About Koefaga Organic Vanilla

Niue Island, the home of Koefaga Organic Vanilla

Niue Island, alone in the warmth of the South Pacific Ocean is the home of Koefaga Vanilla. One of the few places where the Tahitian variety of vanilla is grown, make it special. Beautiful Niue, an isolated upthrust atoll alone in the deep ocean.

Far more people of Niuean descent live offshore, and perhaps have been Niue's most successful exports. The on-island population of around 1600 are proud of their island and heritage. The Niue economy is based on tourism and exports of honey, nonu and vanilla.

Niue vanilla is organic, grown under BioGro certification in a group scheme covering all the plantations, and applies to the cured pods. Once value adding is carried out, the vanilla pod component in products can be said to have been Grown in Organic Gardens.

Vanilla extract product label

Product label

Our organic vanilla

Patricia at her vanilla stall

Should you be fortunate enough to visit Niue, most of our range is also hand made on Niue and can be brought back to New Zealand and elsewhere. Under our Koefaga brand (pronounced coy-funga) it is available seasonally on island from several outlets and from Patricia's stall in Alofi South.

Plump fragrant pods, expertly hand cured, are the basis of our Vanilla Extract and Vanilla Paste. Enjoy the flavour of classic vanilla extract for traditional recipes and savour the more robust flavours delivered by vanilla paste.

Experiment with Koefaga Vanilla in your culinary journey. Whether you are creating dessert delights or enjoying a smoothie, real Vanilla is like no other flavour.

Organic hand cured vanila pods grown on small family plantations in Niue are the foundation of the Koefaga Vanilla culinary range.

About Koefaga Vanilla

Organic vanilla pods

With my contacts with Niuean vanilla growers and a farmer-curer I have provenance from the growers who hold organic certification, through to the end user for the Koefaga vanilla range.

I am a member of NOEA (Niue Organic Exporters Association) which manages and monitors the volume of exports of Niue vanilla, NIOFA (Niue Island Organic Farmers Association) which manages the organic certification of vanilla, NFPA (Niue Food Processors' Association) and the Niue Chamber of Commerce.

The small scale of vanilla production on Niue dictates the annual crop of cured vanilla pods. When that season's pods, extract and paste are sold, that's it.

My own Niue production of the Koefaga vanilla range is sold from my home stall, and local outlets. I do an annual production run in New Zealand, bringing down cured vanilla pods to sell in glass vials, vacuum packs, and make the extract and paste. The production methods are the same, so no matter whether you buy Koefaga Vanilla on island, on-line, or from me at markets, the quality is the same.

For over 14 years I have had a very fortunate lifestyle. Jim and I spend around 8 months of the year on Niue Island, beautiful, quiet and warm during the March to November months. I combine my Koefaga Vanilla enterprise with our small holiday home business Cliff Top Fale

On Niue I also make coconut oil and preserves using local produce.

We come back to New Zealand during November for our annual break, and catch up with family and friends. Over this time my focus is on Koefaga Vanilla production, and having a stall at the Nelson Farmer's Market on Wednesdays, summer fairs and markets around the Nelson region.

I do an annual production run in New Zealand, bringing down cured vanilla pods to be packed in glass vials, made into extract and paste, and with a small quantity for bulk sales. The production methods are the same, so no matter whether you buy Koefaga vanilla on island, on line or from me at markets, the quality is the same.

With my contacts with Niuean vanilla growers and a farmer-curer I have provenance from the growers who hold NZ Bio-Gro certification, through to the end user for the Koefaga vanilla range.

Provenance, quality, organic certification and family

If a provenance-assured product, quality, organic certification of the pods, attention to detail, an appreciation of the art and science needed to create luscious vanilla appeals to you, join me on the Koefaga journey.

Niue vanilla (var. Tahitensis) is grown under New Zealand Bio-Gro certification which covers all growers on Niue. Growers are members of NIOFA (Niue Island Organic Farmers Association).

The vaniller curer who supplies cured pods to Koefaga is also a vanilla grower.

The extraction process is based on US FDA regulations. My NZ production is registered under the MPI Food Safety Standards. On Niue my kitchen has Niue Health Department approval.

No sugar is used in any Koefaga Vanilla. No additives, fillers or extenders are used in Koefaga Vanilla.

Koefaga is a boutique producer, focused on quality, producing in small batches, for the discerning buyer. Whether cooking for home or your business, you will love our quality products.

Being able to identify and support suppliers from the farm gate to our consumers is important to me. It links the Koefaga Pasifika connections of Niue in the South Pacific to New Zealand (and beyond).