The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is the creation of a scalable and reliable method for domestic saffron production. Saffron, one of the world’s most expensive spices, faces significant production challenges due to its high cultivation costs, sensitivity to weather conditions, and labor-intensive harvesting process. By reducing dependence on foreign supply chains and mitigating risks from crop failures, this innovation has the potential to stabilize global saffron availability and pricing. The project will benefit both consumers and businesses that rely on saffron, while strengthening U.S. leadership in advanced agricultural biotechnology and specialty ingredient manufacturing. Beyond saffron, this project also helps advance scientific understanding of how to grow complex plant tissues in the lab. The work combines cell culture, plant biology, and manufacturing innovation to build a platform that could be used for other rare plant-based ingredients in the future. In doing so, it promotes growth in the emerging field of cellular agriculture, supports the U.S. economy through domestic production and job creation, and strengthens supply chain resilience for natural products. The proposed project aims to revolutionize saffron production through the development of lab-grown Crocus sativus stigma tissue. The approach involves cultivating Crocus sativus callus cells in suspension culture, followed by integrating them w