Heilala Vanilla’s origins began over 15 years ago when John Ross and his family established a vanilla plantation in the Kingdom of Tonga with a vision to provide a sustainable future, employment and a sense of purpose and pride for the Tongan people.
Today, this newly Certified B Corporation produces vanilla highly sought after by Michelin-star chefs and home bakers around the world thanks to its excellent quality and rich flavour.
In celebration of their recent certification, we had a chat with Project and Product Manager Bex McQueen to hear more about how they are manufacturing premium vanilla products while empowering rural grower communities in the Kingdom of Tonga at the same time.
Image: Heilala Vanilla
Ice cream, cakes, cookies…so many items we love to eat have vanilla. Can you tell us a bit more about what you do?
We are the only vanilla company that is directly involved in planting, growing, harvesting, processing and marketing vanilla.
From vanilla extract to vanilla paste to vanilla sugar, we offer a range of premium all-natural products that can be used both in cooking and baking delicious things or served straight from the bottle in coffee, cocktails and more.
But we don’t stop there. We believe that the best vanilla comes from long-term relationships based on solidarity, trust and mutual respect. That’s why Heilala Vanilla supports the protection of the local lifestyle with a working culture that is social and family-friendly.
We are also passionate about supporting 400 vanilla farming families in Tonga through partnerships that build local community opportunities.
Our community focus and unique ‘bean to bottle’ supply chain ensures Heilala Vanilla is sustainable for years to come. Because we want to make people feel as good as our vanilla tastes!
Image: Heilala Vanilla
Why did you want to certify as a B Corp?
Certifying as a B Corp felt like a natural progression for Heilala. We’ve been investing in impact projects in Tonga for over a decade, as well as supporting our grower families and establishing sustainable partnerships to provide access to employment that pays above the living wage.
It also felt like a good business move to highlight what is already ingrained in our culture and values alignment. And, of course, we liked the idea of being able to communicate the good we were doing to our customers around the world.
With B Corp Certification, the combination of third-party validation, transparency and accountability generates a culture of trust and value within our community and for our stakeholders and customers. At the same time, it acts as a guide for us to constantly improve our business and provides a roadmap for improvement.
As proud as we are to have reached our goal of certification, we see this as a starting point on a journey.
Looking into the future, we have set some special and impactful goals across our team, our Tongan community and the environment.
Image: Heilala Vanilla
What makes Heilala Vanilla unique as a business? Tell us some of the areas where you have the biggest impact or some of the little changes you’ve made to make a difference.
We have a genuine desire to make an impact in the lives of those who make up our supply chain. Heilala is building a stable, long-term industry for Tonga – redefining corporate social responsibility by working with growers throughout the country to provide employment along with access to running water, housing, and education facilities.
Our commitment to the people of Tonga extends beyond the vanilla plantations. In 2013, we launched the Heilala Vanilla Foundation to build on its already strong ties with the island community of Vava’u. The Foundation offers practical assistance in the key areas of farming, education and health.
After the devastating volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami that occurred in the Kingdom of Tonga in January 2022, Heilala donated $25,000 to the Heilala Vanilla Foundation to assist with food and water security. We also raised over $180,000 in donations from our amazing community of customers and supporters.
In 2021 the Foundation donated to:
- Food Security – 2 million vegetable seeds for home gardens
- Health – 3000 bottles of sanitiser for hospitals and communities
- Education – over 150 desk and chair sets for three Tongan primary schools
We also want to communicate and educate on our purpose as well as to hold ourselves accountable for future impact goals. That’s why, for the last three years, Heilala has produced an annual Impact Report that can be found on our website.
Apart from those, some other of our initiatives include:
- We have a goal to employ 200 women in Tonga by 2025.
- Each bottle of Heilala Vanilla sold contributes five cents to the Heilala Vanilla Foundation which focusses on family wellbeing, education and food security through agriculture in addition to funds being reserved for support in the wake of natural disasters.
- We have established a unique zero-waste process recently registered as a patent within our manufacturing operation.
- Our purpose of empowering Tongan rural communities is embedded in our shareholders’ agreement so that all stakeholders are aligned around being a purpose-driven business. We have independent directors and diversity on our board of directors, with over 50 per cent women.
Image: Heilala Vanilla
B Corps want to help transform our economy to one that is inclusive, sustainable, and regenerative. What business practice do you want to see become the norm?
For Heilala, community impact is a big factor in how we define sustainability.
We want to see voices in all supply chains being amplified.
We want to see the focus of businesses shifting from being primarily about them to being about how they can help and support all of the stakeholders of their business. And above all, we want it to become the norm for businesses to ask themselves how they can make a positive impact on everybody that comes into contact with their organisation.
Image: Heilala Vanilla
Was there a B Corp that inspired you to certify, or one that you look to for inspiration?
All of our fellow New Zealand B Corps were a huge inspiration to us!
Do you have any tips for aspiring B Corps about the certification process?
Be patient, and use the process as a learning opportunity. The assessment is a great roadmap for future focus and improvements, so don’t be dismayed at the areas where you weren’t able to get points – those are the things you can focus on after you’ve gotten certified.
Also, reach out to existing B Corps with your questions – they’ll be more than willing to help. We connected with a few existing NZ B Corps while we were going through the process, and it was really valuable. Another reason why we are so proud and humbled to join the B Corp community!
Image: The Heilala Vanilla team
A big thank you to Heilala Vanilla for sharing more about their work. To find out more and explore their range of vanilla products, visit www.heilalavanilla.com.au/ or read this article.
