Mgambo Village
meet the farmers
Mgambo village is located deep within the countryside of Unguja and is relatively inaccessible, with rugged terrain that can only be reached on foot. This remote setting makes it one of the most untouched and unique farming regions on the island.
Our vanilla farmer, Omar, tends his farm here in the rolling hills of central Unguja. His land is filled with mature mango and coconut trees, creating a rich and diverse growing environment.
Unlike conventional vanilla farms, Omar grows his vanilla plants directly on mango trees. Over time, he has found that vanilla thrives particularly well on these trees, producing healthier vines and better quality pods compared to other growing methods.
The cultivation of vanilla can be difficult and labor-intensive. The plants do not actually produce any vanilla flowers for several years after they have begun to establish. When they finally do bloom, these delicate orchid flowers only stay open briefly and need to be carefully hand pollinated to trigger the vanilla bean growth.
Nurtured and propagated from one small cutting of wild vanilla orchid, Omar has cared for and tended these plants for years to be finally able to product a healthy crop of precious vanilla beans!
We can attest that his lush vanilla bean orchids are the most impressive collection of the plant that we have ever seen! We were lucky to be able to purchase his first ever crop of vanilla, and now we hope to continue to support Omar and his family for years to come.
Karibu, welcome!
I am Omar
Habari, hello!
My name is Saeed
Saeed, Omar’s son, works alongside his father on the farm, carefully hand-pollinating each vanilla flower. This delicate process must be done individually for every bloom, making it essential for producing high-quality vanilla beans.
By choosing these Zanzibar vanilla beans, you are directly supporting their family and helping them continue to grow and refine their craft.
As vanilla cultivation is still a relatively new venture for them, the family has taught themselves processing techniques through research and hands-on experience. They continue to improve with each harvest, developing their skills to achieve the best possible quality.
With their dedication and care, we believe their vanilla has the potential to become truly world class.
