The Manilapod Story
Growing Vanilla, Cocoa, and a Vision for the Future
In 2019, on a flight from Port Moresby to Vanimo, I found myself on an unusual journey—one that would later inspire the creation of Manilapod, a venture deeply rooted in agriculture, sustainability, and passion. The flight wasn’t a direct one; it made multiple stops in small villages along the way. Each time, people got on and off, but it was what they carried that caught my attention.
Passengers were hauling sacks of vanilla beans, their intoxicating aroma filling the plane. These locals were traveling to the border to trade vanilla beans with Indonesia—both legally and illegally. At the time, I didn’t think much of it. I had been around vanilla for years, having worked as a chef since the age of 14. My culinary career had taken me across the world—from launching restaurants in Ukraine to cooking in Michelin-starred establishments in London and grinding through the tough kitchen culture in Australia during my apprenticeship.
Fast forward to 2024, and life had taken an unexpected yet exciting turn. I met Daisy, and together, we embarked on a new chapter in the Philippines. Daisy had recently purchased land but wasn’t sure what to do with it. Naturally, I started researching the best crops to grow in tropical climates, and two stood out immediately—vanilla and cocoa. Given my deep love for pastries, chocolate, and desserts, the choice seemed obvious. Some might even say it was a bit of a Willy Wonka moment.
The Birth of Manilapod
With a clear vision in mind, Manilapod was born—a company dedicated to growing high-quality vanilla and cocoa in the Philippines. But we didn’t want to grow just any cocoa; we committed ourselves to cultivating Criollo cocoa, one of the rarest and most prized varieties in the world. Criollo beans have a delicate, complex flavor profile and are considered the “King of Cacao”. This heirloom variety has deep historical ties to the Philippines, making it the perfect choice for our farm.
Our single-origin vanilla and Criollo cocoa are produced with the highest standards, ensuring quality, sustainability, and a genuine connection to the land. We believe in direct trade with consumers, exporters, restaurants, and chocolatiers, eliminating middlemen to support local farmers and sustainable agriculture.
More Than Just a Farm
Manilapod isn’t just about growing crops—it’s about reshaping the way agriculture operates in the Philippines. We are building a marketplace where farmers can directly sell their produce to consumers, supermarkets, and exporters, ensuring fair pricing and transparency. Our platform will also provide logistics support, making it easier to transport fresh produce across the country.
Beyond farming, we aim to bring agri-tourism into the picture, offering educational classes, cooking workshops, and hands-on vanilla and cocoa farming experiences. Visitors will get to see firsthand how these incredible ingredients are grown, harvested, and transformed into world-class products.
The Future of Manilapod
Our journey started with a single flight filled with vanilla beans, and now we are building something far bigger—a revolution in Philippine agriculture. Manilapod is about quality, sustainability, and community, ensuring that farmers and consumers alike benefit from our mission.
We invite you to be part of our story. Whether you’re a chef, chocolatier, home baker, or simply a lover of fine vanilla and cocoa, we hope you enjoy our passion as much as we’ve enjoyed the journey that brought us here.
