Madagascar did not discover vanilla — but it perfected it. The Vanilla planifolia orchid arrived on this island off the eastern coast of Africa in the 19th century, brought by French colonists. What followed was an accidental masterpiece: the combination of the SAVA region's volcanic red soil, warm equatorial rain, and the unmatched skill of Malagasy farmers transformed vanilla into something the rest of the world could not replicate.

Today, Madagascar produces roughly 80% of the world's natural vanilla supply. The variety — often called Bourbon vanilla, named for the French island of Reunion where it first took root — is celebrated for its creamy, rich, intensely sweet profile with soft floral undertones and a long, warm finish that no artificial substitute has ever come close to.

SAVA Region Northeastern Madagascar

The Terroir

Soil, Rain and Red Earth

The SAVA River Basin — named for its four towns: Sambava, Antalaha, Vohemar, Andapa — is a strip of northeastern Madagascar unlike anywhere on earth. Its conditions are not replicated. They are not exported. They simply exist, and vanilla happens because of them.

80%Share of world vanilla supply

SAVAPrimary growing region

9 mo.Curing and drying duration

25-35CYear-round growing climate

2,000+mmAnnual rainfall

HandPollinated, every single flower

Hand Pollination

The Vanilla planifolia orchid flower opens for just one day. Each blossom must be pollinated by hand, individually, within hours of opening — using a thin stick to transfer pollen. No insects, no machinery. Only patience.

Killing and Sweating

Green beans are briefly scalded in hot water to halt growth, a stage called killing. They are then wrapped in blankets and left to sweat for up to 48 hours, beginning the enzymatic process that unlocks vanillin, the compound responsible for vanilla's signature aroma.

Sun Drying

Each morning, beans are spread under the equatorial sun. Each afternoon, they are gathered and wrapped again. This cycle repeats for weeks — slowly reducing moisture, concentrating flavour, and developing the deep brown colour of a mature Madagascar bean.

Conditioning and Grading

Cured beans rest in sealed bundles for several months, developing complexity and equilibrating moisture. Graders then sort every pod by length, moisture content, and appearance. Only Grade A beans — plump, oily, aromatic — leave our facility.

Tasting Notes

The Bourbon Profile

Madagascar vanilla is considered the world standard — the benchmark against which all other vanillas are measured. Its profile is layered, warm, and unmistakable.

Creamy Rich, smooth texture on the palate

Caramel Deep, warm sweetness with burnt-sugar depth

Floral Delicate orchid notes in the top register

Sweet Long, clean sweetness with no bitterness

Woody Earthy underpinning from the pod itself

Buttery Soft, full-bodied finish that lingers

Vanilla is the only orchid in the world cultivated for food. In Madagascar, it is cultivated with a reverence the plant has earned over centuries.
NY Vanilla — Origin Notes

Origin — Uganda

Uganda

Grown in the volcanic highlands of western Uganda, our Ugandan vanilla offers a woody, smoky character with deep earthiness. Meet the farming families behind every pod.

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