Food For Thought: Vanilla

Our progressive, hands-on approach to vanilla farming.

Sometimes called the “queen of spices”, vanilla is commonly used for its sweet flavour and floral scent. But how is vanilla grown? Natural vanilla beans are notoriously difficult to grow, so new ways have had to be invented to meet the huge demand for this popular flavouring.

You would never know when looking at it, but vanilla happens to be one of the most volatile spices on the global market.

“Vanilla is the world’s most popular flavor, the 2nd most expensive spice in the world, and one of the world’s most labor intensive crops.”

Vanilla beans take an epic journey before they reach you and satisfy your olfactory system with its heady fragrance and flavour. Follow its journey below.