BOURBON VANILLA FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY

Vanilla from Madagascar is known under the trade name Bourbon vanilla. Its intense and balanced flavour makes it the most popular variety in Europe. Our Bourbon vanilla pods come from the UNESCO Mananara Biosphere Reserve, a traditional vanilla growing region in the north-east of the island.

The cultivation of a vanilla pod is an art. So that vanilla pods can be harvested after nine months of ripening time, each vanilla blossom is pollinated individually by hand. The pods then go through several important processing steps after harvesting to help them develop their characteristic vanilla flavour. The highest levels of care and precision are required from fermentation to gradual sun and shade drying right through to quality control.

Thanks to the elaborate traditional process, many years of experience and our engagement on site, we are able to supply you with vanilla with a unique flavour. Our products correspond to the trend towards vanilla extracts instead of vanilla flavourings.

Our entire organic Bourbon vanilla range is produced organically. No artificial pesticides and fertilisers are used during cultivation, helping to preserve long-term soil quality and biodiversity. The process also uses no chemicals for conserving or ripening.

It is extremely important to us that smallholders receive a fair price for their vanilla.

Especially in Madagascar, the positive impact of fair trade is particularly significant as the island is still one of the poorest countries in the world. Furthermore, the farming areas are situated in extremely remote locations where there are hardly any alternative sources of income.

Our Bourbon vanilla products are available with fair trade and Fair for Life certificates. The premiums help smallholders to significantly improve their standard of living. In a democratic process, the smallholder cooperatives decide themselves which projects they would like to implement using the fair trade premiums. Common projects include investments in infrastructure such as water fountains or bridges as well as the further education of members and their families.

The fair trade label also ensures that the entire value chain is free from child labour. In 2024, we paid out 2’111’370 US dollars in fair trade premiums together with our customers. Here we explain in more detail how your purchase of fair trade products makes a difference.

With extensive experience in vanilla processing, PRONATEC sells various organic vanilla products to the food processing industry:

Immediately after being harvested, the then still green pods are submerged in hot water, fermented and dried. This process helps develop the characteristic vanilla flavour formed from a variety of different flavour components.

The most important sign of quality is the natural vanillin content. Our goal is a vanillin content of at least 1.5%. The carefully sorted pods come in a variety of lengths between 11 and 21 cm and in various qualities for diverse areas of application.

As a matter of conviction, we buy organic and fair trade vanilla directly from smallholder organisations.

In the region of Mananara in north-east Madagascar, we and our local representative PREMIUM SPICES collaborate with three different smallholder cooperatives. In total, around 1,800 farming families from 73 villages cultivate vanilla and cloves in accordance with organic and fair trade guidelines.

The Mananara UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is the largest, uninterrupted rainforest in Madagascar and is surrounded by a buffer zone of sustainable agriculture. Its humid and tropical climate and the traditional knowledge of the local population provide ideal conditions for the cultivation of precious Bourbon vanilla.

For smallholders, the cultivation of vanilla and spices is an ideal supplement to that of important staple foods such as rice and vegetables. The small-scale agriculture is characterised by high levels of biodiversity and the harmonious coexistence between people and nature prevents ecological exploitation in the region.