Who we are...
We are VanillaPoint
We pamper your taste buds and make the lives of our farmers a little better. We do this by importing the highest quality vanilla directly from plantations in Uganda to Europe.
Godfrey Kiwumulo started VanillaPoint to contribute to his farming family back home. He moved to the Netherlands for his family, but knows better than anyone how rich the earth is in Uganda and the challenges the local farmers face.
He saw how great the demand was for good quality vanilla in the Netherlands and started his adventure with VanillaPoint.
In general, farmers have to deal too much with middlemen who put pressure on prices. Farmers are nothing more than a photo used for green-washing. There is hardly any real contact with the farmer.
"I want to change that by fighting hard for fair prices which enables farmers to work as sustainable as possible. We source the best quality vanilla, and I invite you to enjoy our Ugandan Vanilla and thereby contribute to a better food model that enables good farming practices, quality produce and decent income for farmers."
VanillaPoint has been a partnership since June 2023. Mohammed Hessani takes care of the finances and legal affairs, Arne Doonebal (who previously lived and worked in Uganda for 7 years) focuses on marketing and sales. The newest addition to the team is Gijsbert Veltman
Regenerative agriculture and a fair price for farmers.
Our vanilla comes from plantations where they work with intercropping. This means that vanilla grows among other crops, such as bananas and coffee. This makes farmers less dependent on a specific crop, but nature is also happy about this.
Banana plants provide the perfect shade conditions for vanilla. The farmers often eat the bananas themselves and therefore always have a fresh supply of fruit to feed their families. Regenerative farming methods are one of the most sustainable ways of farming, because they keep the earth super healthy and make optimal use of available water resources. Biodiversity is guaranteed, which actually means that the system can maintain itself without the intervention of chemicals or pesticides.
Vanilla farmers have the biggest challenges with market price fluctuations. Large companies determine the price and reduce it where possible. That is why we always pay the farmers we work with a fair price. A price that is above the market average.
Our business model goes beyond a search for the best quality vanilla. We find the social impact we make at least as important.
Farmers who can go through life with a smile & let your taste buds celebrate
Vanilla from Uganda is a fantastic product. Thanks to its climate, Uganda is one of the few countries capable of producing up to two vanilla crops per year. This means fresh vanilla pods are available all year round!
The vanilla is processed directly for the destination in Uganda. We have our own plantation and work closely with other farmers in the area. We work together towards one goal: growing premium vanilla.
Our chain is a 'shared-value' supply chain, 100% traceable and completely transparent. Our goal is to connect more and more farmers to more and more consumers, so that more farmers can have a better life and more consumers can enjoy the fantastic taste of Ugandan vanilla.
FROM FARM TO YOUR TASTE POINTS
