Nilla Vanilla
Sava Region, Madagascar

Grade A Vanilla Pods, Extract & Paste from Madagascar

Chef-grade vanilla, graded like a specimen.

Hand-pollinated on the vine, cured for six months, then sorted by hand. We only sell Grade A vanilla beans — the ones we'd use ourselves — and we tell you exactly why each pod earned it.

Shop Grade A PodsSee how it's graded →
A hand-tied bundle of Grade A Madagascan vanilla pods, glossy and pliable
This Harvest
Grade A

From vine to jar, five stages

Every batch passes through the same process before it reaches a South African kitchen.

01

Hand-pollinated

Each orchid flower opens for one day a year and is pollinated by hand, the same method discovered in 1841.

02

Harvested at 9 months

Pods are cut green, just as the tip turns yellow — too early and they never develop full flavour.

03

Cured six months

Blanched, sweated, sun-dried and conditioned in cedar boxes until the vanillin crystallises.

04

Graded by hand

Sorted for moisture, oil sheen and pliability. Only pods above 30% moisture are sold as Grade A.

05

Shipped to you

Sealed and dispatched from South Africa, Halal friendly, with the batch's grading on the label.

Vanilla Pods, Extract, Paste, Powder & Sugar

Eight forms of the same Grade A vanilla bean — for however you cook.

View full shop →
Medium Vanilla Pod
Vanilla Pods

Medium Vanilla Pod

2–3.5gFrom R52
Large Vanilla Pod
Vanilla Pods

Large Vanilla Pod

3.5–6.5gFrom R65
Chef-Grade Vanilla Extract — Trial 50ml
Vanilla Extract

Chef-Grade Vanilla Extract — Trial 50ml

50mlFrom R140
Vanilla Paste with Real Seeds — Trial 50ml
Vanilla Paste

Vanilla Paste with Real Seeds — Trial 50ml

50mlFrom R110
100% Pure Vanilla Powder
Vanilla Powder

100% Pure Vanilla Powder

7gFrom R85
Whole Bean Vanilla Sugar
Vanilla Sugar· New

Whole Bean Vanilla Sugar

250gFrom R99
The Difference

Why we only sell one grade.

Most suppliers blend Grade A and B to cut cost. We don't — every pod that leaves here is one you'd be proud to plate.

Grade A beans are dark, oily to the touch and pliable enough to tie in a knot — a sign of the 30%+ moisture that carries flavour. Grade B beans are drier, split more easily, and are usually reserved for extraction, not the plate.

Grade A — what we sell

Uniform, oily sheen, 30%+ moisture, pliable, deep chocolate-brown.

Grade B — industry standard

Drier, ~20% moisture, prone to cracking, reddish-brown, no sheen.

From our kitchen

What to actually do with a jar of vanilla paste, a bag of vanilla sugar, or a handful of pods.

All recipes →
Classic Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée
Whole Pods

Classic Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée

Split a Grade A pod, scrape both sides, and see exactly why chefs won't cook with extract alone — the flecked custard underneath that glassy sugar top is the whole point.

Read the recipe →
Homemade Vanilla Sugar, Two Ways
Vanilla Sugar

Homemade Vanilla Sugar, Two Ways

Bury spent pods in caster sugar for a slow infused version, or blitz whole beans in for something stronger and ready today. Either way, nothing goes to waste.

Read the recipe →
Vanilla Paste Buttercream for Layer Cakes
Vanilla Paste

Vanilla Paste Buttercream for Layer Cakes

Paste holds its flecks of real seed through piping — extract alone won't give you that speckled finish that says this buttercream isn't from a packet.

Read the recipe →
Trade & Wholesale

Supplying bakeries, patisseries and restaurant kitchens.

If you're going through a pod a day, retail pricing doesn't make sense. We supply Grade A vanilla direct to commercial kitchens across South Africa on trade terms.

  • Tiered bulk pricing — the more you order, the lower the per-pod cost, no negotiation needed.
  • Trade pricing on your account — approved once, applied automatically to every order — no renegotiating.
  • Consistent Grade A supply — the same standard your menu can rely on, batch after batch.
  • A dedicated contact — one person to call, not a support queue.
Minimum Order
  • Pods25 pods
  • Extract250ml
  • Paste250ml
  • Powder100g
  • Sugar250g

Mix and match across our range.

Enquire About Wholesale Pricing
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