Why it matters
Vanilla is the world’s most popular flavor and its second most expensive spice. Yet nearly all production relies on a single species, propagated from just a few clones. This lack of genetic diversity leaves the entire industry vulnerable. Fusarium wilt is already devastating plantations worldwide.
A $4 billion industry on fragile ground
Nearly 150 species.
Almost none protected.
Nearly 150 species. Only two grown commercially. The rest are largely unknown, unstudied, unprotected, and in many cases never photographed alive. New species are still being discovered in 2025, even as their habitats disappear. Some will vanish before science ever understands what they are or what they could become.
There is no institution dedicated to preserving them. Until now.
Vanilla seeds aren't viable.
Living plants are the only option.
Vanilla seeds don’t store. They survive only briefly and require specific lab conditions to grow.
Conservation depends on living plants. If they’re not actively cultivated, they disappear.
Sixty million years of evolution at risk.
Each species holds irreplaceable knowledge, most still unexplored. When one disappears, it's gone forever.
Medicine
Food Security
