Dr. Vanilla takes the next step in the evolution of the popular vanilla flavor – Columbia Missourian

Dr. Vanilla, a one-man operation based in Fenton, takes the popular flavor to new levels with a line of natural, organic vanilla products.

The company was started in August 2020 by Krishna Bala and makes vanilla products using cool infusion technology. According to Bala, this processing method wastes the least amount of vanilla, retains more flavor compared to other methodsand is more economically sustainable.

Dr. Vanilla currently offers alcohol-free vanilla and natural vanilla extract. A 4-ounce bottle of natural vanilla extract is priced at $12.99 on its website. Vanilla powder, vanilla paste and gourmet vanilla pods will be available in the future, Bala said.

The company sources vanilla bean pods from sustainable farms in Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, India and Indonesia. But Dr. Vanilla wants to go beyond simply outsourcing to teach farmers how to properly grow the best possible vanilla bean, as well as fund educational programs for children in these countries.

Some portion of the revenue, we want to send back to the countries where we are doing business, Bala said. We are not so focused on making money. We want to be business partners.

The process from vanilla bean to final product takes around three months, Bala said. The cool infusion technology extracts flavor from the vanilla pods by using a heat- and friction-free processing method.

According to Bala, this leads to roughly zero product loss, more flavor in the final product and long-term sustainability with fewer vanilla pods used. After the initial extraction process, the vanilla is taken through multiple chemical changes to create the aroma and taste of the final product.

We don't use high temperature, high pressure," Bala said. "It's sustainable because you don't lose any energy. It also captures every flavor molecule in the vanilla bean.

Bala graduated from MU as a food science and nutrition major, focusing on flavor chemistry. After graduating, he became a food chemist, working on a process to create the best possible vanilla.

Traveling the world, he perfected his techniques and founded Dr. Vanilla after he retired last year. Bala began to offer a few products in August on the Amazon online store.

The product just tastes pure, clean and organic," according to a customer review on Amazon.

As Dr. Vanilla continues to grow, Bala wants to expand the product line. He is confident that his plans will be both achievable and profitable.

Ten years from now, we could easily be a $20 million company, he said.

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Dr. Vanilla takes the next step in the evolution of the popular vanilla flavor - Columbia Missourian