Excellence is born from care, and in the case of Cibò’s saffron this principle becomes a true manifesto.
Every stage of production, from the selection of the bulbs to the final drying, is carried out entirely by hand under strict supervision, without shortcuts and without outsourcing. The result is a Premium Grade 1 saffron, exceeding international standards and ranking among the highest expressions of Italian production. Not just a spice, but a product that embodies the millennia-old history of the Mediterranean and a deep passion for uncompromising quality.
A history across millennia
Saffron (Crocus sativus) is a sterile triploid plant that does not produce fertile seeds and reproduces only vegetatively, through corms. It is believed to derive from Crocus cartwrightianus, a wild species native to Greece, where the earliest evidence of its domestication dates back to around 1700 BC. Minoan frescoes found in Crete and Santorini depict scenes of saffron harvesting and use, confirming an ancient and profound bond with Mediterranean civilization.
From the Egypt of the pharaohs—where it is mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus (ca. 1550 BC) as a therapeutic remedy—to the Assyrians and Persians, who used it in pharmacopeia and religious rituals, saffron has always held a value that transcends cuisine. In Classical Greece and Rome it became central to both daily life and ceremonial practices: scenting baths and theaters, flavoring wines, dyeing fabrics—an unmistakable symbol of prestige and refinement.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, saffron cultivation declined, but it flourished again in the Middle Ages thanks to the Islamic world, which reintroduced it in Spain, Sicily, and other parts of the Mediterranean. Its fortune consolidated over the centuries, making saffron one of the most precious and sought-after spices, so much so that it earned the name “red gold”, both for its economic value and the cultural allure it has carried for over three thousand years.
The first choice: an ideal territory
Cibò chose to cultivate its saffron on the slopes of Monte Taburno, at around 800 meters above sea level. This area was carefully selected after thorough chemical and biochemical analyses of the soil, since both terrain and microclimate decisively influence the quality of the spice. The altitude, the purity of the air, and the ideal exposure to sunlight create the perfect conditions for the Crocus sativus to fully express its potential.
Cultivation is entirely manual: deep furrows are dug up to 30 cm, although the bulbs are planted at about 5 cm depth. This technique gives the bulbs space to root more effectively, branch out, and generate new corms, ensuring strength and continuity for the plant. Each bulb is selected with extreme care: those larger than 3 mm in diameter are destined for flower and stigma production, while smaller ones are preserved and cultivated to gradually grow into productive corms.
A craft shaped by expert hands, strictly within the best 3 hours
Harvesting saffron flowers is a ritual carried out with precision: it takes place exclusively between 6 and 9 in the morning, when the petals are still closed, thus best protecting the stigmas. This allows only the finest flowers and the most intact, fragrant stigmas to be selected. In some cases, Cibò’s flowers have produced three stigmas per flower—a rare phenomenon, an extraordinary sign of vitality, and evidence of the plant’s well-being.
Every stage is handled internally by Cibò, without relying on external processing:
- the pre-selection of bulbs,
- the choice of the finest flowers,
- the manual separation of each stigma,
- artisan drying, conducted in dryers that slowly reach the ideal temperature, monitored precisely until the stigma snaps—a sign it has reached perfect consistency.
From drying to packaging: perfection in a gram
The selected stigmas are dried within 24 hours of harvesting to fully preserve their organoleptic qualities. This process ensures saffron with an intense color, enveloping aroma, and high aromatic power—features that place it at the very top of the international market.
Packaging represents the final act of a process shaped by precision and rigor: each 1-gram vial is the result of one last careful selection, where every stigma is checked and any imperfection discarded. Only perfection makes its way to Cibò’s restaurants or to the most discerning customers.
An excellence among the very best saffron
Thanks to a fully manual method, uncompromising attention to detail, and total control over every stage of the supply chain, Cibò’s saffron stands among the very best in Italy. Chemical and microbiological analyses certify it as Premium Grade 1, the highest category recognized worldwide.
Our goal is not quantity, but excellence: to produce a red gold that embodies history, tradition, and Italian passion. Cibò’s saffron is a symbol of authenticity, a rare and precious product destined for those who seek only the best.