Q&A with Singing Dog Vanilla
We take pride in every part of the cider-making process here at Portland Cider Company, from the ingredients to the fermentation process to the people we work with. Living in Portland, we’re surrounded by incredible artisans and high-quality producers. And we love to work with many of them to make the unique, innovative ciders you love.
One of our newest ciders is the perfect example of this: Tangerine Dreamsicle. A tart, semi-sweet and creamy, dreamy cider delight that wouldn’t be possible without the real vanilla extract we source from Singing Dog Vanilla in Eugene, Oregon.
Not only does Singing Dog Vanilla produce the highest quality vanilla you can find, but the people there are pretty amazing too. We sat down with co-founder, Marty Parisien, to get the inside scoop on vanilla, what a singing dog is, and his love of tangerines that makes our Dreamsicle small-batch his favorite cider.
What made you want to make & sell vanilla?
My business partner, Bill Wiedman, and I came up with this organic vanilla business idea while working with farmers. I read a book by Seth Godin called “Purple Cow,” which referred to not wanting to have a vanilla business because it’s boring. Obviously, it was meant in a different context, but it sparked an idea because of the farmers we were working with at a Papua New Guinea village. We officially started on April Fools Day 2004 and have been building this network of farmers ever since.
Who are the farmers you work with?
We partner with nearly 500 Indonesian family farmers, from whom we purchase whole vanilla beans and share profits. There’s someone from our team, Muhir, who lives there and works with these families every day. We assist them with their marketing, finances, and various productivity improvements. Bill visits every year, although last year he was unable to. It’s a real partnership that results in high-quality, organic vanilla that we use in all of our products.
What’s a “Singing Dog”?
We named ourselves after the New Guinea Singing Dog. They don’t bark but instead sing like whales. Our farmers thought it was hilarious and people thought we were crazy, but we wanted something a little silly. That silliness is a value we wanted to instill from the beginning, and it’s still around today.
What makes your vanilla different from others?
Our vanilla stands apart from others because we use only high-quality, single-origin vanilla that’s non-GMO, fair trade, and organic. We can genuinely show you where every bean comes from. Singing Dog Vanilla buys directly from our farmer partners, selling directly to customers. It’s a direct supply chain because we care for the people who grow our vanilla and take care of them.
My personal belief is what’s good for the community is good for business. Back when I was in business school, that wasn’t really what they taught. But I’m happy to see that tides have changed a lot in recent years.
Singing Dog Vanilla is available all over the world. What are some of the things you’ve loved to see your vanilla in over the years?
Well, we’ve been fortunate enough to be in a few different collaborations here in the Northwest: most notably Salt & Straw’s Double Fold Vanilla ice cream, plus a couple of different craft beers from Ninkasi, Hop Valley & Oakshire. I am a cider drinker myself though, so this Tangerine Dreamsicle cider is my new favorite.
Actually, I have a personal love story with tangerine - I always have some in my office. I once bought a cassette tape just because it was by a band named “Tangerine Dream.” We make a vanilla tangerine lip balm because I like it so much! So, this cider really is the perfect “Proper Pint” for me.
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Marty at Singing Dog Vanilla is just one of the incredible suppliers we partner with to craft Portland Cider’s newest releases. Portland Cider Company is committed to making the best cider in the Pacific Northwest - it’s in our roots! Portland Cider Co. was started in 2013 with the mission of bringing together cider rooted in the English tradition with a little Portland personality and culture. Combine those things, and you’ve got the Portland Cider Company.