To find out more about one of the most expensive spices in the world, we embarked on an idyllic journey to the picturesque Rhine Valley, where a young farmer and our exclusive saffron supplier is dedicated to growing this plant on his "Adanks Biofarm".

A Farm with a Philosophy 
Just two hours by train from Zurich, nestled in the canton of Graubünden and near the renowned spa town of Bad Ragaz, lies the small Adank organic farm – a place devoted not only to the ethical raising of Scottish Highland cattle and biodynamic farming, but since 2017 also to cultivating saffron crocuses. From the crimson stigmas of these flowers comes the noble spice that will elevate selected dishes in SWISS First.

The farm was founded 13 years ago by Jürg Adank, his sister, and his father. Now 35, Jürg embraces a holistic philosophy based on respect for people, animals, plants, and soil. After training as an agricultural machinery mechanic and farmer, Jürg deliberately chose an alternative path. Instead of mass production, he works in harmony with nature – without pesticides and with Demeter certification. This not only ensures animal welfare, but also respects the animals’ nature: the cattle keep their horns, and roosters are raised together with hens. Jürg works by his own credo: he doesn’t "produce" – because plants and animals grow; they are not made. He prefers to speak of "nurturing."

What began with just two hectares of land and two shaggy Highland cattle has grown into a herd of around 35 of these majestic animals. They spend up to nine months a year grazing on the pastures and alpine meadows surrounding the farm, retreating to the barn only during the coldest winter months. This extensive "low input" approach – feeding only grass and hay, never corn – leads to slow growth, rich flavor, and one of the lowest-cholesterol beef varieties available.

Saffron – Treasure from the Soil
Today, the Adank family cultivates around ten hectares of land, where potatoes, corn, garlic, spinach, mustard seeds – and saffron – thrive. The cultivation of this precious spice began as an experiment: a search for a crop that could generate high value on a small area. With 100,000 corms and a great deal of curiosity, Jürg and a friend embarked on the saffron adventure. The early years were marked by trial and error, but over time Jürg has learned how to return weeds to the soil and deter deer and roe from snacking on the tender crocus shoots.

When we visited in early May, the field showed mostly one thing: tall grass. That’s because crocus corms grow underground – making it difficult to predict their stage of development. For the first time this year, Jürg dug up a corm in our presence, gently shook off the soil, and was pleased with what he saw: strong, healthy bulbs – the perfect conditions for a successful harvest in autumn. One saffron corm can produce up to four or five crocus flowers, each containing three saffron threads.

Between Dew and Morning Sun
The corms are planted in August and develop underground over the winter months. Nearly a year later, in October – typically during the Indian summer – the purple blossoms emerge overnight for a brief window of three to four weeks.

"The best conditions are when the warm föhn wind blows through the valley", Jürg explains. During this time, thousands of flowers bloom daily and must be picked by hand in the early morning hours – while still closed, before the sun's rays open the petals and release pollen.

After harvesting, the saffron threads are carefully plucked from the flowers and gently dried gram by gram at around 80 to 90 degrees Celsius. They are then stored in a dark place for three months, allowing their full aroma to develop. Roughly 220 flowers – or 660 threads – are required to produce just one gram of saffron. With a daily harvest of 10,000 blossoms, it’s an exhausting, labor-intensive task. Jürg is supported by friends, acquaintances, and volunteers, whom he invites each morning via WhatsApp based on how many flowers bloomed overnight.

One flower, three threads, immeasurable value 
A gram of saffron is precious – and its processing equally complex. The blossoms are infertile and remain in the soil for around five to seven years, where they divide and multiply. Jürg Adank also plants new tubers every year. "There’s really no such thing as wild saffron", Jürg explains. "It grows where wheat and grapes do – like here in Fläsch."

In addition to pure saffron threads, the farm also produces refined products such as saffron gin, honey, and pasta. And Jürg has plenty more ideas: saffron cream caramel candy, for instance, or T-shirts dyed with crocus petals – an experimental batch already produced a delicate turquoise hue.

SWISS brings regional treasures to the world
For Jürg, working with SWISS is something special: "It’s amazing that a small farm like ours can partner with an international airline. This way, our products reach a global audience – not just our little farm shop".
For Jürg, his saffron symbolizes that true treasures don’t always lie far away – sometimes, gold grows right nearby.

Did you know? Three fascinating facts about saffron

1.  The most expensive spice in the world:
   High-quality saffron can cost more per gram than gold. Producing 1 kg of saffron requires the hand-harvesting of approximately 200,000–220,000 blossoms.
2. One of the oldest cultivated spices:
   Saffron has been grown for over 3,500 years and is mentioned in ancient texts from Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Persia.
3.  1,000 hours of labor per kilo:
   From planting to harvest and drying, it takes hundreds of hours of manual work to produce just 1 kg of saffron.

 

SWISS Connoisseur Experience – Saffron
Four times a year, SWISS celebrates inflight dining with an exclusive culinary journey. During these special two-week periods, guests in SWISS First departing from Switzerland enjoy refined gourmet creations of the highest quality.

In May/June 2025, Swiss-grown "red gold" from Adanks Biofarm elevated selected dishes – such as a creamy saffron soup, tender braised ossobuco with fragrant saffron risotto, or a delicate saffron dessert trilogy. With its golden hue, saffron lends dishes a sweet yet subtly bitter aroma. Another highlight is the saffron-infused gin from the renowned Swiss distillery Matte – a unique flavor experience, whether served neat or with tonic water.

 

At the next SWISS Connoisseur Experience from 20 August  to 2 September 2025, guests in SWISS First can look forward to exquisite steakhouse specialties.