At first glance, the small garden beside Ascent at Science Park may seem modest, but beyond its understated facade lies one of Singapore’s most unexpected luxuries: Homegrown vanilla; rare and quietly remarkable crops cultivated with precision and care by Mireia Vanilla Singapore.

Helmed by founders Charles Santoso, 46, and his wife Juwita Maha Ranni Setiawan, 42, the couple have been running the business since 2019.

It is the only company in Singapore that manages the entire vanilla journey end-to-end – from growing and harvesting raw green vanilla pods, to curing and processing them into vanilla beans, and supplying directly to chefs, retailers, and consumers.

Today, they operate several vanilla farms across Singapore, including plots at Gardens by the Bay and within the grounds of luxury hotels such as The Fullerton Hotel, Four Seasons, and Conrad – where chefs harvest the beans fresh for their farm-to-table menus.

Apart from hotels, Mireia also supplies organic vanilla to restaurants such as Ce La Vi and Atout to be used in pastries, desserts, drinks, and cocktails.