Our Value Chain

A Masterclass in Quality from Orchard to Your Table!

At APEX IMPORTERS, we take immense pride in delivering a mango and vanilla journey that's second to none. Allow us to unveil the meticulous process behind our superior harvest, cleaning, packaging, and delivery inviting you to embrace a taste of pure excellence. Here's an in-depth look into the marvels that ensure the utmost quality from our orchard to your table:

Vanilla

Harvesting is a crucial stage in the journey of vanilla for quality, with the emphasis placed squarely on gathering only fully ripened beans. Meticulously, these beans are expertly severed from the stem using precision blades. In this initial state, they possess a vibrant green hue and lack any distinct aroma.

They are subsequently delicately stored in palm tree bags until they reach the processing facility, where they undergo sorting based on their level of maturity, size, and categorization into split and unsplit varieties. Following this, a thorough cleansing is administered using pristine, fresh water.

We employ the Bourbon curing method for our beans, setting them apart from the Mexican approach by employing scalding with hot water and minimizing the sweating process.

Our batches of beans are carefully placed into openwork cylindrical baskets, which are then immersed in containers filled with hot water heated to a temperature range of 63 to 65 °C, using a wood fire as the heat source. The larger beans undergo a lengthier immersion compared to their smaller counterparts to attain the perfect balance between effectively "killing" the fruit and preserving structural integrity.

This step entails elevating the temperature of the processed beans to stimulate the desired enzymatic reactions and initiate a first swift drying process to avert undesirable fermentations.

During this phase, the beans assume a richer brown hue and become notably pliable, while the emergence of an aroma becomes discernible. Subsequently, the warmed beans are swiftly drained, enveloped in a dark cotton fabric, and carefully positioned within a cloth-lined sweating enclosure. After a 24-hour period, the beans are extracted and scrutinized to segregate any that may not have undergone complete "killing" as intended.

The next stage of sun-drying is carried out on a plot of dry, easily drained ground, at some distance from roads to prevent contamination from dust particles. The processed beans are evenly spread across dusky fabric sheets positioned atop elevated bamboo slatted platforms, raised 70 cm above the ground. After an initial hour of direct exposure to the sun, the cloth edges are carefully folded over the beans to trap and harness the heat.

The cloth-enveloped beans are left to bask in the sun for an additional two hours before the covering is rolled up and brought indoors.

This sequence is repeated consistently for a period spanning 6 to 8 days until the beans become quite supple.

The fifth phase entails a gradual drying process in a shaded environment, spanning a duration of 2 to 3 months.The beans are arranged on racks, elevated by supports, and positioned 12 cm apart within a sufficiently ventilated location.

Throughout this slow drying process, the beans are sorted regularly and those which have dried to the requisite moisture content are immediately removed for conditioning.

Once the vanilla beans have completed the drying process, they are meticulously laid out and assessed based on criteria like quality, shape, and moisture content. This evaluation results in their categorization into distinct grades such as "grade-A," "grade-B," and "Extract Grade."

The sorted beans are then carefully bundled and typically vacuum-sealed to ensure consistent moisture levels and maintain the assigned grade, preserving quality from the farm to the consumer. They are then placed in packaging boxes and labeled with essential information, including the variety, origin, packing date, and handling instructions.

These packaged are stored in a cooled room maintaining temperature and humidity levels to extend our vanilla shelf-life, ensuring that every beans reaches you in impeccable condition.

We transport our vanilla to worldwide destinations. Through swift and seamless air transport, we ensure these luscious gems are plucked from our sun-kissed orchards and arrive at your doorstep in no time. Our diligent partners meticulously prepare all essential documentation, facilitated by our trusted forwarding agent. From import permits to quality certifications, every detail is harmonized to adhere to international regulations, ensuring a smooth passage through customs. This is more than just a delivery, it's efficiency connecting continents.

Mango

Our skilled cultivators, and years of experience, ensure that only the finest are harvested. With picking poles equipped with specialized baskets and ergonomic grips using calibrated force to twist and pluck, each mango is selectively harvested with 10 to 20 centimeters stem attached minimizing stem injury and bruising and placed into crates and transported to the packing shed. This technique ensures an optimum balance between fruit ripeness and structural integrity.

Upon harvest, our mangoes undergo a cleaning regime that leaves no room for compromise.

Wearing protective equipment, our employees use a clean, sanitized knife to cut off the stem end of the mango. Carefully disposing of the removed sap channels and stem ends in a designated waster container, the employees quickly place the desapped mangoes in a container filled with Mango Wash solution. Gently agitated, any remaining sag, dirt or contaminants adhering to the fruit’s surface is removed.

The mangoes are then transferred to a high-pressure washer to further remove debris from the mangoes’ crevices and surface. The mangoes are then dried for a brief period, reducing the excess moisture on the surface. Conducting a meticulous final inspection, each mango goes through a visual inspection to ensure effective sap removal and impeccable cleanliness.

Our packaging process is designed to prolong shelf life and enhance aesthetics. Mangoes are meticulously sorted based on size, quality, and ripeness ensuring uniformity in size and quality crucial to visual appeal. They are then packaged in corrugated cardboard boxes or wooden crates with ventilation holes with a cushioned bottom. Each mango is placed in a foam net which further shields the fruit from impact during transit.

Our boxes of mangoes are labeled with essential information such as variety, origin, packing date, and handling instructions. They are stored in a cooled room maintaining temperature and humidity levels to extend our mangoes shelf-life, ensuring that every mango reaches you in impeccable condition.

We transport our mangoes to worldwide destinations. Through swift and seamless air transport, we ensure these luscious gems are plucked from our sun-kissed orchards and arrive at your doorstep in no time. Our diligent partners meticulously prepare all essential documentation, facilitated by our trusted forwarding agent. From import permits to quality certifications, every detail is harmonized to adhere to international regulations, ensuring a smooth passage through customs. This is more than just a delivery, it's efficiency connecting continents.