Meet Carlos Pundik | Extractologist, Owner, La Vida Vanilla Extracts

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carlos Pundik and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carlos, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
It was early on when the pandemic first began that my partner, Jonathan, and I got stuck at home from our corporate jobs where our vanilla extracts idea came about. I love to bake, I grew up spending quite a bit of time with my paternal grandmother in her kitchen while I was a young adolescent watching and observing her prepare meals and traditional family recipes. While we were stuck at home, I started baking quite a bit making my own homemade cakes and cookies and breads. I always took vanilla extract for granted thinking as long as it says vanilla on the bottle it was the correct ingredient, but boy was I wrong! All vanilla extracts are NOT created equal!!

I noticed that the baked goods I was making were just ok tasting but no “oh wow” factor! So with the extra time on my hands and being in lock down mode, I began to look for a better pure vanilla extract that I could use in my baking and ordered three of the top rated ones on Amazon. I was still not happy because each of these top rated vanilla extracts contained other ingredients or additives that were still hindering the purity and taste I was looking for and wanted. I shared this discovery with my son, Daniel, who is an amazing Executive Chef in San Diego, California, and he said to do some research and maybe I can try making my own vanilla extracts! I began to research vanilla and vanilla extracts online I found a bunch of YouTube videos and did some binge watching too!

What I discovered was shocking and I realized I had been using vanilla extracts that were mostly synthetic and artificially made, loaded with chemicals, additives and so called “natural flavorings”. I also had no idea that vanilla was so hard to grow and produce, but that’s a whole other story! The shocking part of what I discovered had to do with beavers and Castoreum which is secreted by the castor gland, which is located very near to a beaver’s anal gland! This was the tipping point for me!!
I began searching for my own quality ingredients and experimenting and trying different varieties of vanilla beans that came from Madagascar, Indonesia, Tahiti and Uganda. This is where my YouTube education and online research that I had done came in handy! I also learned that there were Grade A and Grade B vanilla beans and this is where “all vanilla beans were not created equal” clicked for me!

My kitchen began to look more like a science lab than a kitchen! I started with pint sized mason jars and gradually upgraded in size to half gallons! I experimented for about six months during which I had different strengths and vanilla bean varieties extracting. I opened my first half gallon which was one of the first batches I had made and the first thing I noticed after opening the Mason jar was the amazing burst of vanilla aroma!! It was almost intoxicating, but in a good way!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Originally from Cuba, right now it’s all about La Vida Vanilla, but in my previous careers I have always been an entrepreneur. I was known as an internationally acclaimed Cultural Change Expert, Intrapreneurial Leader, Executive Business Coach, Innovator and “thought leader” having worked with a number of small, medium and large organizations throughout North America, Latin America, The United Kingdom and the Caribbean both within the private and public sectors as well as non-profits and government agencies.

I am a graduate of the New School for Social Research in New York City, and have dedicated the majority of my career to helping organizations, individuals, corporate executives and high performance teams to achieve unprecedented results and successes. In addition, I have received numerous awards, certifications and leadership accolades in Personal Development, Leadership Innovation and Business Coaching from world renowned Institutions and training organizations. My focus now is building La Vida Vanilla into a global brand, recognized as one of the most unique and flavorful vanilla extracts available.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would definitely take my best friends to dinner at Versailles. A taste of my Cuban heritage has always been my passion when it comes to food. As a matter of fact, La Vida Vanilla makes a Vanilla Extract specifically inspired by my Cuban roots and grandmother called Café Cubano Vanilla Extract. An Art Excursion to Wynwood would follow our cultural dinner experience. We would end our adventure on Calle Ocho for a night cap Cortadito.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My son, Daniel Pundik, deserves the credit. Once I had a formula I liked, I sent him a few bottles to try. He did, as well as giving some to his chef and baker friends in California. They ALL loved it, and wanted MORE! Daniel said, “Dad, you really need to bottle this vanilla and sell it to the public.” His inspiration and enthusiasm is how La Vida Vanilla Extracts was born! Daniel is currently the Executive Chef of 2 popular bistros in Oceanside, CA, where he uses La Vida Vanilla Extracts in all of his desserts!

Website: https://lavidavanilla.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/la_vida_vanilla/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaVidaVanilla

Image Credits
All images provided are the intellectual property of La Vida Vanilla Extracts, and we give you permission to use them for this article.