Please find below the main stages of the vanilla Planifolia production process:
1. Plantation preparation and maintenance
- Cultivation of vanilla in areas well suited for optimal growth.
- Maintenance of the plantation without the use of prohibited chemical products.
- No GMO plant material used.
- No unauthorized chemical herbicides.
- No unauthorized chemical fertilizers.
- No prohibited chemical pesticides.
- No use of any fungicides.
- No sewage sludge is used.
- Only products and methods compatible with organic farming requirements are used when necessary.
2. Pollination
Vanilla flowers are pollinated manually by hand, flower by flower, according to the traditional expertise of vanilla producers.
This process allows growers to carefully manage the flowers and promote high-quality production.
Selectively pollinating so as not to overstress each individual plant.
3. Development of the vanilla pods
After pollination, the vanilla pods develop naturally on the plants.
The plantation is regularly monitored and maintained throughout the entire growing cycle (8-9 months) in order to naturally minimize the risks of diseases and pests.
4. Harvesting
The vanilla pods are harvested manually when they reach the appropriate level of maturity. Hopefully, this is done one by one rather than harvesting the entire raceme at once.
Particular attention is paid to the selection of the pods in order to obtain high-quality raw material.
5. Preparation and sorting
After harvesting, the vanilla pods are manually sorted.
Pods showing defects are separated in order to ensure consistent quality in the lots intended for export.
6. Scalding
The selected green vanilla pods undergo the traditional scalding process, which is the first stage in transforming green vanilla into properly cured vanilla. This begins the enzymatic reaction.
7. Sweating
The pods are then kept under appropriate conditions to allow the gradual development of their aromas. As they begin their moisture reduction.
8. Drying
Drying is carried out progressively, mainly using natural methods (sun exposure followed by sweating in blankets), with regular monitoring of the condition of the pods.
This stage is particularly important for obtaining vanilla with good flexibility, an even color and a well-developed aromatic profile.
9. Conditioning/maturation
After drying, the vanilla pods are stored and matured for a period of time (one to as much as 6 months) to allow their aromas to fully develop.
The pods are regularly inspected and handled to maintain their quality.
10. Quality control
Before being marketed, the vanilla beans are checked for, among other things:
- appearance of the pods
- length and grade
- flexibility
- moisture level;
- absence of mold
- absence of foreign matter
- overall product condition
- batch traceability
11. Traceability
Growers should provide traceability of their vanilla lots from their origin through to shipment.
This should include: the origin of the vanilla, the batch, the individual farmer who grew it, its length, moisture level and grade.
12. Organic control and certification
If the vanilla is certified organic (using USDA NOP worldwide standards) then it will be subject to further analysis, data monitoring, inspection, and ultimately certification.
Vanilla lots are inspected and evaluated by a qualified certification body in order to verify their compliance with the applicable organic requirements.
13. Sale and/or Export
Once all the above steps are completed, then the vanilla is ready for sale and/or export.
The importer will now have the possibility to carry out their own individual checks and analysis.
This may require additional laboratory analyses and/or further independent inspections after each shipment is received.
14. What importers/buyers of vanilla need to know
- Unauthorized chemical herbicides
- Unauthorized chemical fertilizers
- Prohibited chemical pesticides
- GMOs
- Sewage sludge
- Products that have not been approved by the relevant certification bodies
A vanilla grower/curer’s ultimate objective should be to establish a serious and long-term partnership with the importer/buyer. For this reason, great importance should be placed on transparency, traceability, quality and honesty in every transaction.
As an importer/buyer of high-quality vanilla, we believe that a successful business relationship should be based not only on trust, but also on verifiable and documented information.
Furthermore, the importer/buyer should be allowed to give ongoing feedback to the grower/curer. This constructive feedback allows the grower/curer to further improve their vanilla's reputation and origin to an optimal high standard.
The problem with buying vanilla overseas from a trader and not the actual grower or curer themselves, will result in not knowing steps 1 through 12 above!! And, if you do not know that, you do not know what you are truly getting.