Just learned most commercial vanilla extract is actually from a specific orchid in Madagascar

I was reading an old ingredient sourcing guide and it said over 80% of the world's vanilla comes from there. Totally changes how I think about that little bottle. Anyone have a favorite supplier for the really good stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

ward.piper2mo ago

Yeah it's wild how much comes from one place. Makes you wonder what happens if there's a bad crop year or something messes with the supply chain. Do you know if that orchid can even grow anywhere else, or are we all just banking on Madagascar staying stable?

danielh812mo ago

Read an article about that. They can grow the vanilla orchid in other tropical spots, like Tahiti or Indonesia. But the flavor's different. Madagascar's climate and soil give it that specific taste. So even if they farm it elsewhere, it wouldn't be the same product. Puts all our vanilla eggs in one basket, for sure. A bad storm or political mess over there would wreck the whole market.

paulb981mo ago

What worked for us with my business is having a couple different backup suppliers from different regions. Even if the flavor is a bit different, it's better than having zero product when something goes wrong.