In a few weeks, I’m flying to a remote island in Papua New Guinea… to try and build a vanilla business from scratch.
I grew up on this island, Manus. It’s about 2 degrees south of the equator, surrounded by some of the warmest ocean water in the world. Most people there are small-scale farmers, and because of how remote it is, one of the biggest challenges is simple. There aren’t consistent buyers.
So even when something valuable like vanilla is grown, there’s no guarantee anyone will actually come to buy it. And when they do, they usually get to set the price.
That’s where this idea started.
I’m launching a company called Single Island Origin. The goal is to source vanilla directly from Manus Island, bring it to a wider market, and create something more consistent over time. Not just one-off buying, but something that can actually support livelihoods.
Vanilla is one of the most labor-intensive crops in the world. It comes from a rare orchid vine, and every flower has to be pollinated by hand during a small window of time each day. After that, the beans are harvested, then slowly sun-dried and cured over months.
On Manus, this is all done using simple, traditional methods. Naturally grown, hand-picked, and processed by the people who live there.
And the place itself shapes the vanilla.
The island’s volcanic soil adds depth.
The constant heat and humidity allow the beans to mature slowly and evenly.
And the surrounding ocean air brings a subtle brightness.
It’s not something most people think about, but like any spice, where it’s grown matters.
The result is a balanced, expressive vanilla. Not overly sweet or sharp. Just deep, rich, and clean.
The truth is, I don’t have everything figured out yet. I don’t even have the product in hand.
But I’m going to document the whole process.
This series is about what it actually looks like to try and build something like this from the ground up. The people, the place, the process, and everything in between.
If you want to follow along, you can sign up on the website for updates, or follow on YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook.
Would love to have you along for it.
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