PREMIUM SPICES – Vanilla, spices and cocoa from Madagascar
PREMIUM SPICES has been supplying us with premium Bourbon vanilla, spices and fine flavour cocoa from Madagascar since 2005, all certified to organic and fair trade standards. Our local partner currently brings 1,860 smallholders from five independent cooperatives into our supply chain. PRONATEC buys their entire harvest and has had a minority shareholding in the company since 2010.
PREMIUM SPICES was founded in 2005 with the aim of boosting the incomes of smallholder families in Madagascar through direct marketing while, at the same time, protecting species diversity there. PRONATEC has stood by them as a loyal partner since the start and supports PREMIUM SPICES with organic and fair trade certifications, export and marketing. Today, the effects of climate change are very tangible in Madagascar. Together, we are committed to climate-resilient farming practices that protect the rich biodiversity while generating valuable income for smallholders.
Vanilla from Mananara Biosphere Reserve – where it all began
The beginning of our presence in Madagascar dates back to 2002. It all started around the UNESCO-designated Mananara Biosphere Reserve. With the intention of protecting the rainforest from deforestation, PREMIUM SPICES CEO and founder Jürg Brand sought to open up new sources of income for farmers and their families. The reserve in the humid, tropical north-east of Madagascar is difficult to access and unimaginably rich in nature, with precious coral reefs off the coast. The traditional knowledge of the population and the humid climate are the ideal basis to grow premium vanilla and spices according to organic and fair trade standards.
Vanilla, spices and cocoa from agroforestry
Growing vanilla orchids and clove trees on the fringes of the protected tropical rainforest enables man and nature to coexist in harmony. Soil fertility and biodiversity are being preserved for the long term, while selling these high-value products has been providing smallholder families with a worthwhile income for years. The ecosystem is protected from deforestation, making the whole region stronger in the long run. Just like vanilla and cloves, the cinnamon trees located in the south-eastern part of the island as well as the cocoa trees in the northern part grow in climate-resilient agroforestry systems.
Fine flavour cacao from the Sambirano Valley
Cocoa from Madagascar is held in high regard across the globe and about ten years ago received the renowned “Cacao fin” or fine flavour cocoa label from the ICCO (International Cocoa Organization). PRONATEC and PREMIUM SPICES have been exclusively distributing the organic speciality cocoa grown by CPCS in the Sambirano Valley, the country’s most important cocoa growing area.
Organic turmeric and ginger creating local jobs
PREMIUM SPICES also supplies us with high-quality organic spices such as ginger and turmeric from smallholders. Much of the processing, for example cutting and drying the pieces of ginger, takes place locally, creating jobs for the local people.
Here’s what PREMIUM SPICES stands for
A loyal partner who stands for premium organic quality
Joining together in cooperatives and working with PREMIUM SPICES gives the smallholders access to international markets and puts them in a stronger negotiating position. Over a quarter of the producers are women, so this particularly strengthens them in their role. Many farmers have been able to build their own homes, send their children to school and purchase more farming land thanks to the financial support provided by the cooperative. A large proportion of the products distributed by PREMIUM SPICES are not only certified to organic but also to fair trade standards so that local communities benefit from social projects financed by Fairtrade premiums.
LATEST FAIRTRADE PROJECTS
Vanille processing at company-owned centre
PREMIUM SPICES is responsible for vanilla processing in its own fermentation and drying centre. Our strategy of buying the pods mostly green from the farmers and having them processed at our partner’s own center has proved its worth: the finished vanilla products that we get performs very well in all our analysis processes.
From quality control to export
Besides vanilla processing, PREMIUM SPICES oversees quality control and export of vanilla, spices and fine flavour cocoa. Our partner organises the transportation of the goods on the often very bad roads from the rural areas to the international ports or to Antananarivo from where the vanilla is exported.
Supporting the farmers at every level
Annual or bi-annual training courses offered by PREMIUM SPICES enable the smallholders to learn more about how to increase yields, diversify their income sources and improve product quality. The farmers can also rely on PREMIUM SPICES financially, e.g. it purchases resources to support them with quality control (risk management), buys seedlings for reforestation, provides them with materials that they need for their work, and helps them with the complex organic and Fairtrade certification process.
A partnership that benefits all
The Annual General Meeting offers an opportunity for PREMIUM SPICES to build closer relationships with the smallholders from its partner cooperatives. Trust and transparency form the basis for trade that benefits both sides and brings lasting development opportunities to the region.
Learn more about our vanilla, spices and cocoa from Madagascar
Cinnamon, turmeric and ginger
The smallholders of MITSINJO in the eastern part of the island have been supplying us with high-quality ginger, turmeric and cinnamon since 2009. The sustainable cultivation of spices helps to protect the local ecosystem from deforestation and particularly strengthens female farmers.
Fine flavour cocoa
The Sambirano Valley with its tropical climate and volcanic soil provides the perfect conditions for fine flavour or speciality cocoa from Madagascar. Our partner cooperative CPCS, founded in 2017, takes part in a multi-stakeholder project ensuring the sustainable management of the entire valley.
