Latest news with #VanillaFarms
Scotsman
05-08-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Scottish vanilla growers set to 'disrupt' global supply chain
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... For anyone that enjoys home baking as much as I do, the advancement and availability in vanilla - from small plastic bottles of synthetic flavouring to thin tubes of pods - has been a welcome addition to the kitchen cupboard. But this classic flavouring, which comes from specific orchids, has always been imported from far flung lands. Until now. Aberdeenshire-based Vanilla Farms, founded by Gillian and Joe Lane, have commenced production of the first batch of Scottish vanilla, meaning they are leading the way in sustainable, science-led vanilla production. The firm recently secured the top prize of £150,000 at Scottish EDGE Round 25, backed by Scottish Enterprise, in recognition of its potential to transform the natural flavour industry. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While the north east of Scotland is known for its soft fruits and farming , you wouldn't think this would be the place for growing vanilla. But it is this heritage that makes it the ideal spot, said Mrs Lane, who explained that it all sprang from ice cream. She said: 'The idea for the business came almost five years ago, when we realised how difficult it was for brands to secure high quality, consistent vanilla. Joe was working as an operations director at a leading ice cream company at the time, and vanilla was a constant supply chain challenge. Vanilla Farms vanilla pods | contributed 'It's one of the highest value crops in the world, and yet the market is opaque and volatile. We saw an opportunity to create something much better – not just from a sourcing perspective, but in how vanilla is grown, cured and presented. 'Scotland might seem like an unlikely place to grow vanilla, but we're actually leveraging its precision agriculture expertise and world-class flavour innovation support to transform what vanilla can be – from source to final flavour.' 'Vanilla is typically associated with tropical regions like Madagascar and Mexico. But what people don't often realise is that the vanilla orchid is a highly sensitive plant, and it thrives under very specific conditions – the kind we can replicate through advanced, total-controlled indoor farming. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We've been growing vanilla planifolia orchids for four years here in Scotland and are currently in the final R&D phase of growing vanilla using proprietary systems that recreate the perfect environment for these plants. 'We want to make sure our operations are energy efficient, scalable and year-round. Our goal is to introduce homegrown Scottish vanilla to the world – a world first – and this location actually gives us the ability to control and optimise every element of the growth and curing process with extraordinary precision.' For those keen to try this Scottish vanilla, the first batch is currently curing and will be available within a matter of weeks. Mrs Lane explained who the company would be supplying: 'We're focused on high-end culinary, fragrance, and cosmetic markets – customers who truly care about quality, traceability, and flavour. This includes chefs, artisan producers, and formulators in beauty and wellness who want to showcase vanilla as a primary ingredient, not just a background note. 'Our batch-led model will also enable consumers to trace each bean back to its origin – whether that's Uganda, Indonesia, or eventually our own farm here in Scotland – and understand the story behind its flavour.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The company's 'disruptive model' incorporates ethical sourcing and proprietary technology to deliver consistently high-quality, sustainable vanilla. They are setting out to upend the global supply chain by flipping the supply chain model, which Mrs Lane explained, saying: 'Vanilla production has changed very little in the last 500 years. Much of it is still cured in the country of origin with shelf life as the priority, which often compromises flavour. We've flipped that model on its head by bringing the curing process to Scotland and starting with the end user in mind: what do top chefs want? What do luxury fragrance and beauty brands need? 'Our scientific curing approach allows us to lock in more moisture and preserve a greater complexity of flavour. Every bean is cured in our purpose-built facility, then batch-labelled, numbered, and paired with tasting notes– much like single origin chocolate or fine wine. 'We work directly with growers in Uganda, Indonesia, Mexico, and beyond, forming ethical, regenerative partnerships. By taking the delicate curing process into our own hands in Scotland, we help farmers focus on cultivation reducing supply chain complexity. We are not in this for short term gains – our partnerships with farmers will allow them to do what they do best and is a lifetime opportunity for them to develop meaningful and consistent supply chains with Scotland. Our small-holder farmer partnerships enable us to bring in fresh vanilla here every week due to the diversity of our supply chain across equatorial regions. 'Vanilla Planifolia is an 'at risk' plant – our business will also protect this high value crop for the future, creating benefits for everyone in the vanilla industry worldwide.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad L-R Kevin Walls, Gillian Lane, Gillian Martin MSP, Joe Lane | contributed As for what it tastes like? Forget the little bottle of synthetic flavouring, or even the overly perfumed sweet gel-like paste. Mrs Lane likens their vanilla to whisky, it's something worth waiting for. She said: 'That it's unlike anything they've had before. Most vanilla is a commodity, either over-processed or synthetic and robbed of its full flavour potential. Natural vanilla incorporates more than 250 flavour compounds and we're bringing them back to life. 'Our vanilla is rich in aroma, layered in flavour, and tells the story of where it came from. Every batch is cured with scientific precision, allowing its unique terroir to shine– whether that's from the volcanic soils of Indonesia or our own R&D facility here in Scotland. And like expertly matured single malt Scotch whisky, we will only release each batch when the flavour is extraordinary. 'We want people to experience vanilla in its purest form - not as a background note, but as a true hero ingredient. 'Scotland has a legacy of world-class ingredients and craft, from whisky to salmon. We want vanilla to be part of that story. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'For us, being a high-impact business means reimagining how one of the world's most cherished ingredients is grown, cured, and celebrated – while creating fairer, more regenerative supply chains and bringing advanced agricultural innovation to Scotland.
Scotsman
05-08-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Move over Madagascar, 'extraordinary' Scottish vanilla is (hopefully) set to stun the world
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Vanilla is an exotic delight that globalisation has made mundanely familiar – it is, after all, just the 'basic' flavour of ice cream. However, in the last few decades, we have learned there can be rather large differences in flavour. Everyone will have their favourites. There are those who insist that only Madagascan 'Bourbon' vanilla will do, while others have a preference for Mexico's finest beans. However, a new player is about to enter this global arena – 'Scottish vanilla'. And, judging by the talk of emanating from Vanilla Farms in Aberdeenshire, it is going to be good. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Vanilla pods at Vanilla Farms in Aberdeenshire | contributed Produced by 'advanced, total-controlled indoor farming', it is being aimed at the high-end culinary, fragrance and cosmetic markets. 'Every batch is cured with scientific precision, allowing its unique terroir to shine... And like expertly matured single-malt Scotch whisky, we will only release each batch when the flavour is extraordinary,' they say.
Scotsman
22-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
35 winners share prize fund of £1.5 million at 25th Scottish EDGE Awards
Scottish EDGE returned for its 25th round as 35 winners with high-growth potential took home £1.5 million in prize money. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The awards ceremony was hosted by Royal Bank of Scotland at Citation in Glasgow city centre and united entrepreneurs who made it through the competitive pitching process to secure funding. Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes, delivered a special message congratulating the winners and acknowledged the vital role entrepreneurs play in shaping Scotland's future economy. In her remarks, she highlighted the passion, creativity and determination of all the entrepreneurs who made it to the finals. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The biggest winner at the awards was Vanilla Farms, who cures and supplies premium-quality vanilla using sustainable, high-tech agriculture. The business received a total of £150,000 from the newest addition, Missions EDGE, supported by Scottish Enterprise. Scottish EDGE 25 winners Veteran awards categories also returned for the 25th round, with the £100,000 Scale EDGE Award, supported by Royal Bank of Scotland, going to accredited Royal Yachting Association (RYA) training centre, Ardent Training. Meanwhile, Shifted Group and Swift Aeronautics secured funding as the top £15,000 Young EDGE Winners, supported by Techscaler and IOE Foundation respectively. Those successful in Wild Card, which provides grants to pre-trading businesses, included digital game apparel designer, Haggis Studios, who received the category's top £15,000 award. The STV supported award of £70,000 plus £75,000 worth of ad airtime was given to innovative kitchen provision maker, Goat Rodeo Goods, while Green Crop Tech, an agritech start-up developing a dual-action biostimulant, emerged as winner of the Scottish Government backed Pathways category, winning £70,000. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Round 25 also saw the return of the £100,000 Circular Economy EDGE Award, which is supported by Zero Waste Scotland, and went to New Found Hope for its therapeutic footwear innovations to address the issue of toe-walking in neurodivergent children. Narture CIC, who bakes artisan sourdough while supporting community, creativity, and social inclusion, won £75,000 in the Social Enterprise category, supported by the Postcode Innovation Trust. Elsewhere, the Creative EDGE Award, facilitated by support from Creative UK, which champions, connects and promotes the development of the creative industries across the United Kingdom, gave a boost of £75,000 to SaaS live concert streaming service, Everyday People. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: 'Scottish EDGE has played a central role in supporting emerging entrepreneurial talent and innovative business ideas for many years and I am proud that the Scottish Government continues to be long standing partner of the awards. 'I am also pleased that a growing number of businesses and private investors are supporting the vision behind Scottish EDGE. Scotland's entrepreneurs and start-up businesses are the lifeblood of our economy and we must do all we can to encourage and foster the incredible talent and innovation in evidence right across the country.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Judith Cruickshank, MD Commercial Mid-Market at the Royal Bank of Scotland, said: 'Congratulations to Ardent Training and all the winners of the 25th round of EDGE. Ardent is a fantastic example of a business that continues to scale and grow. 'We know that entrepreneurship is key to unlocking economic growth across the country and, through our involvement with Scottish EDGE, we celebrate these successes as well as the innovation and creativity taking place across the ecosystem.' Jane Martin managing director of innovation and investment at Scottish Enterprise said: 'Congratulations to all of the winners as well as the innovative team at Vanilla Farm the winner of the new Mission EDGE award and it will be exciting to see what is next in store for these agritech entrepreneurs. 'Mission EDGE reflects Scottish Enterprise's focus on priorities around energy transition, boosting capital investment and scaling high-growth industries of the future such as industrial biotechnology. We are targeting our support to help deliver transformational change for Scotland's economy and the Scottish EDGE awards uncover talented innovators that will shape the business landscape for generations to come.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Evelyn McDonald, CEO of Scottish EDGE added: 'Reaching our 25th round is a true testament to the resilience, ambition and creativity of Scotland's entrepreneurial community. With every round, we continue to see businesses not just innovating, but actively contributing to a better future, whether it's through sustainability, social impact, or cutting-edge technology. We're incredibly proud to support them on their journeys and excited to see what the future holds for this new group of winners.'
The Courier
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Courier
Angus agritech entrepreneur among latest Scottish Edge winners
A young agritech entrepreneur from Angus has scooped another £10,000, making it £20,000 in total, in the Scottish Edge competition. Tom Porter, of Carnoustie, started his own business, AgriAudit, on his dad's farm at East Scryne.. Earlier this year he was presented with a £10,000 regional Edge award – part of a Scotland-wide scheme supporting young entrepreneurs – at a ceremony in Dundee. And he's now matched that in the 25th round of Scottish Edge. Tom, 24, was among 35 winners sharing £1.5 million in prize money. His latest prize came in the Young Edge category and was presented at a ceremony in Glasgow. 'Winning the Young Edge award means a lot,' he said, adding: 'It's great to see support for something that's been built from the ground up by farmers, for farmers.' Tom's app is designed to help ease the audit burden on UK farmers and growers. By minimising the time spent searching for, printing and uploading documents, AgriAudit eliminates duplication throughout the audit process. Users can prepare for their audits from a central dashboard, and there is a tracker to monitor progress towards each one. The idea took off after Tom was given responsibility for audits on the family farm. He quickly realised how complex, demanding and time-consuming the task can be. Celebrating his Edge awards, he said: 'This funding has allowed us to crack on with building the AgriAudit web app to compliment the mobile app, as well as add more features. 'We must make audits easier and less of a headache, so farmers can spend less time on paperwork and more time in the field.' The Young Edge scheme, is aimed at Scotland's most promising young entrepreneurs. It is supported by Royal Bank of Scotland, Scottish Enterprise (SE), the Hunter Foundation, and Scottish Government. Meanwhile, the biggest winner at the latest Scottish Edge awards was Vanilla Farms, of Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. It cures and supplies premium-quality vanilla using sustainable, high-tech agriculture. Vanilla Farms received £150,000 for winning the Missions Edge competition category. SE innovation and investment managing director Jane Martin said: 'It will be exciting to see what is next in store for these agritech entrepreneurs.' Tom's dad, James, produces soft fruit as well as potatoes, barley, wheat and beans at East Scryne Farm.
