Vanilla Alternatives Address Soaring-High Vanilla Prices

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Vanilla prices are soaring thanks to high demand and supply shortage, but Comax Flavors (Melville, NY) is reminding formulators that there are alternatives. Comax continues to offer Natural Comax Product V, a 100% natural vanillin ex clove, and Vani-Max, a 100% natural vanillin ex ferulic acid. Both feature a “sweet, creamy vanilla aroma” and can replace vanilla in times of price volatility.

“The vanilla extract market is currently in a position of relatively strong demand and shortening supply,” says Catherine Armstrong, vice president, corporate communications, Comax. “Madagascar, the major producer of vanilla beans, had a very bad crop in 2015. Poor flowering of the orchids resulting in low yields and early harvesting resulted in bad-quality vanilla beans. The quality of the beans has been reported to be the poorest on record, containing very low amounts of vanillin. In spite of this, due to high demand for vanilla extract, the price of Madagascar vanilla beans has skyrocketed from 20 dollars/kg in the past to 150-200 dollars/kg. The other vanilla bean–growing regions became savvy to the situation in Madagascar and raised their prices as well. Any company using vanilla extract has to be prepared to pay 10-15 times higher prices for their future purchases.”

Natural Comax Product V and Vani-Max do not contain vanilla. Both are suited for organic applications and are considered natural according to FDA, the company says. They are available in crystals or powder and are suited for applications such as dairy, bakery, confections, and beverages.

“Comax formulated many natural, natural and artificial, and artificial vanilla flavors that simulate vanilla extracts,” Armstrong says. The ingredients “are made from FEMA/GRAS naturally extracted ingredients or artificial flavor ingredients blended to simulate the strengths and profile of different vanilla extracts. All these flavors contain vanillin.”

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Jennifer Grebow
Editor-in-Chief
Nutritional Outlook magazine
jennifer.grebow@ubm.com