Vanilla Bean

Aromatic Madagascar vanilla beans are known for its rich, creamy taste and sweet, buttery aroma—pure indulgence in a cup. Vanilla plants need to be nurtured for three to four years before bearing pods. The flowers bloom once a year for 24 hours and must be immediately pollinated. In Mexico, this is done by bees, but in Madagascar, vanilla plants must be fertilized by hand. Once pollinated, a flower produces green beans within two months, and the signature vanilla scent is swaddled inside thousands of tiny black seeds and an oily film. As soon as the beans are picked, they begin to ferment, so time is of the essence in getting the beans from grower to market.