Vanilla’s African Connection

While the Mexicans were dependent on the natural pollination by the bee and hummingbird of the native orchids of the genus Vanilla, it took a slave on the African island of Réunion to commercialise what we know today as the vanilla spice.

Vanilla is regarded as one of the most expensive spices in the world. This is due to the technique employed by the enslaved person, Edmond Albius, to expose and hand pollinate this orchid’s anther to the stigma using a splinter of wood. This is the human way of producing a vanilla bean.

Although the orchid is indigenous to Central America, it has a rich history and culture now rooted in Africa.

That is the reason for including vanilla in the Afrika Botanicals product list.

Madagascar is generally regarded as the adopted home of the Vanilla Plantifolia species. It supplies nearly three-quarters of vanilla in the world. The ‘Bourbon vanilla’ label includes the other African islands of Mauritius, Comoros and Réunion. There are only three species of this orchid in the world. However, the demand for the bean has witnessed very successful cultivation of this specie in the volcanic lowlands of central Africa, specifically in Uganda.

Ugandan Vanilla

Although Madagascar remains the leading producer of vanilla in volumes, the quality is considered variable based on vanillin content. The industry standard regards vanillin content of 1.6 to 1.8% at 25% moisture content. We like to standardise our vanillin content grading based on 25% moisture content even though 32% is offered on the Gourmet beans.

A grade beans are generally sticky and shiny due to the oleoresin of the vanilla being present on the surface. Vanillin is rated at 2% to 2.5% at 25% MC, but these beans are typically stable at any moisture content range up to 38%.
Uganda is starting to set the standard of what is possible with vanillin quality and seems to surpass far other origins in the world.

AA- Grade beans are rated at 2.5 to 3% vanillin. This is usually the upper limit for Gourmet beans and about 5% of our crop. White vanillin crystals on dark black juicy beans.

Uganda vanilla splits beans from Kasese. Split beans are so mature that they start to split at the tips while still on the vines (a sign of over-ripeness, one might say). However, this grade is highly sought after in the critical extraction industry, where they are not selling vanilla per se but vanillin of sale.

All stock is airfreighted from Uganda, making the price very sensitive to volume.

Growing Vanilla Plantifolia

This specie of orchid naturally grows between 15 to metres tall and is planted on support in cultivation. It is still hand-pollinated through skilful techniques.

Growing techniques vary between farmers.
The petals and sepals of this plant bloom only once a season. Each flower will only produce one seed pod, but not all flowers are pollinated to allow for a solid and healthy fruit. Maximum size is reached after two months which will ripen six to seven months later.

The bean splitting is expected at the end of the ripening stage. And that is how vanilla is graded. The gourmet vanilla bean is harvested after it splits, and this is regarded as the plant’s highest quality which is very high in the vanillan natural flavour molecule.

The African Vanilla Cycle

September to December

The flower blossoms and is hand-pollinated

December to June

The beans grow

June to September

Harvesting

Vanilla Curing Process

Blanching – a few minutes

Drying and Sweating – 48 hours

Further drying in the sun and shade – 2 to 3 months

Refining – 4 to 5 months

Our Ugandan Vanilla

We essentially have the following vanilla derived SKUs

Gourmet Beans

AA, A, B – Grade (this is based on vanillin content)
12 cm, 13 to 15cm, 16 to 18cm, > 18cm

Moisture content: 28 to 32%

Vanilla Cuts

As per your requirements (5mm or 8mm, or 10mm)
Option to get this on vanillin content grades, AA, A, B, C, D

Vanilla Powder

40# powder essentially < 0.4mm particle size
AA, A, B, C – grades based on vanillin content
MC typically 8% to 10%

In Summary

Area of Origin: Uganda

Certification: Organic EU; Organic NOP/COR; SAGAP; HACCP