Vanilla beans are one of the most widely desired spices worldwide, used in everything from your favorite and baked goods to cosmetics, perfume, and medicines, but the production process is labor-intensive, making the spice both expensive and rare. The flavoring and aromatic agent originated in Mexico and is derived from the dried fruit of the vanilla orchid. Its earliest known use was by the Maya, though it was first cultivated as a crop by the Totonac people.
The early Maya and later Aztec people mixed it with cacao to make the chocolate drinks that eventually became today's hot chocolate (try adding a bit of vanilla to your own for an out-of-this-world experience). When the Spanish conquered the region in the 16th century, vanilla made its way to Europe and became a favorite flavor of the elite. Over time, its appeal spread globally, and by the 19th century, vanilla cultivation had expanded to Indonesia and Madagascar.
, helping make the spice accessible for a wide variety of uses worldwide. Madagascar: the vanilla king Madagascar (an island located off the coast of Africa) is responsible for producing an impressive 60-80% of the world's vanilla supply. This translates to about 3,000 tons of vanilla beans annually, much of which is exported for global use in vanilla extract and other products.
The country's tropical climate is ideal for cultivating high-quality Bourbon vanilla — a variety prized for its rich, creamy, and sweet profile that sets it apart from other types, .