We supply vanilla bean straight from Indonesia,
direct from our-owned farms,
and co-operative partnerships with local farmers
Once vanillas ripe, the four stages of curing can begin.
No more than three days after harvest, the beans are plunged into water heated to 150-170 degrees Fahrenheit from 10 seconds to three minutes. Timing depends on the size of the beans, whether they have split on the vine, and water temperature. Dipping is performed by a master curer who calculates these variables by feel. Dipping “kills” the bean, stopping growth and releasing the enzymes that begin production of vanillin, the bean’s primary flavor component. This converts glucovanillin to vanillin:
As soon as the beans are pulled from the water, workers rush to wrap them tightly in wool blankets, storing them inside a dark, airtight container. Speed is essential to preserve heat and steam. These trigger the enzymes that convert cellulose and starches to vanillin and other complex components that give vanilla its beautifully subtle aroma.
The beans remain tightly wrapped for up to two weeks, during which it is imperative to keep them warm. Any cooling can trigger mold, vanilla’s arch enemy. Because vanilla is cured during the rainy season, this presents a tricky problem. Curers combat cooling by laying the rolls in the sun and returning them to their container when clouds and rain threaten.
As the beans reach a more ideal moisture content, they will be left in the sun open to the air during the day and rolled up at night. Daily sun exposure is paramount to the flavor transformation and the prevention of mold on vanilla beans. This rolling and unrolling continues for up to two months.
Once the beans begin to develop aroma and reach the correct moisture, the drying stage begins. Drying is essential to enabling international shipment, because wet beans will mold in transit. The beans start out quite wet. They are laid in the open air, alternating between sun and shade, driving out moisture. Too much sun can over-dry the beans and destroy vanillin, leaving brittle, useless sticks. The beans are closely monitored and constantly sorted by moisture content. Workers massage each bean by hand to make sure the drying is occurring evenly. Drying usually lasts for 3 to 4 weeks, with a goal of 25-30 percent moisture content.
By now, the beans are exploding with aroma and flavor, and almost ready. They are placed in closed boxes lined with wax paper and kept there for at least a month. This preserves and enhances aroma. Beans are often shipped at this stage before conditioning is complete because this is the bean’s final form of storage.
The box can now finally be opened. The conditioned beans have developed full flavor, and look black and slick with a very light coating of natural oils. Sometimes, when everything happens just right, the beans are clothed in delicate white vanillin crystals.
Vanilla Bean Price USD 160-250/kg
Need vanilla in bulk supplies? Specific requirements? Please contact our sales team now!
Our Office Location
PT Alam Indonesia Raharja | MUC Building 5th Floor, Jl. TB Simatupang No.15, Tanjung Barat, Jagakarsa, DKI Jakarta, Indonesia, 12530