Our Story
Glenn Gottlieb founded Amadeus Vanilla Beans as a passion project in 1994. A successful lawyer and corporate leader, Glenn was fanatical in his approach to learning about vanilla and where it comes from, which led him to be an early proponent of fair trade practices. After visiting the farms and small co-ops where he sourced his beans, he learned why vanilla is so valuable; every single step of the growing process, from pollination to curing must be done entirely by hand, and Glenn believed strongly that this artful and intensive labor deserves fair compensation.
Cassie and Marty started running Amadeus Vanilla in 2025. We are inspired by the relationships Glenn developed and the goodwill he created. We are vanilla lovers and we look forward every week to seeing the delicious products our customers make. The people in this community include bakers, coffee shop owners, brewers, distillers, chocolatiers, simple syrup creators and more.
How we source. We buy where the vanilla is grown — from family farms and grower cooperatives across Madagascar, Mexico, Uganda, Indonesia's Papua region, Comoros, and Tanzania. Buying direct means we can stand behind every bean's origin and grade, pay the growers fairly, and pass consistent quality to the bakers and makers who depend on it.
Why vanilla costs what it does. Vanilla is one of the most labor-intensive crops on earth. Every step — from hand-pollinating each orchid flower to months of sweating and curing the pods — is done by hand. When you taste a plump, caviar-heavy Grade A bean, you're tasting that labor. We think the people who do it deserve fair pay, and we price accordingly.
