Takasago Strengthens its Position in Madagascar Vanilla

16 Jan 2013 --- This significant backward integration brings Takasago in direct contact with the farmers in the heart of the vanilla cultivation zone in the North Eastern part of Madagascar, the world’s leading vanilla bean exporting country. As a result Takasago obtains a major competitive advantage in securing this strategic natural raw material, while achieving price stability and cost effectiveness.

Located in Sava, an area between Sambava and Antalaha, the 60-hectare vanilla plantation acquired by Takasago is called “Domain of Ambohimanitra” an evocative name which means “the hill of a thousand fragrances”.

 

In this way Takasago can cultivate, harvest, process and extract its own vanilla locally, while selecting the best vanilla pod quality and influencing the whole curing process, which is essential for the development of Vanilla’s signature aroma and taste, in order to preserve the over 200 flavor compounds present in the vanilla planifolia beans.

 

The crude vanilla extracts processed in the Madagascar factory in Tamatave are then shipped to Takasago Morocco in Agadir, a recently acquired facility specialized in the extraction and customization of key natural raw materials, among which vanilla.

 

The combination of the best vanilla sources with the company’s sophisticated analytical and extraction techniques enables Takasago to capture the true essence of nature and transform it, by means of its expertise and creativity, into a completely new vanilla taste perspective.

 

With its signature brand “La Vanille T” Takasago has set the foundation to become a world leader in the manufacturing of vanilla extracts and flavors, offering an extensive palette of vanilla nuances designed to flavor desserts, ice-creams, yogurts, beverages, baked goods, chocolate and sweets, to delight the variety of consumers’ palates all over the world.

 

Thanks to its wide array of proprietary consumer insights tools paired with its expertise in psychophysiological research, Takasago can count on a solid and constantly evolving knowledge database to better understand and map the ever changing country- age- and gender-specific consumers’ preference of vanilla flavored foods and beverages.

 

In order to meet the increasing global vanilla flavor demand, a whole portfolio of distinctive vanilla specialties, ranging from 3 to 20 fold extracts to other customized vanilla products and flavors with individual footprint tonalities, all compliant with country-specific food regulations, will soon be available for Takasago’s captive use, as well as for food and beverage manufacturers at market competitive prices.

 

Faithful to its Corporate Philosophy "Contributing to society based on technology", with this joint venture in Madagascar, Takasago has endeavored to create value as well as economic and social growth for the local community, while sustaining a key educational project in the newly opened “Sava University” in Antalaha with the donation of IT equipment.