Situated about 250 miles off the coast of East Africa in the Indian Ocean is the world’s fourth-largestisland: Madagascar.Hometovarious plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth,the island’s rainforests, deserts, beaches and unique flora and fauna make it aone-of-a-kind destination.
Adding to its intrigue,thehumid, northeast cornerof Madagascar,known as the Sava region, ishome to as much as 80% of the world’s vanilla beans.Although it isnot native to the country, vanilla produced in Madagascar is considered the gold standard.Vanillagrown outside ofits native Mexicomust be pollinatedcompletely by handduring a five- to six-hour window of blooming. Once pollinated, beans take about three to four months to mature.
Growing and harvesting vanilla is incredibly labor–intensive. Both the vine and beans are very delicate, so they require careful hand picking. Growing season is an eight-month process, running from November to June. Harvesting occurs during June and July,leading tothe eight- to 12-week traditional curing process. From July through September, vanilla is aged and prepped; sorted and graded; and packaged for export.
The resultofthisprecise anddemanding workis the classic vanilla flavor most U.S. consumers know and love.Madagascan vanilla beans, also known as bourbon vanilla, have nothing to do with bourbon whiskey. Rather, these beans are grown on islands in the Indian Ocean formerly knownas the Île Bourbon, which is made of islands we know as Madagascar, Comoros and Réunion today.
Vanilla Growing Regions
Bourbonvanilla beans produce a clear and creamy flavor, andareregarded as the most popular vanilla profile, making Madagascar the top producer of vanilla globally. While Madagascan beans are the thinnest of all vanilla beans seen today, they are the most impactful in terms of flavorwith avanillinlevel of 2.0 to 2.5%.Vanillin is the primary component of the extract of the vanilla bean.
Madagascarvanilla flavorisdescribed as sweet, creamy, rich, tobacco-like,balsamicandwith a spicy back note.According tocustom research conducted bySynergy Flavorsin March,68%of consumers said Madagascar vanilla was the most appealing when used in food and beverage products.
FollowingMadagascar,topvanilla–producing countries include Indonesia, Mexico, Tahiti and Uganda.Indonesia is the second–largest producer ofvanillaand51% of consumers say the flavor is appealing when used in food and beverage, according to Synergy’s research. Theflavor is described as less sweet and creamy than itsMadagascan cousin,with a woodyandslight smokiness to it.
Despite it being the country of origin, Mexicocomes in as the third-largestproducer of vanillaanditsflavor ispreferred by 47% of consumers. The aroma and flavorof Mexican vanillaare described as sharp, sweet and spicy, but it lacks the body of Madagascar’s vanilla.
In fourth place is Tahiti, which produces a distinct perfumed floral and anisic, less intense vanilla character. And in fifth place, Uganda produces a milk chocolate, early and bold-sweet vanilla.Additional vanilla-producing countries include Papua New Guinea, Costa Rica and India.
What Does Vanilla Taste Like?
Sensory languageoftenused to describevanilla includes:
- Woody
- Smoky
- Floral
- Rummy
- Pruney
- Cotton Candy
- Playdough
- Musty
A Century of Vanilla Expertise
With more than a century of vanilla expertise at Synergy Flavors, we combine 21st-centurytechnology with traditional artistry to provide you with the finest vanilla flavoring and extracts. Combining our extraction techniques with sensory analysis expertise, we offer a wide range of customizable vanilla extracts and natural flavorings based on marketing-leading profiles.
We are equipped to respond quickly to your challenges and meet your formulation needs with our extensive technical expertise and cutting-edge facilities. We offer customizable ingredient solutions from pure vanilla extract to artificial to fit your specific label needs, and pride ourselves on sustainable sourcing and cost savings.
Whether you require a Madagascan pure vanilla extract for a creamy cheesecake or an Indonesian smoky profile for a luxury ice cream, our technical experts will work with you to develop a tailored solution to meet your exact requirements.
Our vanillas are available as pure vanilla extracts or as vanilla flavoring in powder or liquid forms. The range includes options that are clean label and derived from natural, organic sources.
Contact us today to learn more about vanillaor request a sample.
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