Why Vanilla Is So Expensive | So Expensive

Vanilla prices have climbed so high it's worth more by weight than silver. This increase in price has to do with a number of factors, including vanilla bean theft, complex pollination, extreme weather, and the rise of the "all natural" food movement.

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Following is a transcript of the video:

Vanilla prices have climbed so high it's worth more by weight than silver. This increase in price has to do with a number of factors, including vanilla bean theft, complex pollination, extreme weather, and the rise of the "all natural" food movement. All of these variables combined to create the perfect recipe for a very expensive spice. Following is the transcript of the video.

Narrator: You might think of vanilla as basic. The word is even used to mean boring, average, or basic.

Student: Why do we have to go all vanilla on this song? See what we need is my chocolate thunder.

Narrator: But vanilla may not always be so run of the mill. Vanilla prices have climbed so high it's worth more by weight than silver, and that high price tag could be bad news for lovers of ice cream, yogurt, chocolate, and even perfumes.

One reason vanilla has gotten so expensive is, it's hard to grow. Vanilla vines take two to four years to fully mature, and their flowers only bloom for one day of the year. In order for the plants to produce beans, they have to be pollinated that day. In most places where vanilla is grown, it isn't a native plant, and there aren't bugs or birds capable of pollinating the flowers. Vanilla is native to Mexico, but deforestation there has greatly reduced its natural habitat. In Madagascar, where over 80% of vanilla is produced, the flowers have to be pollinated by hand. The pods need several months to cure after harvesting. The whole process is time-consuming and labor-intensive. But the record high price of vanilla also has to do with changes in the vanilla market.

In the 1980s, cheaper artificial vanilla overtook the market. Vanilla farmers cut back production because they weren't making enough money. But around 2011, demand for real vanilla rose again. Big companies were joining the all-natural trend, pledging to eliminate artificial flavorings from their products, but it's taken a while for the vanilla farmers to get back in the game and they don't all want to.

Growing vanilla is a stressful and volatile business because there is such high demand, vanilla beans are a target for theft. After working hard to cultivate their crops some farmers have their beans stolen. As the stolen beans move up the supply chain, they get mixed in with legally purchased beans making it difficult for buyers to know which are which. The prevent theft, farmers pick the beans before they're ripe and unripe beans means lower quality vanilla.

Farmers also try to prevent theft by branding their vanilla crops with a metal pronged brand. That way buyers can identify what farm the vanilla came from.

Farmers also run the risk of having their crops destroyed by extreme weather events. Cyclones are common in Madagascar and climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of those storms. If a cyclone were to wipe out vanilla crops next year, it would take until at least 2022 for new plants to start producing beans, and farmers might not want to take that risk. So the supply could continue to drop even further.

The once basic, boring vanilla may wind up becoming a rare sought-after delicacy.

[mehhhhh]

Looks like we’re gonna have to eat silver flavoured ice-cream

[GalihRivky]

My dad's friend is a vanilla farmer..
While setting up his deadly trap,
He said "this thing is so expensive, killing someone who trying steal it won't be a problem, because you can bribe your way out with it"

[Catalina._]

"Then why is it $1 at McDonald's"


Because it contains 1% vanilla and 99% fake vanilla

[anastasiachristina]

No wonder McDonald's ice cream machine is always broken

[thebluepc]

Cost of Vanilla ice cream

USA - $15
South Asia - $0.35

[Night_from_GT_asia_]

So you’re saying that Vanilla and chocolate is going to be a Delicacy in the future

Man i don’t want to be in the future

[alphadrizzy]

My broke ass in 50 years:
" Ya know kids, back in my day, *I HAD VANILLA ON THE REGULAR!* "

" Grandpa"

*"Yeaaahh,

[WolpHaley]

2019 Vanilla expensive
3019 Vanilla is illegal

[astro]

*So it's expensive?*

Then why is it 1$ at McDonald's

[iarellano]

But vanilla is my favorite ice cream flavor.

[TheYukiPanda]

Some vanilla facts:
Vanilla is actually a type of orchid.
The seed pods are what you actually harvest and what you eat are the seeds.
Vanilla has different varieties in terms of leaves and flowers some can even be variegated.

[ChonchiTheG]

Never have I ever thought of vanilla as basic, I've always thought of it as a legendary flavor that can be used and altered in so many different ways to create new flavors.

[Perifroog]

Just stop using vanilla in perfumes, pretty much the most pointless way to use it

[Yoyle-jqul]

Year 2099
Me: Back in the good ol days when i was a kid like you when vanilla wasn’t that expensive, I ate a lot of ice cream with vanilla
Kid: Wow grandpa but why is it expensive?
Me: I don’t know if the site still exists but there’s a video about it on a very old website called YouTube

[tcwstudios]

If vanilla is going to become a delicacy..





*I FINALLY HAVE AN EXCUSE TO EAT ICE CREAM ALL DAY*

[thewinspear]

I will give you my Vanilla Ice cream for your Silver.

[itslonelytobealone]

If in the future vanilla prices is more high than now, I'm gonna flex to my children that I ate a bucket of vanilla ice cream alone

[Alex-vzjz]

Welp, time to stock up on vanilla and sell them at parking lots

[fqidz]

instead of selling cocaine, sell vanila instead..

[seemabohre]

3019: Why are fruits and vegetables so expensive?
Ans: We cut down all plants and trees
(good luck eating air for dinner yo)