Vanilla extract comes from the cured seed pods (“beans”) of the vanilla orchid, primarily the species Vanilla planifolia.

Plant origin

• The vanilla orchid is a tropical climbing plant originally native to Mexico, where it was first cultivated by Indigenous peoples.

• After the flowers are hand‑pollinated, they develop into long green pods; these pods are harvested, fermented, and dried to become vanilla beans.

How extract is made

• Pure vanilla extract is made by soaking or percolating chopped or ground vanilla beans in a mixture of alcohol and water to dissolve the flavor compounds, especially vanillin, into the liquid.

• Many commercial “vanilla” flavorings instead use synthetic vanillin made from petrochemicals or other industrial sources, which must be labeled as imitation or artificial vanilla.

Main growing regions

• Most natural vanilla beans used for extract today are grown in Madagascar and Indonesia, with additional production in Mexico, Tahiti, Uganda, and a few other tropical countries near the equator.

• Although beaver-derived castoreum has a vanilla-like scent and was once used as flavoring, it is now rarely used in foods, so typical vanilla extract does not come from beavers.