Vanilla Royal

Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia

From vine to export

Every stage below happens at our own facility, not a third party's. Harvesting → Curing → Drying → Conditioning → Grading & Packaging.

Cured vanilla beans laid out during the drying stage

  1. Harvesting

    Pods are picked only when fully mature, at eight to nine months. Maturity at harvest is the single biggest determinant of final vanillin content, which is why we do not harvest early to hit volume.

  2. Curing

    Beans are killed and then sweated, which halts vegetative growth and triggers the enzymatic reactions that convert glucovanillin into the vanillin you can actually smell. A green bean has almost no aroma; this stage creates it.

  3. Drying

    Sun-drying reduces moisture gradually to the level appropriate for the target grade. Dried too fast and the bean becomes brittle and loses aroma; too slow and it risks mould.

  4. Conditioning

    Beans rest in closed containers for several weeks. Aromatic compounds continue to develop and moisture equalises through the bean, which is what produces a consistent bean rather than a dry shell around a wet core.

  5. Grading & Packaging

    Beans are sorted by length, moisture and appearance into the grades we publish, then vacuum-sealed. Moisture, aroma and condition are checked before packing.