The festive season is in full swing. Christmas is coming and 2025 is approaching its final act. Here at LittlePod HQ, we’ve been taking stock and considering all that we’ve done since last December. Having achieved so much during the last 12 months, we can look back upon our efforts and endeavours with great satisfaction.

Last December, Janet’s second book was little more than some scribbled notes on a few sheets of paper – this an epic undertaking that ate up the winter months. Fast forward and Real Vanilla: Nature’s Unsung Hero has been a great success story…

Launched at events in Europe and the UK – including a dinner at The Farm Table in Topsham, where Chef Tom Chivers treated our guests to a vanilla-infused feast – Janet’s book is now available from online retailers and book shops all over the world.

“Who would have thought vanilla could be so riveting?” said Dame Prue Leith, whose words feature on the front cover, beautifully designed – like the rest of the book – by Harriet. The perfect gift for flavour-loving foodies this Christmas, Real Vanilla: Nature’s Unsung Hero can also be purchased from our online shop!

Our dealings with Dame Prue did not end there and it was a pleasure indeed to spend time together at the VIP Grand Opening of Queen’s College’s state-of-the-art teaching kitchen in Taunton, where Joe Mann, LittlePod’s former Marketing Manager, is the award-winning Head of Food and Nutrition.

Catching up also with Michael Caines MBE and Manju Malhi BEM in March, we have enjoyed renewing acquaintances with long-time LittlePodders throughout 2025.

In February, we welcomed Dean Willis and Adelphi Manufacturing back to Devon to toast our long-standing partnership, whilst we have enjoyed visiting customers and contacts across the UK and internationally, and taking part in events with Delifresh in Leeds, Whole Foods in London, Infusions in Suffolk and others besides.

Sadly, we also lost some cherished LittlePodders in 2025 and it came as a great shock to us all here to learn that Achim Rohr, a close friend, colleague and long-time member of our team had passed away in February.

Dear Achim was a decent and humane man – one of the good guys.

Our thoughts are with his family this Christmas.

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Here at LittlePod, we have been exporting our responsibly-sourced ingredients ever since our launch in 2010. Our products have long been used and loved by home cooks, professional chefs and food manufacturers all over the world, but 2025 will forever be remembered as the year in which we went truly global…

Keen to communicate better with our international customers, we made our website multilingual this autumn. Like to learn more about LittlePod and our Campaign for Real Vanilla? With our content available to read in 104 languages – from Azerbaijani to Zulu – it’s easier than ever, no matter where in the world you might be!

We didn’t stop there. In October, Janet took our Campaign for Real Vanilla around the globe, visiting LittlePodders and spreading the word in Canada (above), Japan, Australia and Singapore (below). Whilst on her travels, Janet gave a talk, enjoyed afternoon tea with our Japanese LittlePodders and celebrated International Real Vanilla Day at the beautiful Barakura English Garden. It was the perfect way to spend October 17th, the most important date on the LittlePod calendar…

There was more of course – far too much to mention here…

The highlights? James Martin used our natural vanilla paste (more than once) on his national TV show; featuring Janet, the new audio guide to the restored Victorian glasshouses at Chelsea Physic Garden was launched; LittlePod friend William Wisden underlined the importance of REAL vanilla to the environment at COP30 in Brazil; and Master Chef Peter Gorton joined Janet at the Cake & Bake Show, where he demonstrated delicious ways to use LittlePod’s responsibly-sourced ingredients – including this Warm Chocolate Tart with Candied Hazelnuts, a dessert that is certain to feature on our festive menu in the days and weeks ahead!

Having just launched our 2025 Gift Range – which includes The LittlePod Gift Hamper, Luxury Gift Collection and other great goodies besides – we are all set for the festive season, and are looking forward to putting our feet up, with LittlePod HQ due to close on Christmas Eve.

Before we do, however, we would like to thank EVERYBODY who has supported our Campaign for Real Vanilla and helped make 2025 such a memorable year for us all. To our farmers, to our customers, and to LittlePodders everywhere, we send vanilla hugs, best wishes and season’s greetings…

Raising a toast to you all, here’s to doing it all again in 2026 x

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Need LittlePod products in time for Christmas? Please order asap! Final dispatch for wholesale and trade will be December 22nd. Online purchases must be completed by December 12th (international), 19th (UK standard) and 22nd (UK next day) in order for arrive before Christmas. Got a question or need to get in touch? Please email sales@littlepod.co.uk, telephone 01395 232022 or contact us here.