Gina Empson
Founder and Director, Nevis Vanilla Paradise

From Financial statements to hand-pollinating vanilla plants: How an entrepreneur followed her dream

Hand-pollinating vanilla orchids demands precision and patience. Each morning during flowering season, there's a narrow window to transfer pollen with a bamboo toothpick—a delicate process that determines whether a flower will develop into a vanilla bean nine months later. For Gina Empson, founder of Vanilla Paradise Nevis, this meticulous work replaced decades of financial accounting—a career change that brought her from boardrooms in Europe to a tropical farm in the Caribbean.

A New Chapter Begins

After building a successful career as a Chartered Accountant in the United Kingdom and Switzerland - where she established her own accounting firm and payroll company - Gina made a bold decision. She chose to pursue her long-standing passion for botany, trading financial statements for flowering vines.

Fate brought Gina to the picturesque tropical island of Nevis, where she immediately recognised that the climate, terrain, and volcanic soil were ideal for cultivating vanilla. This remarkable orchid may have first arrived in the Caribbean as early as the 16th century with Spanish explorers, and Gina saw an opportunity to revive this heritage.

In 2022, she took the leap. She purchased land, established Vanilla Paradise in Nevis Ltd, and planted the seeds - quite literally - of an organic vanilla farm built on sustainable practices. By early 2023, the Nevis Island Administration had granted the farm its official Business and Occupation Licence, and a new chapter in Nevis's agricultural story had begun.

Growing with Purpose

Cultivating premium vanilla is a labour of love. Every flower must be hand-pollinated during a narrow window of opportunity each morning. Every vine requires careful tending in the Caribbean heat. Today, Gina and her dedicated team nurture over 5,000 vanilla vines across five shade houses, each one a testament to patience, dedication, and the belief that something extraordinary can grow from bold decisions.

The farm has become a destination for a remarkable cross-section of visitors: local politicians, diplomats, curious Nevisians and Kittitians, church groups, schoolchildren learning where their favourite flavour comes from, international travellers and their local hosts, walking clubs exploring new trails, passionate food lovers and bloggers, and solo adventurers seeking authentic experiences. All have passed through our bright yellow gates to witness what it takes to run Nevis's first and only vanilla farm, and to glimpse the exciting future taking root here.

A Living Canvas

The farm itself has become a work of art, graced by pieces from talented Nevisian artists whose creativity enhances the natural beauty of the grounds. Even materials uncovered during land clearance have found new life as whimsical garden features, giving the farm a character all its own.

Looking Ahead

The vision for Vanilla Paradise extends far beyond today's vines. Plans are underway for a vanilla processing plant that will transform our beans from raw harvest to finished spice, keeping the entire value chain on Nevis. We've created a new self-guided trail with interpretive panels leading visitors to the neighbouring historic Hamilton Sugar Mill, connecting Nevis's agricultural past with its present. And in late 2025, we'll open the Vanilla Café in the restored former manager's house, a welcoming space where visitors can taste, learn, and linger.

Our journey has captured media attention both locally and internationally. We're honoured to have been featured in National Geographic's prestigious "Meet the Maker" series in Food Traveller Magazine, sharing the story of Caribbean vanilla with readers around the world.

Join Us

Gina and the entire Vanilla Paradise Team invite you to be part of this story. Explore our Journal to follow the farm's progress, connect with us on Facebook, and most importantly, visit us. Your support and enthusiasm fuel our mission to put Nevis firmly on the world's vanilla production map.

Experience the incredible world of vanilla orchids firsthand.

Our tours take place on Tuesday mornings between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM, available by appointment only. Led by founder Gina Empson or farm manager Jesse Wyly, each approximately two-hour experience will immerse you in the fascinating world of vanilla.

Book your tour here!