Colombia prepares for a vanilla boom

Vanilla, an orchid, is native to Central and South America. In the 18th century vines were smuggled from Mexico to Europe and later implanted in Réunion, where a child slave discovered how to hand-pollinate them. Today nearby Madagascar provides 80% of global supply. Because vanilla is still usually hand-pollinated, it is the world’s most expensive spice after saffron. Demand has outstripped supply for years. Buyers are looking for new sources, such as Colombia.