With the price of vanilla likely to get much higher before it gets lower, the market has responded in some interesting ways. Many retailers and food manufacturers will have no other option than turn to an imitation vanilla or another alternative to flavor their products and meet consumer demand. Imitation vanilla is very common, and was the number one alternative to pure vanilla extract 13 years ago when a tropical storm destroyed half the vanilla crop. Unlike its natural counterpart, imitation vanilla is easily derived from multiple resources – including petroleum and clove oil. Imitation vanilla extract will give you the initial hints of vanilla flavor that you are used to, but it won’t have the robust, intricate, well-rounded flavor that is really needed to make simple recipes (like french toast, ice cream, and vanilla cookies) shine. Furthermore, since more and more consumers are active label-readers, imitation vanilla has fallen out of favor.
We’ve seen a number of factors at play in the vanilla market and we summarized our initial thoughts and plans for the 2017 vanilla market in this report. Then, in early March, we heard about Tropical Cyclone Enawo. It became clear that Enawo would definitely make land fall on Madagascar in early March and we made the necessary precautions to make sure our team on the ground was safe and bracing for the storm. We have summarized all of the effects of Enawo and the state of the vanilla market on our website. As we help with the humanitarian efforts on clean up and recovery, we’re also looking into what we can do to help weather the ongoing, worsening storm of price increases that are impending.
With Rodelle’s high commitment to quality and natural products, we’re introducing a couple of vanilla extract alternatives that we are proud of, and confident in. We created this natural “Baker’s Extract” with pure vanilla extract as a lower cost option for shoppers during this turbulent time in the vanilla market. It can be used 1:1 in recipes where you would normally use vanilla extract. We like it because it has a smooth, natural flavor with hints of vanilla and chocolate. This extract is currently available at H-E-B stores in Texas and online via Rodelle’s Amazon store. If you’re interested in buying online, H-E-B ships to most states through their website. We will continue to share new vanilla alternatives on our website and our blog, and we always love to hear from our readers. Send us your questions to contact@rodelleinc.com.