B Corp certifies NOROHY, bold vanilla

The B Corp pillar dedicated to governance assesses the company’s mission, its societal impact and its ethics. Norohy’s ambition is fully in line with a positive impact approach. It consists of sharing the know-how surrounding vanilla and natural flavour materials by creating new virtuous standards. We are committed to improving the transparency of the industry, so that chefs can enjoy the very best of nature. In the selection of its partners and internally, the brand is careful to exclude all corruption. The Norohy team complies with local regulations, including those relating to social and environmental performance. Our teams are trained in these issues to ensure strict compliance.

We are committed daily to ensuring that our partnerships last and that our partners enjoy better living conditions. This means working hard to raise awareness among chefs of the skills involved in harvesting and processing. We organize planting trips with our customers and chefs and offer training courses and detailed booklets to explain the specific features of each sector, such as our “Indispensables” guide. Every two years, the Pastry World Cup (“Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie”) brings together teams of young pastry chefs from all over the world. For us, being a partner is an obvious choice for this event, which is geared towards committed pastry-making. As a Premium Partner of the CMP, NOROHY supports the selections and the final of this renowned competition, which highlights the skills, know-how and talents of today’s and tomorrow’s pastry chefs.

NOROHY is also committed to concrete actions to improve the living conditions of our partners. In 2023, for example, the brand co-financed 25% of the construction of a bridge in the Morafeno region of Madagascar. This project aims to open up the population and reduce poverty through local economic development.

Aware of the challenges linked to food, NOROHY joins the Reasonable Indulgence movement like the other Maisons of Valrhona Sélection (Valrhona, Sosa, Pariani, Chocolatree, Republica del cacao, Weiss, Adamance) for a healthier and more virtuous gastronomy without ever sacrificing the pleasure of tasting. Inspired by Pierre Gagnaire, this concept was initiated by Frédéric Bau. It promotes a restricted list of ingredients while preserving aromatic intensity and complexity. The development of our inspired recipes follows this principle. In the same spirit, our product development recipes are clean label. This means that a minimum number of ingredients are used to achieve the same aromatic palette: no preservatives or flavorings are added.

Thanks to the care taken in its sourcing, NOROHY makes high-quality natural flavoring ingredients accessible. In addition to their organoleptic qualities, these exceptional products come from responsible sources with reliable traceability. An ethical solution for chefs who want to combine respect for producers, product quality and taste. Finally, when the market trend is downwards, NOROHY aims to pass on this fall in the final price to its customers. Our aim is to share the creation of value as fair as possible between the links in an interdependent chain. At NOROHY, we believe deeply in collaboration and try to put our values into practice every day.  

perfect dose of Although Norohy is still a young brand, it has forged close partnerships with chefs. Thanks to these partnerships, Norohy can respond to their needs with innovative products. Tadoka, the perfect dose of vanilla, revolutionizes the use of this precious ingredient. This aromatic nugget, which can be grated or melted, makes it easier to use and dose vanilla in the lab. This is even more important in the current climate. We know how difficult it is for our customers to recruit qualified staff: a real time-saver for everyone! In the same spirit, Norohy coffee bean paste preserves the aromatic richness of the coffee, making it easier to incorporate into gourmet creations. This is due to the process chosen for its production: ground roasted coffee beans rather than coffee extraction. Norohy’s approach is to respect the raw material for a taste that is true to the raw product.

Close to the field, we know the importance of keeping up with production rates in the lab and controlling the cost of raw materials in recipes. Our innovations such as Vanifusion (vanilla bean paste), Tadoka and our vanilla extract meet these challenges. They contribute to fair use and controlled costs.

NOROHY’s commitment to the agricultural sector means that we are fully aware of the climatic and environmental challenges. While this awareness is essential, it is not enough. That’s why the brand is committed to reducing its impact at every stage of the product life cycle, from development to packaging and transport. An action that is fully in line with the B Corp approach.

In order to measure the priority areas to be tackled in this battle, NOROHY began by establishing its carbon footprint. In early 2024, we called in an expert firm to identify the areas with the greatest impact, so that we could implement the best alternatives. This hard work, carried out by external experts for greater objectivity, will enable us to draw up our climate plan for the coming years.

Like most crops and industrial processes, the production of Norohy products requires water, electricity, and fuel. While there is still room for significant improvement, Norohy develops its products with the minimization of resources always in mind. For example, the distance between bitter orange trees and the distillery is kept as short as possible. The vanilla bean preparation areas are located as close as possible to the plantings to reduce the transport of goods. Finally, the chosen method of processing coffee beans limits water consumption in flavor of natural drying on the ground. These initiatives fit in perfectly with the B Corp approach, which is also why B Corp certifies NOROHY.

Beyond production, the very packaging of products is also called into question. The ratio of packaging weight to product weight plays a part in the choice of materials used, as does their recyclability. As far as possible, we avoid over-packaging to limit packaging waste. We carefully consider the number of print runs, format, paper weight and number of pages of communication materials to avoid waste. We also distribute our documents in digital format to limit their environmental impact. Another concrete example of our B Corp. approach.

Keen to adopt a less polluting method of transporting our vanilla, NOROHY is supporting the Windcoop project by investing €300k (€50k in shares €250k to build the ship). Windcoop is a new kind of shipping company, transporting containers under sail. The container ship will be powered for the most part by wind energy, which is inexhaustible, clean, and free. From 2025, this militant project in the form of a cooperative will offer a low-carbon transport model that cares for people and the environment. The aim is to transport all our vanilla beans from Madagascar to Marseille. We also hope to use this new sea route to transport many other products from various companies.

In this way, Norohy strives to continue its efforts to make its business ever more virtuous. To discover Norohy’s B Corporation score, visit the B Corp website.