The act of pollination itself is deceptively simple, yet demanding in practice. With the tip of a small stick or knife, the grower lifts a delicate membrane inside the flower, pressing pollen against the receptive stigma. If done correctly, a slender pod begins to form, one that will take eight or nine months to ripen. If the flower is bruised or overlooked, the chance is gone. This ritual is repeated thousands of times across a plantation, one flower at a time.
The method was first systematised in 1841 by Edmond Albius, a twelve-year-old enslaved boy on the island of Réunion, whose discovery revolutionised vanilla cultivation. Nearly two centuries later, it remains unchanged. And yet, in Guatemala and southern Mexico, it carries a resonance that predates the colonial era.
Vanilla Maya begins its life in the misty hills of Guatemala; the rhythm is one of patience. Orchids take three to four years before they bloom for the first time. From that moment forward, everything depends on the farmer’s expertise in hand pollination, harvesting and curing. There are no machines, no shortcuts. Our Vanilla farmers work in small batches, ensuring each step protects the integrity of the bean.
The harvest itself demands a watchful eye. For nine months, the pods swell slowly on the vine, inspected individually for signs of maturity: the faint yellowing at the tip, the subtle swell near the base. Too early, and the beans lack the oil and aroma that define delicate vanilla. Too late, and the pods split, losing their quality standards. Timing is everything. At sunrise, farmers cut each pod by hand and lay them gently into woven baskets, one by one.
From there, the process shifts into another long season of transformation. The pods are blanched, sweated, dried in the sun by day and bundled at night, then conditioned for months until their fragrance deepens. What emerges is unlike anything hurried or industrial: beans thick with oil, rich with vanillin, layered with the earthy notes of fig, cocoa husk, and warm spice that chefs prize.
The flavour and aromatic profile of our vanilla is influenced by the species, production location, curing process, and storage conditions. This natural setting infuses Vanilla Maya with the terroir, just as fine wine or speciality coffee reflects the soil and soul of its region.
