SUSTAINABILITY CRITERIA

Transparency in the value chains

Social Vanilla prioritizes transparency throughout its vanilla value chain. By implementing a blockchain-based system called Trace, the company ensures full transparency for its customers, allowing them to trace the journey of the vanilla from production to purchase. This system provides insight into where the vanilla was produced, who produced it, and the fair price paid to farmers, fostering trust and accountability in the supply chain.

Positive social impact

Founded with a mission to improve the vanilla value chain, Social Vanilla has a positive social impact on both farmers and local communities in Uganda and Tanzania. The company works closely with NGOs to support farmers, strengthen farmer cooperatives, and promote agroforestry models, empowering farmers to improve their businesses and socioeconomic status. By paying farmers 25% above the local market price for their vanilla and promoting sustainable farming practices, Social Vanilla contributes to fair trade deals, poverty alleviation, and community development.

Environmentally friendly

Social Vanilla's focus on agroforestry models not only benefits farmers economically but also has a positive impact on the environment. By promoting the planting of multiple cash crops and native trees on each farm, the company increases local biodiversity, enhances land resilience to climate change, and helps combat deforestation. These efforts contribute to environmental conservation and sustainable land management, supporting the long-term health of ecosystems in Uganda and Tanzania.

Fair and ethical trade

Social Vanilla ensures fair trade deals and a more equal distribution of value in the vanilla value chain. By buying vanilla directly from farmers and paying them 25% above the local market price, the company provides farmers with fair compensation for their crops and promotes equitable trade practices. Additionally, by working closely with NGOs to strengthen farmer cooperatives and support community development initiatives, Social Vanilla fosters a more sustainable and inclusive vanilla industry.

Company profile

Social Vanilla stands out for its commitment to improving the vanilla value chain and promoting sustainability and social responsibility. Through its collaboration with NGOs and implementation of agroforestry models, the company empowers farmers, supports local communities, and contributes to environmental conservation. By delivering high-quality vanilla products with full transparency and fair trade practices, Social Vanilla strives to make a positive impact on both people and the planet.

PROFILE

Company History

Social Vanilla was founded in 2020 by Amie and Mikael with the aim of revolutionizing the vanilla value chain by providing fair and environmentally sustainable vanilla products. Prior to establishing the company, the founders conducted extensive research on the challenges within the vanilla value chain. They discovered that the quality of vanilla could be improved, and farmers were not receiving adequate compensation despite high market prices. In Uganda, where they conducted their research, they identified various issues, including a lack of resources and knowledge among farmers, exploitation by middlemen, and threats of theft, which forced premature harvesting and harmed vanilla quality. Moreover, monoculture practices led to a lack of biodiversity and income vulnerability among farmers.

Company Profile

Today, Social Vanilla operates a value chain project in Uganda and collaborates with a vanilla project in Tanzania. In Uganda, they work closely with Danish NGO Forest of the World and a local Ugandan NGO called Joint Efforts to Save the Environment (JESE). Together, they support farmers in improving their businesses, strengthening farmer cooperatives, and promoting agroforestry models that involve cultivating multiple cash crops, such as vanilla, cocoa, coffee, spices, fruits, and native trees. This approach enhances climate resilience, boosts biodiversity, and restores natural habitats. Through direct purchases from farmers and paying them 25% above the local market price, Social Vanilla ensures transparency by employing a blockchain-based system called Trace to track the vanilla’s origin and the farmers’ earnings.

Product Profile

Presently, Social Vanilla offers delectable traditional vanilla biscuits (vaniljekranse) filled with vanilla powder sourced from Ugandan farmers. These biscuits are made using a time-honored recipe, featuring real butter and almond flour for an authentic taste experience.

Impact

By incorporating vanilla from farmers into their biscuits, Social Vanilla directly impacts the livelihoods of vanilla farmers. Through collaborations with NGOs, the company empowers farmers to improve their socioeconomic status. Furthermore, the adoption of agroforestry models in Uganda bolsters local biodiversity and combats deforestation, addressing significant environmental challenges in rural areas.