we are big fans of them.” On its website Rumi Spice also shares recipes buyers can create in their kitchen. But with a proposal of $250,000 for 5% stake in the company, will the sharks see this as a sweet deal, or will they be left with a sour taste in their … No waste. While serving in the US Army, Kim was an engineer officer who led a route clearance platoon in the Wardak and Ghazni provinces of Afghanistan in 2010-2011. Rumi Spice. Have a big dream, but also do your homework, cross all your T's, and be prepared to change. As a female engagement team member of a provincial reconstruction team, she helped to empower Afghan village women. EP 25: Startup Funding and Scaling with Kim Jung and Carson Goodale. Rumi Spice Next up are veterans Emily Miller, Kim Jung and Keith Alaniz of Rumi Spice, seeking $250,000 for five percent equity. Abdul Shakoor Ehrarri, far right, manages the saffron processing plant.