Sara Kubiak launched the Vanilla Bean Project in 2018 as the first vanilla company to be regenerative organic certified, a credential that represents the highest standard for organic agriculture. The vanilla product is also certified as organic and safe quality food (SQF). The company manufactures small-batch pure vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste from its Lakeland facility. Last year, Kubiak’s vanilla product launched on Amazon, doubled its sales, and went viral on TikTok. In 2024, the company is forecasting its sales will increase fivefold. Described by colleagues as a “natural food space trailblazer,” Kubiak aims for the company to be an example of a profitable regenerative organic certified business.