WHAT'S IN MY PORTFOLIO

What's In My Portfolio: Charles Santoso

Photography by Chino Sardea
23 Dec 2022

Charles Santoso is the CEO & Founder of Mireia

“Mireia is a Singaporean brand growing and supplying organic artisan products specializing in vanilla. We are Singapore's first vanilla bean plant cultivator and vanilla processor. Our first project involved growing 45 vanilla vines at the Hanging Gardens-Mexican Roots Exhibition at Gardens by the Bay's 10th Anniversary. We are continuously expanding our vanilla plantations in Singapore and are now close to 300 plants, working together with schools and local institutions like St. Anthony’s Canossian School, Shatec, Kinderland, and with more to come. Our goal is to make Singapore one of the leading vanilla bean suppliers locally and globally.

We are proud to be the first and only vanilla grower and processor in Singapore and to be acknowledged for our quality by famous chefs locally and all over the world, which include Chef Otto, Chef Domo, Chef Laurent, Chef Alessandro, and Chef Shenman. We are pleased to have several restaurants and hotels join us in the movement of using organic and natural products for their food. We are also proud to be able to help farmers with their education, grow their economy and help their families.

At Mireia, we believe that people need to lead a healthy lifestyle and know about the benefits in the consumption of vanilla. These include: 

  • Vanilla boosts one’s immune system because it is rich in antioxidants.
  • The heady aroma of vanilla impacts the nerves by inducing feelings of calmness and helps relieve stress.
  • Vanilla helps to ease respiratory conditions, aiding in the relief of respiratory ailments. When you have a cough, cold, or respiratory infection, mixing vanilla with a little warm water coats the throat and acts as an anaesthetic. The antibacterial characteristics relieve inflammation and discomfort.
  • Vanilla promotes healthy digestion. Drinking vanilla with tea is a natural remedy that instantly soothes gut inflammation and helps with other digestive problems like cramping, stomach aches, and diarrhea.

Our next big venture is to create a House of Vanilla where people can learn the end-to-end process from vanilla plantation to vanilla processing, and sample our finished products, which include coffees, cakes, and other menu items.”