You probably already know that the finest vanilla in the world comes from Madagascar, the island located in the Indian Ocean, east of the southern tip of Africa, that is renowned for its biodiversity. Sweet.

But did you know that growing this vanilla is quite difficult? It’s a labor- and time-intensive process (almost three years from first planting to harvest!), done mostly by smallholder farmers in remote terrains who must patiently and carefully tend to their crop.

Not so sweet.

At the end of 2022, Kellogg Company concluded a multi-year partnership with vanilla supplier Symrise that focused on improving social and environmental conditions for farmers and their families in the remote Ankavanana region in northeast Madagascar.

The program, part of our Kellanova Better Days™ Promise to advance sustainable and equitable access to food, ultimately involved 28 villages and more than 1,000 farmers. It educated farmers on sustainable land management, worked to empower women to play a more active role in the community, and facilitated access to education, healthcare, and financial services.

The program changed lives. But don’t take our word for it—watch the video to hear from the farmers themselves.