Who is Heilala Vanilla

Heilala Vanilla (pron:hey-la-la) started as an aid project that has blossomed into a business that not only creates a range of the most exquisite, premium vanilla products, but also provides a small Tongan village with employment, necessary infrastructure, a sense of purpose and pride.

In one of the world’s most beautiful and remote places– Vava’u Islands in the Kingdom of Tonga, a New Zealand family fell in love with the people and the environment and subsequently used their horticultural background to establish a vanilla plantation; in 2005 Heilala Vanilla was born.

Named after the national flower of Tonga, Heilala Vanilla centers around a partnership of people united by a passion for one of the world’s most sensual and exotic flavours and aromas. The New Zealand family involved is John Ross, and his daughter and son in law Jennifer and Garth Boggiss.

Each member of the family has a clearly defined role. John overseas the cultivation on the plantation in Tonga, Garth is in charge of research and product development, while Jennifer a qualified accountant with a marketing degree is in charge of sales and marketing. Together they grow, manufacture and market arguably the richest grade of vanilla in the Asia Pacific region.



Plantation to Pantry:
Heilala Vanilla is globally unique in that we have direct ownership of the Vanilla from the plants, to the pods they produce, to the manufacturing of products and the sale of them. There are no traders, or third persons. By growing the vanilla ourselves we can guarantee the quality and integrity of our product. Our vanilla comes straight from our plantation to your pantry.

Heilala Vanilla is the premium Vanilla Planifolia, the Bourbon Vanilla variety. This is the same vanilla that is grown in Madagascar. Bourbon Vanilla is known for being creamy, sweet and rich. Packed full of seeds.

We grow our vanilla on 8 acres of organic virgin soil in the Tongan village of Utungake, encouraging sustainability practices which include growing the vanilla vines on discarded coconut husks used for framing. Vanilla is one of the most labor intensive products on the planet. The orchid flower of the vanilla plant opens up only once a year in the morning, never to re-open. There are just four hours of opportunity for pollination; an intricate exercise requiring nimble fingers and wooden tweezers the size of matchsticks - there are no birds or bees quite instinctual enough to play cupid in Tonga. Nine months on, a single bean is produced which is then followed by an intricate curing and drying process - drying the beans is an art.

Once we have carefully dried and cured our Vanilla we ship it back to our factory in New Zealand where we manufacture a range of 100% pure vanilla products. We like to keep things pure and simple, we don’t use any artificial colours flavours or nasty synthetics. Vanilla is our business and focus; we do not make other types of extracts or other products, all our effort goes into the growing and manufacturing of premium quality 100% pure Vanilla products 


100% Pure Vanilla:
Heilala Vanilla has a growing range of 100% Pure Vanilla Products available for both retail and food service.

Heilala Pods are distinctive by their plumpness, shine and aroma. They are simply packed full of seeds and vanillin for superior flavor.

Heilala Vanilla Extract is simply that –pure vanilla with no artificial colours flavours or nasty synthetics. The best vanilla pods are selected and the extract is created through a thoroughly researched and tested extraction technique, to produce a full bodied highly flavoured vanilla extract.

Heilala 100% pure Vanilla Paste is an economical and convenient way to use 100% pure vanilla, with a teaspoon of vanilla paste being equivalent to one vanilla pod. Heilala Vanilla Paste is the combination of our seeds and Vanilla Extract along with a very small amount of organic sugar and natural seaweed extract to suspend the seeds.  “This product has won the two awards in nearly as many months – first was the NZ Food awards – Best Gourmet Product in October 2010, followed by Runner Up in the Cuisine Magazine Artisan Awards”

Heilala Vanilla Organic Sugar is the finest organic golden sugar subtly infused with Heilala Vanilla Extract and mixed with finely ground vanilla pods direct from our plantation. A perfect combination, the sweetness of sugar and the delicate flavor of 100% pure vanilla.
 
The newest product is Heilala Vanilla Syrup, gorgeous treacle like Vanilla Syrup for pouring over pancakes, French toast, adding to milkshakes and smoothies and even cocktails. Of course all 100% Pure Vanilla with no nasty synthetic imitation vanilla flavors!


Further Information and Contact details:
www.heilalavanilla.com

Jennifer Boggiss
Director Sales and Marketing
Jennifer@heilalavanilla.co.nz
Ph +64 7 5526879 

   

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