In Real Vanilla, Nature’s Unsung Hero LittlePod’s founder Janet Sawyer tells of her company’s mission over the last fifteen years to save real vanilla which was under threat of being lost within a generation. They have made a huge difference, encouraging the development of vanilla paste in a tube, supporting farming communities in the world’s equatorial regions and educating consumers all around the world about the importance and value of vanilla to the planet. Through LittlePod supporting a pioneering polyculture orchard in Indonesia, it has helped educate future generations about a precious plant that is the essence of sustainability. This is a fascinating story of how a determined woman used the ‘empty nest’ time in her life to build a company whilst learning about biodiversity, supporting farmers’ livelihoods and creating a family of human relationships – fondly known as ‘LittlePodders’.

Janet Sawyer MBE BEM is the founder and Managing Director of LittlePod, an award-winning natural ingredients company specialising in real vanilla Having developed an innovative vanilla paste in a tube, Janet helped to establish LittlePod’s pioneering orchard in Bali, Indonesia. LittlePod won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2018 and the King’s Award for Enterprise in 2023, both in the Sustainable Development category. Janet was awarded the British Empire Medal for her services to culture and employment in 2012 and the Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2020 in recognition of LittlePod’s services to international trade, sustainability and exports.