The world's most expensive food is supplied to Britain's royal family by the 'queen of caviar'.

For nearly two decades, Laura King has operated a caviar business, including supplying Britain's royal family with the esteemed food product.

When she first entered the food industry, she didn't enjoy caviar, which refers to sturgeon's eggs. "I didn't even like caviar," she stated during a CNBC video call.

Her company, King's Fine Food, imports hundreds of kilos of caviar into the U.K. every two to three weeks, earning her the nickname "caviar queen."

Michelin-starred chefs, upscale stores such as Harrods and Selfridges, and airlines including Cathay Pacific and Emirates purchase the delicacy from the company.

During her early days in business, King felt anxious while taking the airline's director of food to a racing event, as British Airways was the company's first customer and King's first-class cabins were supplied with caviar.

She recalled her worry that the company's hospitality budget was tight and hoped that their guest did not want anything expensive to eat.

In 2004, King decided to start her own firm after being unable to purchase caviar supplier W.G. White, where she was previously the sales director. "I thought my surname was quite strong, so I decided to just go out on my own," she stated.

King received a £170,000 loan to add to her family's mortgage for an office, packing facilities, and refrigerators. To keep caviar at the required temperature, it must be kept between minus 2 degrees Celsius and minus 4 degrees Celsius. King also mentioned that the stock is expensive, starting at around £300 a kilo.

King recounted the early days as challenging, stating, "It was tough... You can't pay yourself." She elaborated on her now deceased husband, John King, a chef who worked in top London restaurants such as The Dorchester and Le Caprice, explaining, "I had a husband who was working... so there was money coming in."

King manages a team of 10, including her daughter Holly, who is the sales director, and generates annual revenue of £3 million from sales of caviar, black and white truffles, Italian Amedei chocolates, and luxury food hampers.

How to eat caviar

King recommended trying a small amount of caviar on top of a little crème fraîche spread on a warm blini or adding it to a soft-boiled egg for breakfast. It could also be tried on French bread, which King described as "soft and subtle."

To properly serve caviar, King advises serving it in a crystal or glass bowl over ice and using a mother-of-pearl spoon. He also notes that using silver utensils is a sin as it negatively impacts the taste of the delicacy.

Mixing caviar with chopped eggs, chives, and lemon juice will "ruin the taste of low-quality caviar," King said in an interview with CNBC.

She doesn't like how some people serve caviar.

Why is caviar so expensive?

Since the 16th century, caviar has been viewed as a luxury and was initially consumed by Persians for its health benefits, as stated in a blog post. Meanwhile, Russian nobility began eating it in the 18th century.

Beluga caviar is the world's most expensive food, with a 1kg tin on King's website costing nearly £5,000. This is because the roe can only come from a sturgeon, which takes between eight and 18 years to produce eggs large enough for harvesting. The beluga species takes 12 years to produce eggs, which are of a steely grey color, according to the company.

According to King, in a blog post, the highest quality and most expensive caviar consists of older, larger eggs that are lighter in color. In contrast, lower quality caviar has a milder flavor and is darker in color, indicating that it is younger.

King described the allure as romantic and mysterious, according to CNBC.

Oscietra caviar, which is the most popular product of King, is available for purchase between £33.40 for 20g and £1,669 for 1 kilo. It takes eight years for an oscietra sturgeon to produce eggs, which have a "nutty, mellow taste," as stated on the company's website.

King stated that historically, sevruga, oscietra, and beluga caviar were recognized and popular in Iran and Russia. Oscietra, in particular, is well-received and has a great taste.

Since 2006, King sources its caviar solely from farmed sturgeon, with both Belgium and China being the primary sources.

Tips for startups

"Know your product and do the math," advised King. "Where are you going to buy it from and where are you going to sell it, and who will give you credit?" she said.

"You have no record, so why should suppliers trust you with their stock?" King argued, but his firm has now secured exclusive deals with farm suppliers.

Despite being in business for nearly two decades, King continues to handle the details of her company, including packing, delivering products, and taking empty pallets to a recycling center.

King stated that she has kept the money in the business and has a lot of reserves, allowing her to continue operations for approximately three years in case of an emergency.

The monarch has also invested effort in establishing its name, but has faced two instances of unfavorable media attention.

The company unknowingly purchased a batch of caviar labeled as sevruga, but it was actually a different breed, resulting in headlines about its supplier to Fortnum and Mason, the grocer to the late Queen Elizabeth II. To prevent such mistakes in the future, King's has implemented a DNA testing program.

In 2021, King's sold a mislabeled batch of caviar to Scott's restaurant in London. However, this was a printing error, and King sued the newspaper that reported it. The newspaper later clarified that the mislabeling was unintentional and not a deliberate attempt to deceive customers.

King stated to CNBC that it is crucial to safeguard our reputation. In the upcoming two to three years, King intends for his daughter Holly to assume leadership, while he devotes more time to the family's charity, the John King Brain Tumour Foundation, which he established following his husband's demise from a brain tumor.

King stated that since caviar is the world's most expensive food, it's nice to give back to a cause you're passionate about.

Two women in the caviar business, we are the only two in the world. We have worked hard and strive to do a good job.

Royal supplier

In 2021, King's Fine Food received a royal warrant, allowing it to use the Royal Arms on its products and website, signifying its status as a supplier to the royal household.

The royal household will review warrant holders early next year, as King Charles III has succeeded Queen Elizabeth II and King is hoping to maintain the mark.

"We have the royal warrant for the queen, and we hope to continue supplying the king, touch wood," she said.

The article has been updated to indicate that King's oscietra caviar is priced at £33.40 for 20g and £1,669 for 1 kilo.