Founded in 2018 by Olivier Laurent and now run by his children Laura, Nathan and Naya, the Belgian house Ilanga Nature has made Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar its flagship product. Its vanilla pearls won an award at the Horecatel trade fair in Belgium, and its products are sold all over the world.
Vanilla crafted by hand
Ilanga Nature's vanilla comes from the SAVA region in north-eastern Madagascar. Every flower is pollinated by hand. The pods are then scalded, sweated, dried and aged for several months in wooden chests using the Bourbon method.
A range designed for professionals
In recent years, the house has greatly expanded its range: pods of 18 cm and over, extracts concentrated up to 400 g of vanilla per litre, paste, vanilla pearls and gift boxes. Its vanilla pearls won an award at Horecatel, Belgium's hospitality and gastronomy trade fair.
Customers all over the world
Ilanga Nature supplies leading pastry chefs, prestigious hotels and restaurants, as well as perfume and cosmetics manufacturers. Private customers order on its website, from its retailers, on Greenweez and on Amazon.
A direct supply chain
It all began with Olivier Laurent, a globetrotting entrepreneur who settled in Madagascar and founded Ilanga Nature in 2018 to work directly with the island's producers. Today the house works with 400 beekeepers in the Highlands, Manakara, Fort-Dauphin and Toliara. Its honeys won gold and silver at the London International Honey Awards 2020.
“Vanilla has become our signature. Whether it ends up in a great pastry chef's kitchen, in a perfume or in a jar of cream, we want to be able to say where every pod comes from and who pollinated it.”
— Naya Laurent, co-director of Ilanga Nature
The family in pictures
Olivier Laurent, founder, during a lychee honey harvest
Laura Laurent, harvesting jujube honey
Nathan Laurent, with an Ilanga Nature gift box
Naya Laurent, with students from a partner school, alongside the charity Hope Madagascar
High-resolution photos available on request.
Key figures
| Founded | 2018, by Olivier Laurent |
| Management | Laura, Nathan and Naya Laurent |
| Flagship product | Bourbon vanilla from the SAVA region (Madagascar) |
| Vanilla award | Vanilla pearls awarded at the Horecatel trade fair (Belgium) |
| Customers | Private customers, pastry chefs, hotels and restaurants, perfume, cosmetics, worldwide |
| Partner beekeepers | 400, in Madagascar |
| Honey medals | London International Honey Awards 2020 (gold and silver), Black Jar 2019, Bee Attitude 2019 (silver) |
| Headquarters | Mariembourg (Belgium) |
About Ilanga Nature
Ilanga Nature is a Belgian family house specialising in Bourbon vanilla, raw honeys, spices and jams from Madagascar, as well as organic olive oil from Sardinia. It supplies private and professional customers worldwide.
Press contact
contact@ilanga-nature.com — +32 60 45 64 38