Supporting Sustainable Vanilla Harvesting

With its sweet, smooth and rich flavor, vanilla is one of the most in-demand spices around the world — as well as the key flavor ingredient in Breyers Natural Vanilla ice cream. In fact, vanilla is the second most expensive spice in the world.1 Due to the high demand for natural vanilla flavor, vanilla harvesting has a major social, environmental and economic impact on the regions where it is produced. Breyers is committed to sustainably sourcing the vanilla we use to craft our ice cream, so we can all help create a maintainable livelihood for vanilla farmers and limit the environmental impact on land where this delicious crop is produced.

Did you know that vanilla bean isn’t a bean at all? If you’re wondering, “where does natural vanilla flavor come from then?” This “bean” is actually a fruit that comes from the vanilla orchid. The vanilla orchid can take up to four years to mature and once they are ripe, the fruit is handpicked by farmers to maximize flavor.2 While the process of natural vanilla farming is one of the best sources of vanilla flavor, natural vanilla bean extract makes up only 1% of the vanilla flavor on the global market.3 While Breyers is committed to using 100% natural vanilla in its world-famous Breyers Natural Vanilla ice cream, a majority of vanilla flavoring in foods, candies and desserts comes from the synthetically produced flavoring agent vanillin.

Small farms are the backbone of natural vanilla production and since no part of the vanilla farming or curing process has been mechanized, vanilla orchids must be painstakingly pollinated by hand. Despite their dedicated labor to the vanilla bean harvest, farmers often receive the smallest cut of profits and have little power to negotiate prices as vanilla beans begin to ferment immediately and must be sold quickly to ensure quality.4

In 2014, Breyer’s parent company Unilever partnered with ingredients group Symrise to form Vanilla For Change. This charitable partnership works to improve the livelihood of natural vanilla farmers in Madagascar, where around 80% of the world’s vanilla is produced.5 So far, the initiative has had a positive impact on more than 40,000 people in 76 villages in the region.6

Through Vanilla For Change, Breyers sources its vanilla directly from smallholders, helping move vanilla suppliers and their families out of poverty. Using a “fair price” initiative, we pay a premium for higher quality vanilla. This ensures a fair income for farmers and the best flavors for our ice creams. We also pay a premium for Rainforest Alliance Certified vanilla, which means the crop is not contributing to deforestation and is helping to limit the negative impact of increased vanilla production on the environment.

Since vanilla is grown in regions that are prone to extreme weather events, climate change has caused the market to become even more unpredictable. In 2017, a tropical cyclone destroyed 30% of Madagascan vanilla and caused a record spike in prices.7 By ensuring a fair price for sustainably produced vanilla and helping farmers to diversify their crops, Breyers and the Vanilla For Change initiative are helping to minimize the economic effects of extreme weather events on these farming communities.

The efforts to improve the lives of vanilla farmers goes beyond farming. Since Save The Children joined the Vanilla For Change partnership, the organization has established village level savings and loan associations, encouraged cooperatives and created youth groups throughout Madagascar.

So, how can you help support sustainable vanilla harvesting and these small farming communities? By choosing fair-trade producers like Breyers you are already helping to make a difference. And thanks to your support we can continue to make an impact in the lives of small vanilla farmers alongside the Vanilla For Change initiative.