At Nielsen-Massey, we recognize that the partnerships we have with our global vanilla bean suppliers are among our most valuable assets. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to bring our customers the superior vanilla products that they’ve loved and relied upon for over 115 years. From Mexico to Tahiti, we partner with carefully selected suppliers who we can trust to provide only the best quality vanilla beans. As we work with these companies to bring their beans to Nielsen-Massey customers, we feel honored to get to know the people who make it all possible. This month, we are proud to shine a spotlight on our supplier Pure Vanilla and their women-run, women-owned company.
Naomy Rasoloforinina, owner of Pure Vanilla, and members of her team
We have been working with Naomy and Pure Vanilla since 2017, and today they supply much of our Organic and Fairtrade certified vanilla. Based in Sambava, Madagascar, Pure Vanilla was founded by Naomy’s family in 1978 and later passed down to Naomy – the third generation of her family to run a vanilla business. Naomy and Pure Vanilla have been recognized globally for their commitment to quality and ethical sourcing, and in 2021 she was the recipient of a Women in Africa Gold Award, where she was honored among businesswomen from all 54 countries in the continent.
As a female-owned-and-managed company, Pure Vanilla is uniquely committed to the economic empowerment of women. They have recently created a training school for women to learn about the vanilla trade; once women have finished their education, they are free to seek a job anywhere, and receive assistance with job placement. Careers at a vanilla supplier facility in the larger cities of the SAVA region are highly desirable, since they are among the few salaried positions available in Madagascar’s largely informal economy outside of the capital city. In fact, to support their majority female workface at their beautiful new facility in Sambava, Pure Vanilla has installed a childcare center so that employees can come to work without worrying about the wellbeing of their children.
Naomy and Pure Vanilla are also committed to promoting education for children in vanilla-supplying villages. Through their in-depth understanding of each village’s educational needs, we’re able to support projects that are uniquely tailored to the locale. For example, Nielsen-Massey supported the primary school in the village of Andranovato with their need for school desks and books. Check out this video that highlights our visit with Pure Vanilla to Andranovato in September 2022. We were also able to visit one of their newest projects in Andranovato: an apiary that allows the vanilla farmers to diversify their income through the sale of honey and beeswax products.
We’re grateful to Naomy and Pure Vanilla for their continued partnership with Nielsen-Massey, and we look forward to working together for many years to come. “It has been a pleasure to partner with Naomy and her team at Pure Vanilla since 2017,” said Craig Nielsen, our Vice President of Sustainability. “Since we first met, they have exhibited the same dedication to quality that we hold dear at Nielsen-Massey. They are an ideal partner because we are tied together with very similar ethics, values, and support for the wellbeing of the farmers/villages. We look forward to this partnership continuing to grow in the future.”
Naomy Rasoloforinina, owner of Pure Vanilla
When asked about Pure Vanilla’s mission and partnership with Nielsen-Massey, Naomy said, “The development of women in society through their freedom and independence is one of my personal values that I share with those around me. When creating Pure Vanilla in 2016, I prioritized recruiting women to the staff in order to make my beliefs a reality. 2017 was the beginning of a partnership with Nielsen Massey for us. Six years later, Craig and his lovely team still maintain their determination and commitment to PV and its Sustainability projects. The link between our two entities is not only financial, but also ecological – social – responsible… By trusting Pure Vanilla, Nielsen-Massey contributes to the protection of nature and to the fight against women’s unemployment. In conclusion, Pure Vanilla can only be admiring, grateful and proud of its agreement with Nielsen-Massey.”
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