📋 Martigane 2026 Catalogue — Madagascar Vanilla

Product	Length	Vanillin	Moisture	Packaging	Net weight
Gourmet vanilla beans	14 cm and above	≥ 1.6%	28–30%	Carton — 5 vacuum bags × 5 kg	25 kg
Red extraction vanilla beans (whole and split)	12 cm and above	≥ 1.6%	19–23%	Carton — 1 plastic bag, 25 kg	25 kg
Loose vanilla beans	Variable	≥ 1.6%	< 18%	Carton — 1 plastic bag, 18 kg	18 kg

Madagascar: the world's leading natural vanilla origin

Madagascar produces between 60 and 80% of the world's vanilla depending on the year, a dominance explained by exceptional agroclimatic conditions in the SAVA region — Sambava, Antalaha, Vohémar and Andapa — in the far north-east of the island. The warm, humid coastal microclimate combined with rich volcanic soils produces the most aromatic beans in the world.

Madagascar vanilla, also known as Bourbon vanilla after the former Île Bourbon (Réunion) from which it was introduced, is today the global reference for fine patisserie, the flavour industry and premium food manufacturing. Its rich, creamy aromatic profile, dominated by vanillin but completed by more than 250 secondary organic compounds, makes it an irreplaceable raw material for professionals.

🌿 From flower to bean: how vanilla is made

Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) is a climbing orchid native to Mexico, now cultivated almost exclusively in Madagascar. Each flower opens for a single day and must be hand-pollinated within twelve hours — a constraint that largely explains the high price of natural vanilla. The bean then takes eight to nine months to develop before being harvested green. It undergoes a long curing process: scalding, sweating, shade drying over several weeks, then conditioning in trunks for two to three months. That process is what develops the vanillin and the characteristic aromatics of the glossy black bean.

The three Martigane grades: understanding the differences

🥇 Gourmet vanilla beans — the premium grade

Gourmet beans are the top of the Martigane range:

Length 14 cm and above — longer beans carry more seeds, the vanilla caviar, and more aroma. Length is the primary international quality criterion.
Moisture 28–30% — the optimal range for artisan patisserie. At this level the bean is plump and supple, easy to split and scrape, and releases its aromatics readily.
Vanillin content ≥ 1.6% — above the international quality threshold.
Packaging — carton containing five 5kg bags, 25 kg net. The sub-bag format simplifies stock management for professional pastry chefs and chocolatiers, since you open only what you use.

Target markets: artisan patisserie, chocolatiers, premium ice cream, four and five star hotels, fine dining, and manufacturers of premium vanilla powder and vanilla sugar.

🏭 Red extraction beans — the industrial grade

Red extraction beans are the grade dedicated to industrial extraction of flavours and oleoresins. Available whole or split lengthwise depending on the extraction process.

Length 12 cm and above — shorter than Gourmet but still good quality.
Moisture 19–23% — drier than Gourmet. The lower moisture is ideal for solvent extraction, whether alcohol or supercritical CO₂, because it concentrates the aromatic compounds in the extract.
Vanillin content ≥ 1.6% — the same quality requirement as Gourmet.
Packaging — carton with one plastic bag, 25 kg net, suited to industrial production lines.

Target markets: vanilla extract and oleoresin manufacturers, ice cream and flavoured dairy, beverage and syrup producers, industrial biscuit and confectionery makers, and flavour houses.

💰 Loose beans — the economy grade

Loose beans are the most accessible reference in the range, with no minimum length, intended for high-volume industrial use.

Variable length — beans of all sizes, without grading. Includes short, cut or cosmetically imperfect beans that remain compliant on aromatics.
Moisture below 18% — the driest of the three grades, ideal for grinding to powder or producing concentrated extracts.
Vanillin content ≥ 1.6% — the minimum is maintained, guaranteeing aromatic quality to industrial requirements.
Packaging — carton with one plastic bag, 18 kg net.

Target markets: vanilla powder manufacturers, high-volume food industry, vanilla sugar producers, and packers of retail spice sachets.

📊 Natural vanillin versus synthetic: why it matters commercially

Synthetic vanillin, derived from wood lignin or from petrochemical guaiacol, accounts for the overwhelming majority of vanillin consumed worldwide by volume, at a small fraction of the cost of the natural product. Natural vanilla nonetheless remains irreplaceable for demanding professionals: it contains more than 250 secondary aromatic compounds — vanillic acid, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, anisaldehyde and others — which give it its complexity and rounded character. EU Regulation 1334/2008 imposes a strict distinction on labels between natural vanilla flavouring, extracted from beans, and vanillin flavouring, which is synthetic. B2B buyers need to master that distinction for their own product compliance.

The world vanilla market: volatility and securing supply

Madagascar vanilla is among the most volatile agricultural commodities in the world. Prices have historically swung across a very wide range between periods of surplus and shortage — an amplitude few food commodities reach. Three factors explain the instability:

Cyclones and climate events — the SAVA region is regularly hit by tropical cyclones that destroy plantations. Cyclone Enawo in 2017 devastated a large share of Malagasy production and triggered a price spike.
Theft and premature harvesting — the high value of the beans pushes growers to harvest too early, taking green, immature and less aromatic pods to pre-empt theft. The practice degrades average market quality.
Extreme geographic concentration — the bulk of world production coming from a single region of a single country creates systemic risk for buyers who are not diversified.

Martigane secures customer supply through annual fixed-price contracts placed directly with certified Malagasy exporters, which smooths volatility over a twelve-month horizon. Given the price range this commodity can move through, that predictability is often worth more than chasing the lowest spot price.

Storage and regulation

Storage — away from light and humidity, between 15 and 20°C. Avoid refrigeration, as condensation damages the beans. Best before 24 to 36 months in sealed original packaging.
EU regulation — vanilla is classified as a spice (CN 0905). Free import from Madagascar under ACP arrangements, with no EU customs duty. Phytosanitary certificate and certificate of origin required.
Organic certification — available on request depending on the lot (EU Organic). Please enquire.
Traceability — each lot is identified by production region, collector and harvest season.