Our Journey

OUR VANILLA BEANS' JOURNEY: From Madagascar's Orchids to Your North American Kitchen

Every vanilla bean has a backstory that starts on a small island in the Indian Ocean and ends up in the hands of chefs, craftspeople, and foodies in the US and Canada. This is your vanilla’s journey, created with generations of experience, patience, and tradition

The Bloom: A Flower with Just One Day to Live

Vanilla orchids are amazing. They only bloom for a few hours, and each flower needs to be manually pollinated during that time to produce a bean. This delicate procedure is carried out with human hands and a small bamboo stick in the northwest of Madagascar, where our families have lived for generations. Farmers get up early and walk the vines under the guidance of years of experience.

This is where the adventure starts: a transient blossom and a deft hand.

A Generational Craft: Hand-Pollination

One flower at a time, each pollination is deliberate and exact. Tradition is the only thing present. The technique that was first used in the 1800s and refined over many seasons is still used by our relatives and the nearby farming communities. Madagascar vanilla is renowned for its potency and fragrance, which is ensured by this art.

Growing Season: Eight to Nine Months of Patience

The flower becomes a green vanilla pod once it has been pollinated. For the next eight to nine months, farmers carefully tend to the growing beans, protect the vines, and keep an eye on the weather. The beans are harvested only when they reach full maturity, ensuring a rich concentration of natural vanillin — the compound responsible for the famous Madagascar aroma.

Conventional Curing: Where the Magic Takes Place

The transformation of vanilla starts with curing. This is a completely manual process that takes three to six months:

Warming up

To stop growth, beans are dipped in hot water.

Wetting

To create a scent, they are covered with cloth and placed beneath blankets.

Sun Drying

Beans are laid out in the sun each morning and covered at dusk.

Gradual Conditioning

Lastly, the beans are left in wooden boxes for several weeks to enhance their aroma.

We are pleased to present to you the warm, creamy, highly aromatic Bourbon vanilla that is produced through this meticulous, artisanal process.

Hand Selection: Only the Best Beans Proceed

After curing, every bean is examined individually. Our families search for:
  • Aroma strength
  • Moisture and pliability
  • Length and thickness
  • Rich, glossy oils
  • The ideal texture

MB Vanilla Grade A and Grade B vanilla are only made from beans that satisfy our requirements.
This is craftsmanship, not mass production.

A Cross-Ocean Journey from Madagascar to Canada

After being chosen, the beans are shipped from Madagascar to Manitoba, Canada, where we live. We conduct a second quality check upon arrival to make sure each bean is consistent, fresh, and intact. To maintain moisture and aroma, we repackage the beans in airtight, environmentally friendly containers.Nothing has changed. There is no artificial addition. Only natural, pure vanilla.

Distribution Throughout the USA and Canada

Orders are shipped from our Manitoba facility to:

  • Restaurants and cafés
  • Chocolatiers and ice-cream makers
  • Candle and perfume creators
  • Bakeries and food artisans
  • Home bakers across North America

The Last Chapter: Delivered to Your Kitchen

The scent you get when you open your MB Vanilla Beans pouch is caused by:
  • Thousands of hours of human assistance
  • Knowledge across generations
  • Curing for several months
  • Two continents linked by ancestry
From a single Madagascar orchid flower… …to a Canadian family-owned company… …to your home, your creations, and your recipes. We are honoured to share your vanilla’s journey with you.