Sustainable vanilla cultivation

Original Mexican vanilla

Vanilla is an indispensable ingredient that is widely used in many industries, including the food, cosmetics, and perfume industries. 80% of the world's vanilla production is concentrated in Madagascar, but did you know that...
¿Sabía usted que México es el país de origen de la vainilla? El cacao y la vainilla son logros mexicanos que han enriquecido la cocina mundial durante siglos. Los aztecas trataban las semillas de cacao como monedas y, desde hace siglos, aquí se cultiva la mejor vainilla gourmet y se produce mediante elaborados métodos tradicionales. Aquí, en el corazón de México, comienza la historia de un placer verdaderamente especial.

Mexico, the cradle of vanilla cultivation

Vanilla originally comes from Mexico and is also known by the Nahuatl names ixtlilxochitl or tlilxóchitl (“black flower”), totonaco xanath, and cacixanatl, which were already used by the Aztecs to soften the bitter taste of chocolate. The Totonacs, inhabitants of the Gulf Coast of Mexico, were the first to cultivate vanilla. The Totonacs maintained the monopoly of vanilla cultivation until the 19th century, as all European attempts to grow vanilla elsewhere failed outside its native land. Thanks to the Frenchman Louis XIV, the Sun King, who was passionate about this exotic spice, vanilla conquered the noble kitchens of Europe. Yet all initial attempts to cultivate vanilla outside Mexico were doomed to fail. For a long time, only Mexican bees could pollinate vanilla flowers. In 1837, the Belgian botanist Charles Morren discovered that the vanilla flower is pollinated by the stingless Melipona bee, which is found only in Mexico, thus preventing natural pollination elsewhere. It was not until the 12-year-old slave Edmond Albius (1829–1880) on the island of Bourbon invented hand-pollination of orchid flowers that vanilla began to be cultivated in many tropical regions of the world.

Sustainable vanilla cultivation in Mexico

The goal of Vanilla-Trade is to develop a sustainable, traceable, and high-quality supply chain that respects the integrity of natural ecosystems and helps improve the living conditions of vanilla-growing communities throughout Mexico. We support the creation of cooperatives, organic farming, the preservation of tropical forests, fair prices, and the further development of local communities. This direct trade model allows us to pay farmers a premium price for exceptional vanilla beans while still offering competitive prices to our customers. In line with Vanilla-Trade’s vision and mission and to achieve the goals of sustainable development, the company is committed to several key points towards its partners, employees, and customers as follows:

Development of sustainable vanilla production in agroforestry systems (as a main or intercrop), to ensure producers a stable income and to improve their productivity and quality of life.

Organization and structuring of producer associations (Provision of know-how, plants, tools, training, and quality through good agricultural practices and organic methods).

Ensuring fair prices for the producers through a base price and participation in the actual sales price.

Comprehensive traceability through the implementation of a system that tracks vanilla from the cultivation area to the final destination.

Provision of a percentage of sales for sustainable conservation measures in protected areas.

Promotion of interaction between producers, traders, consumers, and key stakeholders in environmental protection.