Blue Pacific Flavors, a player in natural and organic fruit flavors and sustainably sourced food ingredients, has unveiled its Kilimanjaro Vanilla, touted by the company as “full-bodied and complex,” and with a significant sustainability story to tell involving the farmers and wildlife of Tanzania.

The quality of Kilimanjaro Vanilla is “unlike any vanilla in recent memory,” according to Jessica Morton, sensory and consumer insights manager at Blue Pacific Flavors.

“This vanilla is incredibly complex and full-bodied, from the first aromas of rich, creamy florals that excite your senses to the long, tapered finish of sweet caramel, spiced rum and pipe tobacco,” she maintains. 

“Vanilla is the star player in many frozen desserts, yogurts, shakes and puddings, but also plays a key role in milk chocolate, nougat, cookies, cakes and other applications wher its rich complexity adds a sweet nuance,” Morton tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

This enhancement of sweet perception is also beneficial in some reduced sugar applications, she adds. 

“Vanilla is definitely not a trendy flavor, but it’s not a boring or fade-away flavor, either,” Morton argues. 

Untapped opportunities 
Blue Pacific has seen a significant opportunity for pure vanilla extract in the plant-based beverage space, given the demand for clean label products. 

“Understanding vanilla’s character and quality is important here because vanilla flavor blends differently into plant bases versus dairy bases,” Morton continues. 

“You have to understand how the flavor reacts with the different lipid and protein sources, so you don’t end up masking vanilla’s characteristic sweet aromatic and creamy brown notes.” 

Another growing whitespace opportunity for vanilla is in savory applications, she reveals. “Vanilla can lend a hint of the unexpected and exotic in steak rubs, miso-based sauces and citrus marinades. 

While most products labeled as “vanilla” fall into the sweet, creamy and indulgent category, vanilla is also an essential component in refreshing citrus beverages.  

“When paired with citrus, vanilla adds a creamy quality that softens sharp citrus oil edges, mellowing out the profile and extending the delivery for a prolonged flavor experience,” explains Morton.    

Naturally appealing
Vanilla beans are a naturally fermented product, so combining a pure vanilla extract with other fermented food or beverage products is a great way to match “like” flavor compounds produced through the fermentation processes.  

“For example, two common natural fermented food pairings are vanilla and coffee or chocolate. Some more adventurous fermentation pairings are vanilla and miso, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce or kombucha,” notes Morton. 

Meanwhile, vanillin, a major flavor component of pure vanilla, is naturally extracted from oak barrels. This creates another familiar pairing that could be replicated and elevated by using pure vanilla extract in a wine, spirit or beer base.  

According to Morton, in higher acid or low pH formulations, vanilla flavor can be negatively impacted, losing some of its characterizing qualities.  

“Vanilla’s sweet and creamy notes are better expressed in an alkaline food or beverage system. Reduced-fat and fat-free applications are a challenge as fat is a major flavor carrier, especially for vanilla.”

The inherent rheology of saturated fats, such as butterfat and coconut oil, helps enhance vanilla’s creamy, smooth flavor perception, she states. 

Vanilla extract also flashes off quickly, so in high-temperature applications, understanding dosage time and level are critical to creating a finished product with the desired flavor profile.

Shaping a sustainable future 
Blue Pacific Flavors’ commitment to responsible sourcing and sustainability has led a path to a partnership with Natural Extracts Industries (NEI) to put programs in place to help improve the quality of life for farmers and drive sustainable agricultural practices. 

“Reflecting decades of dedication, partnership and innovation to bring true, sustainable vanilla back to the F&B industry, the Kilimanjaro Vanilla story is one of people, passion, pride and purpose,” says Donald Wilkes, president and CEO of Blue Pacific Flavors. 

“We are making the highest-quality vanilla truly accessible to responsible brands as they strive to align with consumer demand for natural, clean label, sustainably produced products.”

Blue Pacific and NEI share a common goal of reintroducing premium, natural vanilla to the world while supporting a sustainable future for the people and wildlife of Tanzania.

The partnership also provides improved financial security for farmers and incentives to follow strict quality standards that ensure that Kilimanjaro Vanilla retains its flavor and quality.

“The synergies that we have and the value that this partnership creates is something that benefits us all,” comments Juan Guardado, managing director for NEI. 

“No other flavor can impact on so many different levels: livelihood, product quality and conservation. It’s a unique value proposition.”

Farm to flavor
Kilimanjaro Vanilla achieves its quality through a true “Farm to Flavor” approach. 

The complexity of sweet and creamy botanical resins layered over exotic hardwood and hints of terroir can only be achieved through the most thoughtful vanilla cultivar selection, vanilla flower hand pollination, and unyielding patience throughout vanilla bean harvesting and curing. 

This traditional, handcrafted approach yields a premium vanilla flavor, the company notes. 

Through its fully vertically integrated production, Blue Pacific maintains consistency in quality, ensures cost stability, and enables a fully secure and traceable supply chain. Extracts of Kilimanjaro Vanilla are produced locally in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, delivering increased value and enabling local farmers’ lucrative opportunities.

Morton adds: “We currently have no supply issues for Kilimanjaro Vanilla. We have not had and do not foresee any supply chain disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Our goal is for the local infrastructure of Kilimanjaro to be supported, which in return supports better vanilla quality and availability. This model enables the farmers who grow our vanilla, and the people who process it, to improve their livelihoods while putting money back into the local economy.”

Blue Pacific Flavors is committed to donating 3 percent of net sales of Kilimanjaro Vanilla to the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF). 

The purchase of this product helps support AWF’s mission to ensure the continent’s wildlife and wildlands thrive in modern Africa.