On days when a gentle wind blows in just the right direction, a strong scent of vanilla blankets Taha’a, an island located among the Leeward Islands of the Society Islands of French Polynesia. Walking uphill through dense bushland with Noe Plantier, owner and operator of , the sweet smell is unmistakable, growing stronger with every step.
“Et voilà!” Plantier says, as he pushes aside some branches to reveal what we have been looking for – a mass of vanilla vines shielded from harm’s way.
Tahitian vanilla beans are considered some of the best in the world because of how much flavour they have.
“They’re planted on a steep hill because they don’t like standing water,” Plantier explains, as we inspect the plants carefully. “And of course, you know we have to be as careful as possible when it comes to these plants…”
Plantier, it seems, is the king of understatement.
"You know we have to be as careful as possible when it comes to these plants," says Noe Plantier. Source: Noe Plantier
Vanilla supplies under threat
If you’ve never asked yourself how many vanilla pods were picked for you to enjoy your afternoon or , you’re not alone. Indeed, you’ve probably never given much thought to the spice that adds a delicate flavour to all manner of sweet treats and sauces. But ever since Cyclone Enawo struck Madagascar in 2017 - the country where the bulk of the world’s vanilla is grown - it’s likely you’ve been affected in some way.
The cyclone effectively killed the majority of the world’s vanilla crops, creating an unprecedented vanilla shortage.
The cyclone effectively killed the majority of the world’s vanilla crops, creating an . In the past year, from an average of $40 per kilogram to more than $700, making it the world’s second-most expensive spice after .
The search was on to find other countries who might be able to pick up the slack while Madagascar recovers. Enter Taha’a, one of beautiful, lesser-known islands. Taha’a was already favoured for its pearl farms and small-scale vanilla plantations, which are a favourite with pastry chefs around the world.
The humble vanilla slice may not be so humble after all. Source: Alan Benson
One such fan is Kirsten Tibballs, pastry chef, author and owner of , who has been sourcing Tahitian vanilla for a number of years now. “Tahitian vanilla beans are considered some of the best in the world because of how much flavour they have,” she explains. “The beans tend to be much bigger and ‘juicier’, for want of a better word, and the complexity and delicacy of the flavour is what gets chefs so excited.”
Four kilograms of fresh vanilla produces just one kilogram of finished product. Source: Noe Plantier
No quick and easy fix
While Tibballs – like many other pastry chefs around the world – is keeping her eyes firmly glued on ‘The Vanilla Island’ as the best possible contender to help end the vanilla shortage, Noe Plantier cannot help but express doubt over the significant expectations being placed on his 5,300-population strong island home.
Production has increased, he explains, but there is no quick and easy fix to the shortage.
I don’t think people realise just how labour-intensive growing vanilla is.
“I don’t think people realise just how labour-intensive growing vanilla is,” he says, as we walk around a number of the island’s 100-plus plantations to study how the plants are doing. Four kilograms of fresh vanilla equals just one kilogram of dried, finished product. “You cannot react quickly to a crisis like this. From planting to finished product, it’s a three to four year process, with crops susceptible to climate change, disease and sudden temperature drops which causes the plants stress.”
Pollination is by hand because there are no bees!
Adding to the challenge is the fact that there are no bees in Taha’a, so all pollination must be done by hand. It takes farmers a whole day to pollinate 3,000 plants.
“We tried introducing bees a while back, but it didn’t work very well,” Plantier explains, as we study bundles of finished product that have been dried over a four-month period to intensify the flavour. “They only managed to pollinate around 20 per cent of plants. We figured they probably didn’t care because they weren’t getting a cut of the proceeds.”
Hand-pollination of the vanilla plants is laborious, but necessary as there are no bees on Taha'a. Source: Noe Plantier
Back then there wasn’t enough money in vanilla production so many gave up their businesses and moved into other industries.
For all of the challenges, it’s clear that a change is in the air. With prices at an all-time high and expected to rise even further, more locals are returning to the industry their land and history is built on. “A few decades ago, we used to produce over 300 tonnes of vanilla a year, but back then there wasn’t enough money in vanilla production so many gave up their businesses and moved into other industries,” explains Plantier. “By comparison, last year we produced 20 tonnes – most of which was exported around the world with a focus on patisseries. We’re expecting this number to increase as the industry revitalises here in Taha’a.”
It may not be an overnight solution to the world’s vanilla shortage, but you get the feeling that with a few good years and the right conditions, Tibballs and her fellow pastry chefs will be cheering. The rest of us won’t be far behind.
