Vanilla
`grown the way an island remembers how.`
Velvet Isles imports whole-pod vanilla and rare aromatics from the Comoros — cured by hand, farmed to rebuild the soil they come from, and traceable to the exact grower who cut them.
The Purveyors of Velvet Isles
Most vanilla changes hands eleven times before it reaches a kitchen. Ours changes hands twice: once from the farmer who grew it, once to you
The Comoros Islands produce some of the rarest vanilla on earth — a small, humid archipelago off the coast of East Africa where the pods develop a fatter bean, a higher oil content, and a flavor closer to cream and orchid than anywhere else vanilla is grown. We work with a cooperative of smallholder growers on Anjouan and Grande Comore who cure every pod by hand, using methods passed down for four generations, on land they are actively rebuilding rather than depleting.
We are not a spice conglomerate. We are a small importer who visits the farms we buy from, pays growers before the harvest is sold, and puts a lot number on every bag so you can trace your vanilla back to the hillside it grew on.
Featured Extracts
Small-batch distillations for specific flavor profiles.
Comoros Ylang Ylang Oil
Carefully distilled flowers using traditional steam distallation methods, to capture their pure, exquisite aroma.
Series 02Comoros Vanilla Paste
Lighter, fruit-forward profile ideal for delicate pastries.
Comoros Peppercorn & Spice Blend
Hand-harvested, sun-dried, and carefully prepared using traditional methods
Comoros Forest Crystal Vanilla Bean
Covered in natural vanillin crystals, they deliver more intense, concentrated, and highly sweet flavor with a punchy aroma.
The Purveyors of Velvet Isles.
Most vanilla changes hands eleven times before it reaches a kitchen. Ours changes hands twice: once from the farmer who grew it, once to you.
We are not a spice conglomerate. We are a small importer who visits the farms we buy from, pays growers before the harvest is sold, and puts a lot number on every bag so you can trace your vanilla back to the hillside it grew on.
Comoros Forest Crystal Vanilla Bean
Covered in natural vanillin crystals, they deliver more intense, concentrated, and highly sweet flavor with a punchy aroma.
Comoros Peppercorn & Spice Blend
Hand-harvested, sun-dried, and carefully prepared using traditional methods.
Comoros Ylang Ylang Oil
Carefully distilled flowers using traditional steam distillation methods, to capture their pure, exquisite aroma.
For Bakeries, Brands & Manufacturers
Vanilla, at volume, without losing the traceability.
Velvet Isles supplies green and cured vanilla, extract, and paste to bakeries, ice cream makers, beverage brands, flavor houses, and distillers — with the same farm-level traceability as our smallest retail order, just scaled up. We work directly with buyers on pricing, cure specification, and packaging; there's no distributor markup in between.
- check_circleCustom grading & cure specsmoisture content, length sorting, and split-vs-whole pods tailored to your production process.
- check_circleVolume tiersfrom 5 kg trial orders through multi-ton annual contracts, with pricing that scales down per kilo at volume.
- check_circlePrivate label & co-packingretail-ready jars and pouches under your brand, sourced and packed from our lots.
- check_circleConsistent, documented supplylot numbers, moisture/vanillin content, and phytosanitary and customs documentation provided with every shipment.
- check_circleDirect grower relationshipsbecause we buy directly from a cooperative rather than an auction house, we can hold pricing and supply steadier than commodity-market vanilla.
Inquire for Spec Sheets
Grown to Give Back
Vanilla is a demanding crop. Grown carelessly, it strips soil, drives deforestation, and locks farmers into a boom-bust cycle tied to volatile world prices. We work only with growers practicing regenerative agroforestry — vanilla vines interplanted beneath a living canopy of clove, banana, breadfruit, and native hardwood, rather than cleared, sun-exposed monoculture.
Velvet Isles
Archived protocols and standard operating procedures for the professional artisan.
01How is Comorian vanilla different from Madagascar vanilla?
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How is Comorian vanilla different from Madagascar vanilla?
Both are the same species (Vanilla planifolia), but Comorian pods tend to run slightly plumper with a higher fat content, giving a rounder, creamier flavor profile alongside the classic sweet, woody vanilla notes. Comoros also produces a much smaller volume globally, which is part of why it's harder to find.
02What does "regeneratively farmed" mean here, specifically?
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What does "regeneratively farmed" mean here, specifically?
Our partner farms grow vanilla under a living tree canopy rather than on cleared land, use compost and nitrogen-fixing cover crops instead of synthetic fertilizer, and interplant vanilla with food and other cash crops to protect both soil health and grower income. See our Regenerative Farming section for the full breakdown.
03Do you sell green (uncured) vanilla?
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Do you sell green (uncured) vanilla?
Yes, to qualified wholesale buyers who cure in-house — contact our trade team for availability and seasonal timing.
04What's your minimum order for wholesale?
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What's your minimum order for wholesale?
Unlike industrial heat-extraction which destroys volatile aromatics, our proprietary low-heat, high-pressure method preserves the full spectrum of 200+ flavor compounds, resulting in a more complex and heat-stable extract.
05How should I store my vanilla beans?
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How should I store my vanilla beans?
Keep pods wrapped and in a sealed container, away from light and heat — not the refrigerator. Properly stored, Grade A beans stay pliable for 12+ months.