Edible bird’s nest: New caviar? An $8.45 billion industry, costing Rs 8 lakh/kg

It’s made of spit, costs more than gold, and is driving a global wellness boom. Edible bird’s nest, crafted from the saliva of swiftlets, is at the heart of an $8.45 billion industry, with prices soaring as high as Rs 8 lakh per kilogram. Once a rare imperial delicacy, it’s now bottled, blended, and sold as a beauty-enhancing superfood across Asia and beyond.