Vanilla Bean Project

What Vanilla Bean Project does

Vanilla Bean Project is a family-owned vanilla manufacturer headquartered in Lakeland, Minnesota, producing pure vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, and whole vanilla beans sourced from Madagascar. The company operates a dedicated GFSI (SQF) certified, vanilla-only manufacturing facility and applies a cold-extraction process intended to preserve flavor and aroma profiles that conventional heat-based processing can damage. Its portfolio is organized into three certification tiers - Blue (conventional), Green (USDA Organic), and Silver (Regenerative Organic Certified) - with retail sizes from 2oz to 32oz and bulk formats up to 55-gallon drums for industrial customers. In 2024 it became the first company worldwide to produce Regenerative Organic Certified pure vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste.

The business serves four distinct customer segments: individual home cooks and bakers purchasing through a Shopify storefront with free shipping over $35; foodservice operators and small makers buying quart and gallon sizes; industrial Food & Beverage manufacturers in bakery, beverage, confection, dairy, and prepared food categories sourcing bulk via a dedicated sales desk; and specialty grocery retailers reached through the Faire wholesale marketplace. Pricing is unit-based across tiers, ranging from $14.95 for entry-level 2oz extract to $449 for an organic gallon of vanilla bean paste, with ROC products commanding a premium. Revenue mechanics are pure transactional commerce - no subscription or licensing - across direct e-commerce, bulk sales, and wholesale channels.

Supply-chain sustainability is positioned as a core differentiator. Vanilla Bean Project partners with French sail-cargo operators Grain de Sail and Windcoop to ship beans across the Atlantic by wind power, claiming up to 95% lower ocean transport emissions versus conventional freight, and has announced plans for a new solar-powered, electrified manufacturing facility. A limited-edition June 2026 collaboration with organic bread brand PACHA distributed VBP vanilla across Whole Foods, Sprouts, Natural Grocers, HEB, and Albertsons (500+ locations), and founder Sara Kubiak has been recognized on Inc.'s 2026 Female Founders 500 list and via Fast Company's 2026 World Changing Ideas Awards. The company remains bootstrapped with 1-10 employees and no disclosed external funding.

Name

Vanilla Bean Project

Legal name

Vanilla Bean Project

Website

https://vanillabeanproject.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vanilla Bean Project is a family-owned Minnesota manufacturer producing pure vanilla extract, paste, and whole beans in conventional, USDA Organic, and Regenerative Organic Certified tiers for home cooks, foodservice operators, industrial F&B manufacturers, and specialty grocers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Food Ingredients

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee & Tea Concentrates (Liquid, Extracts, Syrups) (AFAFAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty Seed & Flavoring Crop Farming (Vanilla, Sesame, Mustard) (AFAGAGAN)

Keywords

• Vanilla extract manufacturing
• Vanilla bean paste
• Regenerative organic certified
• Specialty food ingredients
• Bulk vanilla supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Lakeland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Retail Sales: Consumer-facing online store selling vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, and whole vanilla beans in retail sizes (2oz, 4oz, 8oz, 32oz). Products shipped directly to home cooks and bakers.
2. Bulk / Wholesale B2B Sales: Large-format sales (gallons, 5-gallon containers, 55-gallon drums) to foodservice operators, makers, and industrial Food & Beverage manufacturers.
3. Wholesale Retail Distribution: Products sold through wholesale channels (Faire marketplace) to specialty grocery and retail stores for resale.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Vanilla Bean Project crafts pure vanilla extracts, vanilla bean pastes, and whole Madagascar vanilla beans in retail sizes (2oz–32oz) for home cooks and bulk sizes (gallons, 5-gallon containers, 55-gallon drums) for foodservice and industrial Food & Beverage customers. Products are manufactured in-house at a GFSI (SQF) certified vanilla-only facility using a cold extraction process, offered across three certification tiers (conventional, USDA Organic, and Regenerative Organic Certified) and shipped via wind-powered cargo to lower carbon emissions.

Product overview

Vanilla Bean Project is a family-owned vanilla manufacturer offering premium vanilla products across three tiers: conventional (blue label), certified organic (green label), and Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC/silver label). Their product portfolio includes Vanilla Bean Paste, Vanilla Extract, and Whole Vanilla Beans in both retail sizes (2oz to 32oz) and bulk sizes (gallons and drums). The company focuses on quality, consistency, and value while committing to sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices, with wind-powered shipping and low-emission supply chain initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pure Vanilla Extract Conventional-tier premium vanilla extract manufactured in-house via cold extraction from Madagascar vanilla beans, sold in retail sizes (4oz, 8oz, 32oz) for home cooks and bakers.
• Pure Vanilla Bean Paste Conventional-tier culinary grade vanilla bean paste made with double-fold vanilla extract and real ground vanilla beans, combining extract convenience with the visual appeal of whole beans; substitutes 1:1 for vanilla extract.
• Organic Pure Vanilla Extract USDA Certified Organic vanilla extract made from Madagascar vanilla beans using a cold extraction process to preserve maximum flavor and aroma, offered in retail sizes from 2oz to 32oz.
• Organic Vanilla Bean Paste USDA Certified Organic vanilla bean paste made with double-fold Madagascar vanilla extract and real ground vanilla beans, usable 1:1 as a substitute for vanilla extract.
• Organic Vanilla Beans from Madagascar Grade A Gourmet USDA Certified Organic whole vanilla beans from Madagascar, traditionally cured with deep brown color and intense vanilla aroma, sold in 4oz, 8oz, and 1lb sizes.
• Madagascar Whole Vanilla Beans Traditionally cured Grade A Gourmet whole vanilla beans from Madagascar, long beans filled with vanilla seeds and deep dark brown color with rich classic vanilla flavor.
• Regenerative Organic Certified Pure Vanilla Extract First Regenerative Organic Certified pure vanilla extract in the market, made from vanilla beans from regenerative organic farms prioritizing soil health, biodiversity, and the well-being of farming communities.
• Low-Emission Regenerative Organic Certified Pure Vanilla Extract ROC-certified vanilla extract made from Madagascar vanilla beans from regenerative organic farms, featuring wind-powered shipping and low-emission last-mile delivery to cut supply chain carbon emissions.
• Low-Emission Regenerative Organic Certified Pure Vanilla Bean Paste First ROC-certified vanilla bean paste in the market, featuring wind-powered shipping certification and Earthonaire low-emission last-mile delivery for a reduced carbon supply chain.
• Pure Vanilla Extract Gallon Bulk gallon size of small-batch artisan pure vanilla extract, crafted using traditional methods for gourmet flavor; sold to foodservice operators, bakers, and makers through the bulk sales desk at $349.00 per gallon.
• Pure Vanilla Bean Paste Gallon Bulk gallon size vanilla paste combining the deep flavor of vanilla extract with the visual appeal of ground vanilla beans; substitutes 1:1 for pure vanilla extract and is sold at $395.00 per gallon for foodservice use.
• Organic Pure Vanilla Extract Gallon Bulk gallon size USDA Certified Organic vanilla extract sourced from farmer-owned cooperatives, made from an old-fashioned recipe and aged for superior flavor and aroma.
• Organic Vanilla Bean Paste Gallon Bulk gallon size USDA Certified Organic vanilla bean paste combining organic vanilla extract flavor with ground organic vanilla bean texture for premium culinary use, sold at $449.00 per gallon.
• Regenerative Organic Vanilla Extract Gallon Bulk gallon size Regenerative Organic Certified vanilla extract certified by the Regenerative Organic Alliance to meet the highest sustainability and ethical sourcing standards.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% reduction in carbon emissions from ocean transportation using wind-powered shipping
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• PACHAflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Organic, allergen-free bread brand based in California making buckwheat sourdough loaves, English muffins, and tortillas sold at Whole Foods (500+ locations), Sprouts, Natural Grocers, HEB, and Albertsons. Collaboration on limited edition Mulberry Vanilla sourdough loaf using ROC-certified vanilla. PACHA has 80,000+ email subscribers providing significant market reach.
• Grain de SailcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025French-based sail-cargo logistics leader that shipped Vanilla Bean Project's initial vanilla bean cargo across the Atlantic Ocean from Saint-Malo, France to NYC by wind power. Their wind-powered approach lowers carbon emissions associated with ocean transportation by up to 95% compared to current options. Vanilla Bean Project plans ongoing shipments through this partnership.
• WindcoopcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025French shipping cooperative based in Lorient, France building wind-powered cargo vessels. Vanilla Bean Project signed a Letter of Intent and was the first North American company to invest and commit to transporting goods with Windcoop. Plans to ship vanilla beans from Madagascar to France aboard Windcoop's vessel.
• Regenerative Organic AlliancecoreOthersGoverning body that issues Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) certification. VBP became ROC certified and uses this certification as the foundation of their premium product line.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Heilala Vanilla: New Zealand-based vanilla producer with a similar ethical-sourcing, premium-positioning playbook (single-origin beans, B Corp credentials, retail + foodservice channels) — directly comparable to VBP's ROC and sustainability story.
• Nielsen-Massey Vanillas: Premium vanilla extracts, pastes, and powders aimed at professional bakers, chefs, and home gourmets — the closest large-scale direct competitor to Vanilla Bean Project's retail and foodservice SKU set.
• Singing Dog Vanilla: Direct-trade, organically grown vanilla extracts and beans sourced from Papua New Guinea and Indonesia — competes in the same premium/ethical vanilla niche targeting bakers and home users.
• Beanilla: Online specialty retailer of premium vanilla extracts, vanilla bean pastes, and whole beans across multiple origins — directly competes with VBP's e-commerce D2C storefront across the same SKU categories.

Broad incumbents

• Frontier Co-op: Consumer-facing cooperative offering organic vanilla extracts and beans alongside a broad bulk-spice catalog — overlaps with VBP's organic tier and Faire-channel retail distribution.
• Sensient Technologies: Global flavors and ingredients manufacturer serving food and beverage companies — represents the industrial-scale flavor-house competition that targets the same B2B accounts as VBP's bulk sales desk.
• Symrise: Major flavor and nutrition supplier with vanilla and natural-extract capabilities at scale — competes for industrial F&B ingredient contracts and has the capital to acquire ROC-style certifications.
• McCormick & Company: Largest global spice and flavor manufacturer with broad vanilla extract lines spanning retail, foodservice, and industrial F&B — not specialty-focused but the dominant incumbent in the categories VBP addresses.

Emerging players

• Olive Nation: Specialty baking-ingredient retailer selling pure vanilla extracts, pastes, and beans online to home bakers and small bakeries — directly comparable D2C e-commerce model and SKU set.

Regional players

• Tahitian Gold: French Polynesia-origin premium vanilla extracts and beans marketed globally but rooted in Tahitian varietals — comparable single-origin / premium positioning without direct U.S. retail overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/vanillabeanproject
• Instagraminstagram.com/vanillabeanproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vanilla-bean-project

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vanilla Bean Project