A group of farmers, lawyers, professors, students, and volunteers are working to revive the vanilla industry in Puerto Rico through the Cooperativa de Productores y Elaboradores de Vainilla de Puerto Rico (VainillaCoop). The industry, which was once a major agricultural product in the country, disappeared abruptly decades ago. VainillaCoop, based in Trujillo Alto, aims to contribute to the island's agricultural and economic development by promoting vanilla production with an agrotourism focus.
The history of vanilla in Puerto Rico dates back to the late 18th century, and it became a major crop after Hurricane San Felipe II in 1928. However, industrialization led to the decline of the industry. After Hurricane Maria, a new opportunity arose, and VainillaCoop was formed to revive the crop.
With vanilla being the second most expensive spice in the world, the cooperative sees potential for economic growth. The project began as a private initiative but evolved into a cooperative model in 2023, with the goal of developing a collective agricultural project with export vision.