Vanilla bean is one of the key ingredients for any ice cream company, and Cosmic Bliss is no different. What DOES make us different is our high-quality standards that only allow us to partner from the best sources, utilizing the best practices available, and from farms and farmers who align with our company values.
Our certified organic vanilla beans come from family farmers and collectors in Madagascar and other growing regions. Because high quality beans require more time on the vine and better overall growing conditions in terms of soil retention, sunlight, and drainage, purchasing high quality beans encourages the family farmers to care for their small plots of land with a long-term vision that is sustainable over the long haul. Many of the farmers and collectors that supply our vanilla beans have been cultivating vanilla vines for generations within their families – illustrating the sustainability of their farming practices. Because many of the 300 unique flavors in the bean are delicate, our partners use a proprietary cold-pressing method. The multi-stage process takes a month to process the bean, versus a few hours using heating methods, to ensure the richest and robust of vanilla flavors you can taste in all our blissful products. They say good things take time, and we agree. In addition to the conscious growing and processing of the vanilla bean, our partners go a step further with their sustainability initiatives, building programs that help to improve the lives of farmers in the SAVA Region of Madagascar. For instance, they noticed the farmers had a basic need for clean drinking water as many of the small villages have no freshwater wells, but instead rely solely on rivers that wind their way through the dense mountainous jungle to the ocean. These rivers provide the local Malagasy villagers with water for everything from recreation and washing clothes, to cooking and drinking water. Depending on whether a village is “upstream” or “downstream” can dramatically impact the water quality that everyone from the smallest infant to the oldest “village elder” must consume to survive. After realizing this basic need, our partners installed the first freshwater well in 2013 to support the village's clean water supply. To date, the company has directly financed and installed 2 water wells that serve 3,500 villagers and supports the installation of other water wells through partnering organizations in the area to serve an additional 3,000 villagers.
At Bliss, we believe that quality ingredients not only taste better, but are better for people and the planet. Our customers can feel good about their purchase because it supports this important growing region, and they feel even better when they scoop out the most delicious vanilla bean flavors!
