Nielsen-Massey Vanillas

The 2005 Vanilla Crop Brings A Bright Outlook For The Industry

It is with the greatest pleasure and relief that we are able to announce that vanilla prices “have finally returned to planet Earth,” says Craig Nielsen. In fact, the global outlook for supply and pricing of vanilla beans is the best it has been in the past five years.

Vanilla beans laid out to cure in the sun are an important part of the whole vanilla bean production process.

After the rages of cyclones, political uproar, and uncharacteristically low crop yields in past years, the 2005 vanilla crop is expected to exceed the demand of the marketplace which will have the effect of driving the price down for the first time in half a decade. In fact, worldwide production of vanilla is estimated to be around 2000 tons this year, with demand expected to be 1200-1400 tons.

And, the quality of this year’s crop is predicted to meet or exceed expectations. Madagascar, the dominant supplier of vanilla beans, with about 60% of the world’s crop on a normal basis, also has one of the highest quality crops. This year’s estimate is that Madagascar will

Exciting News About Our Product Line

Nielsen-Massey is excited to announce some changes in our product line-up.

We are currently developing labeling changes that will help differentiate the varieties of vanillas on the store shelf. Mexican Pure Vanilla will soon be sporting a label with a cream background and red lettering, while Tahitian Pure Vanilla will be dressed in a label with a cream background with blue lettering. And our Pure Blend will have a brown background with cream lettering. These changes will help consumers tell the difference between these products and our classic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla with its cream label with brown lettering.

We hope that our vendors and retailers are as pleased with this change as we are. It will help to make all of our products stand out in the

New labels for Mexican and Tahitian Vanilla soon will be more colorful and prominate than the current ones (Mexican vanilla pictured above)

marketplace and spur some interest at the retail level. Stay tuned for further developments with the new, more colorful Nielsen-Massey labels!

The precious vanilla bean rose from its runiation to once again produce sizable crops for 2005.

produce 1300 to 1400 tons of vanilla beans. This number includes about 200 tons of inferior beans that blew off the vines during Hurricane Galileo. These are available for sale by other suppliers at a discounted price but will deliver very little vanilla flavor. However the remaining 1100-1200 tons of Madagascar beans are expected to be of superior flavor compared to the beans of the last few years. And, the quantity of the beans is expected to continue to increase over the next few years as newly planted vines mature and produce.

Other vanilla-growing regions are also expected to produce higher quality beans in the future, which means that Madagascar may no longer be the preeminent vanilla supplier. (cont. below)

Did You Know?

Most Ugandan vanilla beans are grown by small farmers and processors.

(2005 Vanilla Crop, continued from above)

Baskets of freshly picked vanilla pods are emptied into large bins ready for the curling process to begin.

Newcomers Papua New Guinea (PNG) and India are producing vanilla beans of both varieties: Vanilla Planifolia and Vanilla Tahitensis, which have a tendency to cross-pollinate, resulting in neither a true Madagascar-type nor Tahitian-type flavor profile. However, improved growing, curing and production control practices, along with advances in infrastructure, may well prove that these newer regions will soon produce vanilla crops that rival Madagascar and Tahiti.

Uganda is also a new player in the vanilla business. After dictator Idi Amin decimated the industry, it has recently been revitalized, with promising results. In fact, when some issues concerning curing and quality control have been addressed, it is estimated that Ugandan vanilla may match Madagascar vanilla in quality, though not in quantity, produced.

Long-time players Mexico, Indonesia and Tahiti are also producing quality vanilla beans. Mexico’s crop, with a flavor profile similar to that of Madagascar, produces far fewer tons than Madagascar, thus are traditionally priced slightly higher. A word of caution about extracts manufactured in Mexico: They are produced under a less regulated system then ours, and adulterated product has been an issue.

The Indonesian crop, was, thankfully, spared any severe effects from the tsunamis in the Far East, and their crop is expected to come in around 250 to 350 tons. Current pricing for Indonesian vanilla is higher than that of Madagascar, but that is due to the fact that their 2005 crop is not yet for sale. Prices are expected to drop once the new crop is on the market.

Where to Find Us . . .
Upcoming Shows and Events

Retail Baker's Association
Apirl 16-18, 2005
McCormick Place
Chicago, IL
Booth 919

Spring Fancy Food Show
May 1-3, 2005
McCormick Place
Chicago, IL
Booth 5610

Summer Fancy Food Show
July 10-12, 2005
Jacob Javitz Center
New York, NY
Booth 567

Vanilla beans are put into stainless steel extractors to produce America's favorite flavor ... vanilla.

Tahiti, which produces 5-10 tons per year, is usually significantly higher priced than other vanillas. This is expected to continue, especially as Tahitian vanilla is priced in Euros, while all other vanillas are priced in US dollars.

Nonetheless, the outlook for 2005 and beyond is promising for the quality, availability and pricing of vanillas throughout the world.

“We want you to know that we absolutely appreciate your patience and loyalty through the hard times of the past five years,” says Craig Nielsen. “Not once did we waver, as others have, in offering you the absolute finest vanilla the world can produce at the very best price we could manage during those turbulent times. We look forward to the calmer times ahead and pledge to give you the same commitment.

For the dairy, confectionery, baking and other industries, Nielsen-Massey offers a range of products and packaging designed for both flavor and convenience. Liquid vanilla extracts are available in a number of pack sizes, from one gallon jugs packed four to a case to 30 and 55-gallon plastic drums, even big 275-gallon totes are available for some manufacturing systems.

In addition, Pure Vanilla Extracts are available in various strengths, or folds, ranging from single-fold to four fold. As might be expected, single fold vanilla is single strength, and two-fold vanilla is double strength, three and four-fold vanillas are triple and quadruple

What better friend does the butter cookie have than vanilla? Pure vanilla extract holds up well in high-heat applications for the baking industry.

Any pastry chef would agree that vanilla pairs well with custards for a festive fruit tart.

strengths, respectively. The choice of using a fold of vanilla depends strictly on the demands of preference and batch size, although four-fold vanilla is generally used strictly in the confectionery industry.

Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder is also available in five-pound plastic containers and 50-pound poly-lined fiberboard drums. Vanilla powder is a staple ingredient in a variety of bakery items, such as cake, pancake and waffle mixes, instant frosting mixes and other dry blends. It has all the flavor of liquid Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract with no sugar or alcohol

Issue 1 2005

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Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, Inc.
1550 Shields Drive
Waukegan, IL 60085-8307
Telephone: 847/578-1550
800/525-PURE (7873)
Fax: 847/578-1570
email: info@nielsenmassey.com

Nielsen-Massey Vanillas International, LLC.
Uranusweg 10
8938 AJ Leeuwarden, Netherlands
Telephone:31 58 28 82 880
Fax: 31 58 28 00 288