Latest news with #vanilla
Malay Mail
14 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
From social work to sweet success: Sarawak's accidental vanilla farmer Alfred Phua cultivates second chances
KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — Alfred Phua never planned to be a farmer. A social worker by heart and profession, he had spent decades working with marginalised communities across Malaysia, from the urban poor to the rural indigenous. Today, he is the co-founder of Vanilla Impact Story Sdn Bhd (VIS), a social enterprise planting hope — quite literally — through vanilla. 'Venturing into vanilla cultivation started a journey I never planned. I call myself an accidental farmer — because I'm not a farmer. 'I was a social worker for 35 years, working with the poor and marginalised communities. But over time, this grew into something more,' Phua said during an interview with Malay Mail. He eventually left the non-governmental organisation (NGO), but even after his departure from the NGO, single mothers and persons with disabilities went to him for jobs. 'So I took up a course on mushroom cultivation so that I could teach this group of people how to grow oyster mushrooms. 'Because it was very hard to dispose mushroom waste, it was through that I discovered how to make vermicompost — a type of compost made from mushroom waste. 'Then a friend told me that the orchids thrive on vermicompost and the vanilla plant is a type of orchid. That's how it all started,' Phua said. Phua had spent 20 years in Penang, and before returning to his homeland in Sarawak, he took on one final project — helping local youths set up a vanilla farm. In 2018, he planted his first vanilla vines as a hobby and it was only in 2022 that Phua started seriously cultivating the tahitensis variety, known for its rich aroma and premium quality. Two years later, in 2024, with initial support from Yayasan Hasanah, VIS received 1,500 vanilla cuttings and is now preparing its first full harvest of gourmet-grade vanilla beans. Alfred Phua had spent 20 years in Penang, and before returning to his homeland in Sarawak, he took on one final project — helping local youths set up a vanilla farm. — Picture courtesy of Yayasan Hasanah Stumbling on the vanilla plant Malaysia, according to Phua, has suitable climate and is a huge untapped potential in this field. Describing the vanilla plant, he said it is a hardy plant, a climbing orchid and it does not need soil. It absorbs nutrients through its air roots so it can even be grown on cement. 'Our climate is like Madagascar, Mexico, and the Pacific Islands, maybe even better because we don't have typhoons or earthquakes. 'We started in Permatang Pauh, Penang, as I knew some of the youths since they were kids and many came from dysfunctional families. 'I asked them to come to Sarawak, but they felt it was too foreign. Instead, they applied for state land and got it. So I went to Penang to help them set up the farm,' Phua said. Vanilla halfway farms VIS now has five full-time workers, many of whom come from difficult backgrounds, including former drug offenders and at-risk youth. Phua however is not only focused on just farming, thus he created 'halfway farms' that covers both his social work and vanilla cultivation. 'My goal is not just to do farming. Because I'm a social worker, I want to use this as a way to help neglected youths who come from poor and marginalised communities. 'One of the groups that I worked with were drug users and my wish is to train them to become agripreneurs, not only the current interns that I have but the native people in Sarawak too. 'They are actually better farmers but they may lack the skill of entrepreneurship, so my dream is to start a school of experiential — hands on entrepreneurship school for the young people — how to lure them back to the farm, because to many of them, farming is hard, but now with modern farming it's different,' he said. Vanilla bean cultivation farmer, Alfred Phua speaks during an interview with Malay Mail in Kuala Lumpur, May 22, 2025. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa Phua's halfway farm initially started with cash crops such as organic vegetables, but planting vegetable was hard work, he said. 'I'm not good with vegetables, and because the owner of the farm is very generous — he bought 20 units of green house — and learned about vanilla. 'So after we did a pilot project in 2022, it was doing well and then he decided he wanted to become my business partner. 'That's how Yayasan Hasanah came in and chipped in the seed money, with that small fund we got workers like the troubled youths to work with us,' he said. Moving forward with vanilla After Phua took a business approach with vanilla cultivation, he has since been processing the tahitensis vanilla variant into Grade A gourmet beans. 'Not many people in Malaysia know how to use these beans, so we also make extracts, coffee and even perfume. 'Malaysia has a huge F&B (food and beverages) manufacturing industry that consumes vanilla, but they mostly import from Indonesia, but Indonesia doesn't grow tahitensis. 'Five years ago, we sent samples to Japan. One of the biggest importers of spices was interested in our vanilla beans and wanted to test 20kgs,' he said. He however said while the potential for vanilla in Malaysia is huge, it is a long journey before the locally cultivated beans can be categorised as export simply because it is not a plant that is native to Malaysia. 'We are working on this. Vanilla was brought into Malaysia in the 1980s. But back then no one knew how to grow vanilla and no one knew how to cure the beans. 'It only picked up again in the last five years — when there are hobbyists like me. 'Can Malaysians buy from us now? Yes. Though our farm just started three years ago, our tahitensis vines flowered in record time — 20 months instead of 36. 'We'll harvest our first batch of beans soon. Export will take years due to compliance issues, so for now, we're selling locally,' Phua added. One day, Phua hopes to see his dream come true — selling his vanilla beans under the Simply Borneo brand, with the tagline: simple, fresh and wholesome
The Guardian
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Sali Hughes on beauty: summer vibes in a bottle – the best suntan-themed fragrances
Suntan fragrances hark back to more innocent times, when factor 8, 6 – or even 2! – oil seemed like a perfectly responsible course of action for a Brit on a fortnight's Teletext holiday to Crete. Modern tributes draw on common olfactory themes in retro tanning oils, from warm vanilla and coconut to salt, citrus fruits, sexy amber and tropical flowers such as tiaré and frangipani. My favourites of the genre are either affordable or at least relatively inexpensive, because while I'm disgruntled by many fragrance prices these days, there's something particularly offensive about a three-figure scent got up to smell like Ambre Solaire. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. In case I haven't already raved enough about French pharmacy perfumers Roger & Gallet, here's more. Vanille Soleil (£20 for 30ml), is the latest in the lineup and continues their tradition for considered, high-quality and very wearable scents at an excellent price point. What we have here is a comforting, only delicately sweet vanilla, warm, mellow amber and a gentle blend of jasmine and ylang-ylang. A crunch of sea salt enlivens the whole thing. This is a sunny, cheerful and charming scent that can be spritzed on lavishly without guilt or fear of offending. The most famous, and perhaps unbeatable tribute to suntan lotion is Estée Lauder's Bronze Goddess Eau Fraîche Skinscent (£58 for 50ml) – not to be confused with the eau de parfum, very different and not as lovely. Also check out their newer Bronze Goddess Nuit (£70 for 50ml), which adds an almost creamy, woody note and more musk to the beauty of the original. If you like the original, I think you'll appreciate this sexier night-time version. Cos's new fragrance line is strong and Solaire is a highlight (don't be repelled by the £75 price – the 100ml bottle is two or three times the typical size). Less Bounty ice-cream, more spiced rum and driftwood, its holiday sun-lounger glow still shines through. It also lasts terrifically well for a high-street scent. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion Nivea Sun (£31.60 for 30ml), is the wonderful smell of Nivea sun lotion spray-bottled, and it's addictive. It works alone, but also layers very nicely under something punchier, and gives a powdery, inviting feel. Demeter's Fragrance Library is a vast selection of deliberately literal fragrances mimicking beloved smells (dirt, baby powder, glue and petrichor – that earthy smell you get when rain falls on dry ground – are all exactly as you'd hope). Their Suntan Lotion (£19 for 1oz) smells specifically of the old Coppertone lotion rather than coconutty Hawaiian Tropic, so if you're clucking for a whiff of 1970s mum, do proceed to checkout.
Time Out Dubai
10-06-2025
- Business
- Time Out Dubai
Apollo Dubai is now open on Palm Jumeirah
Hold onto your hats (and your appetites), because the team behind your favourite Jumeirah spots like Rascals Deli, Za Za Slice and Dime Burger, have just dropped a new restaurant in Palm Jumeirah. Say hello to Apollo, a new all-day bistro that's set to redefine comfort food with a serious dose of swagger. Apollo's menu reimagines comfort classics with a contemporary approach. Highlights from the bar bites include duck arayes and French onion croquettes, while the raw plates include a ceviche classico and beef tartare with soy-cured egg yolk. Main courses feature homey dishes like a chicken pot pie and duck confit with arroz nikkei, alongside options like the Apollo burger with dry-aged wagyu and lobster roll. Dessert selections include Basque cheesecake and pain perdu with vanilla Anglaise. Credit: Apollo Dubai Credit: Apollo Dubai Credit: Apollo Dubai The interiors of Apollo, a collaboration with Muqaddas Akkari Studio (MA Studio), feature a blend of raw textures and soft tones. The design incorporates deep burgundy walls, wood finishes, patterned velvet sofas and strategic mood lighting, creating an atmosphere that is quite comfy. You might also like: New restaurants in Dubai Floor-to-ceiling windows offer panoramic views of The Palm and Dubai Harbour, which means that natural light floods the restaurant by day and gives you some seriously cool views at night. So, whether you're craving a quick bite, a lingering afternoon of mixed drinks and calamari, or a buzzing dinner that turns into a late-night out, make sure you give Apollo a visit. Open daily from noon-1.30am. Palm Views West, Palm Jumeirah, @apollothepalm Want a reservation in the meantime? Over 100 of the best business lunch deals in Dubai, by area Upgrade your lunch with an incredible offer Dubai's best restaurants: 86 incredible places to dine in We know where you should book into this week The 40 best restaurants and bars on Palm Jumeirah Consider this your definitive, go-to guide to dining on the island
