Origin of NY Vanilla

It began with a family of dreamers seeking to transform the world of spices. Compelled by his passion for vanilla, Samir Pandya journeyed from New York to Uganda 20 years ago, discovering in East Africa the perfect climate and remarkably bold, aromatic beans. There emerged a vision to share these exceptional Ugandan vanilla beans with customers globally while uplifting local farming communities.

And so, the Pandya family established Essence of Africa, a parent company focused on sustainable agriculture, empowering over 1000 smallholder vanilla farmers with training in organic methods that enrich soil and conserve ecosystems. A customer-based relationship blossomed across Europe,
East Asia and America as Essence of Africa supplied top-quality vanilla alongside
herbs and spices distinguished by their African origins.

In 2017, their enterprise expanded stateside with Jamindar Deviyani spearheading Akshar Herbs and Spices in New York, allowing wider outreach across international and particularly American consumers. Seeking to spotlight vanilla's stellar yet underrated qualities, New York Vanilla was launched in 2022, a premium retail brand offering the intensely aromatic, bold vanilla from Ugandan beans previously exclusive to the food industry.

Through visionary leadership across two generations, the Pandya family has navigated successes and hurdles alike while staying rooted in partnerships with farmers tending the land sustainably, with customers valuing world-class flavor, and with communities united by spice but divided by distance. The aim shines through; bringing exquisite Ugandan vanilla first discovered decades ago to the world market promoting environmental stewardship on the cultivated land connecting consumers more consciously to the origins of what nourishes them - simple ingredients from family-managed enterprises building relationships bean by bean.