Finest Vanilla · Madagascar
Madagascar vanilla and spices from the red island
Grade A beans, vanilla powder, seeds and peppers, selected and prepared in Madagascar by our house since 2015.
- Since 2015
- Approved by the Ministry of Commerce
- Registered with the FDA
- Vanilla planifolia
- Grade A
- Bourbon
- Sambava
- Madagascar
- Finest Vanilla
Born in Sambava in 2015
A house founded in the heartland of vanilla.
Approved exporter
Official approval from the Ministry of Commerce since 2018.
FDA registration
Registered with the US Food and Drug Administration.
Local commitment
$0.35 donated per kilo sold to the development of the Malagasy population.
The shop
Our categories
Choose your vanilla by use: beans for cooking, extraction vanilla, powder and seeds, or spices from Madagascar.
The collection
All our products
Prices in US dollars, all taxes included.
A generous, supple Grade A selection made for splitting, scraping and infusing — for passionate home bakers and culinary professionals.
- Grade : Grade A
- Length : 16–17 cm
- Texture : Supple and plump
- Uses : Creams, ice cream, pastries, sauces, syrups
Our longest black beans: soft, plump, with chocolate notes.
- Form : Unsplit
- Colour : Black, slightly brown
- Length : 18 cm+
- Humidity : 31–38 %
- Vanillin : 1,7–2,4 %
- Bean weight : 4–6 g
- Uses : Cooking, restaurants, pastry, confectionery
A soft, plump black bean with a chocolate aroma — the versatile format for kitchens and pastry.
- Form : Unsplit
- Colour : Black, slightly brown
- Length : 13–15 cm
- Humidity : 31–38 %
- Vanillin : 1,7–2,4 %
- Bean weight : 3,5–5 g
- Uses : Cooking, restaurants, baking, confectionery
The short format of our black vanilla: the same chocolate aroma, the same plump pod.
- Form : Unsplit
- Colour : Black, slightly brown
- Length : 10–12 cm
- Humidity : 31–38 %
- Vanillin : 1,7–2,4 %
- Bean weight : 3,5 g
- Uses : Cooking, food service, baking, confectionery
A brown bean with reddish filaments, for cooking, catering and confectionery.
- Form : Unsplit
- Colour : Brown with reddish filaments
- Length : 13 cm+
- Bean weight : 3–5,2 g
- Vanillin : 1,6–2,4 g
- Humidity : 28–33 %
- Uses : Cooking, catering, baking, confectionery
Grade A Pompona vanilla, 16 cm and longer, brown with reddish filaments.
- Form : Unsplit
- Colour : Brown with reddish filaments
- Length : 16 cm+
- Bean weight : 3–5,2 g
- Vanillin : 1,6–2,4 g
- Humidity : 28–33 %
- Uses : Cooking, food service, baking, confectionery
Dry vanilla, split or unsplit, intended for extraction.
- Form : Split and unsplit
- Colour : Reddish
- Length : 12–18 cm
- Bean weight : 1,5–3 g
- Vanillin : 1,1–1,7 g
- Humidity : 16–27 %
- Uses : Extraction
Grade B cut vanilla, reddish and brown, intended for extraction.
- Colour : Reddish and brown
- Length : 12–18 cm
- Vanillin : 0,6–1,2 g
- Humidity : < 15 %
- Uses : Extraction
Pure ground vanilla for fine cuisine, pastry making and confectionery.
- Vanillin : 0,6–1,2 %
- Humidity : < 15 %
- Uses : Fine cuisine, pastry, confectionery
The seeds of the Bourbon pod, ready to flavour your preparations.
- Humidity : 15–18 %
Black pepper
$12
Heavy black pepper with round berries over 3 mm.
- Botanical name : Piper nigrum L.
- Colour : Brownish to dark brown, blackish
- Size : Ø > 3 mm
- Bulk density : > 540 g/l
- Humidity : < 10 %
- Plant impurities : < 1 %
- Foreign matter : < 0,1 %
Voatsiperifery, the wild pepper of Madagascar, in Grade A quality.
- Botanical name : Piper borbonense L.
- Colour : Dark reddish to blackish
- Length : > 7 mm
- Bulk density : ≥ 480 g/l
- Humidity : < 10 %
- Plant impurities : < 1 %
White pepper
$32
White pepper with a hot flavour.
- Botanical name : Piper nigrum L.
- Size : Ø > 1,9 mm
- Humidity : < 10 %
- Plant impurities : < 2 %
- Foreign matter : < 0,5 %
- Flavour : Hot
Cinnamon stick
$21
Well-dried rolled bark sticks, light brown in colour.
- Colour : Light brown
- Humidity : < 10 %
- Plant impurities : < 0,01 %
- Foreign matter : < 0,01 %
Our story
A house born in the lands of Sambava
The story of Finest Vanilla began in 2015. In the field, alongside farmers, its founder learned the secrets of vanilla, with one commitment: to value the work of local people and raise Malagasy vanilla to international standards.
2015
Beginnings in Sambava
An economics background turned into a human adventure. In Farahalana, in the field, the founder learned alongside the farmers.
2018
Official approval
Approval from the Ministry of Commerce. Our beans travel to Europe, Asia and the United States, selected in Mananara Nord, Ambanja and Antalaha.
2022 – 2026
Bringing everything up to standard
Health and storage approval, registration with the FDA. USDA and AB (organic) certifications being finalised with the CCPB.
Contributing to the educational and economic development of the Malagasy population: $0.35 is donated for every kilo sold.
Craft
From flower to pod
Bourbon vanilla demands meticulous care, from pollination to shipping. Here are the nine steps of its preparation.
01
Pollination
The vanilla flower is naturally sterile. From mid-September to mid-December, each flower is pollinated by hand in the morning, between 6 and 11 a.m.
02
Harvest
After 7 to 9 months, the green pods begin to yellow. They are hand-picked according to ripeness.
03
Scalding
Within 48 hours of picking, the pods are immersed in 65 °C water for about 3 minutes.
04
Steaming
About 12 hours in large covered wooden boxes that slow the cooling. Green turns to brown.
05
Sun drying
3 to 5 hours of sun a day for a week, to begin developing the aroma.
06
Shade drying
About a month on racks in the shade, with regular sorting by moisture.
07
Sorting & grading
Moisture, length, colour, split or unsplit: each bean is graded, then bundled in 150–200 g bunches.
08
Curing
3 to 9 months in trunks lined with paraffin paper, under blankets, to develop the aroma and stabilise the pods.
09
Packaging
Cartons lined with paraffin paper, or vacuum-sealed on request, approved by the Ministry of Commerce.
Characteristics & uses
Choose well, use well
The pleasure of the whole bean: split it, scrape out the seeds and let the pod infuse.
1
Split
Open the supple pod lengthwise, from tip to heel.
2
Scrape
Collect the seeds: they bring the characteristic black specks.
3
Infuse
The pod keeps its aroma: infuse it in milk, cream or syrup.
Ideas
- Crème brûlée
- Ice cream
- Panna cotta
- Pastry cream
- Poached pears
- Homemade syrup
Storage
In an airtight container, away from light and humidity. In a cool, dry place, beans keep their flavour for several months or even years.
Which bean should you choose?
The characteristics of our whole beans, as listed on our product pages.
| Product | Length | Humidity | Vanillin | Bean weight | Uses | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gourmet Premium Grade A 16–17 cm | 16–17 cm | — | — | — | Creams, ice cream, pastries, sauces, syrups | $78 |
| Premium Vanilla Grade A 18 cm+ | 18 cm+ | 31–38 % | 1,7–2,4 % | 4–6 g | Cooking, restaurants, pastry, confectionery | $82 |
| Gourmet Premium Vanilla 13–15 cm | 13–15 cm | 31–38 % | 1,7–2,4 % | 3,5–5 g | Cooking, restaurants, baking, confectionery | $75 |
| Premium Vanilla Short 10–12 cm | 10–12 cm | 31–38 % | 1,7–2,4 % | 3,5 g | Cooking, food service, baking, confectionery | $67 |
| TK Vanilla Grade A 13 cm+ | 13 cm+ | 28–33 % | 1,6–2,4 g | 3–5,2 g | Cooking, catering, baking, confectionery | $80 |
| Pompona Vanilla Grade A 16 cm+ | 16 cm+ | 28–33 % | 1,6–2,4 g | 3–5,2 g | Cooking, food service, baking, confectionery | $80 |
Journal
News from the house
Ordering
Delivery & payment
Prices in USD, taxes included
Prices are shown in US dollars, all taxes included, and may change.
Delivery
Delivered to the address given when ordering. Delivery costs are paid by the customer and shown when ordering.
Payment
On the online shop, payment by credit card or another accepted method, secure and encrypted.
Withdrawal
14 days from receipt, for products in perfect condition and in their original packaging.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between gourmet black vanilla and black vanilla?
Gourmet black vanilla is a premium variety with longer, fleshier beans, while black vanilla is a standard quality.
What are the quality criteria for Madagascar vanilla?
Madagascar vanilla is assessed on the length, moisture, flexibility and aroma of the pods.
How should vanilla and spices be stored?
In airtight containers, away from light and humidity, to preserve their freshness and flavour.
How is traceability ensured?
Every step of the supply chain is followed, from cultivation to export, to guarantee the quality and authenticity of each product.