Our story
The vanilla of Lifou
A family-run and traditional cooperative born on the island of Lifou, carried by emotion and tradition.
On the island of Lifou, in the Loyalty Islands, our vanilla grows in the shade of coral forests. Born of limestone and shade, it is a coral vanilla. Founded in 2018, the Timanu cooperative brings together growers united by a shared passion: cultivating and celebrating the vanilla of Lifou.
Committed to fair, community-driven and solidarity-based values, the cooperative provides concrete responses to the social and tribal challenges facing families across the island, while preserving ancestral know-how.
"Making do with what we are and what we have"
The Timanu spirit
One culture, one soul,
one commitment
At Timanu, we grow Lifou vanilla in harmony with our traditions and our environment. Our mission: to preserve and promote ancestral know-how while supporting the economic autonomy of the growers of Lifou.
Authenticity
Cultivation respectful of ecosystems and tribal ways of life.
Solidarity
Uniting producers and supporting the development of micro agricultural projects.
Excellence
Ethical, traceable, top-quality production, from field to table.
Craft
From flower to pod
Pollination
Each flower is fertilised by hand, one by one, early in the morning.
Blanching
The pods are plunged into hot water to halt their growth.
Drying
Slowly sun-dried on Lifou, then in the shade, day after day.
Maturing
Matured over several months until their deep, woody aroma develops.
- 100% natural
- Hand-pollinated
- Sun-dried on Lifou
- Family & traditional cooperative
Our commitments
"From field to excellence"
We take pride in offering full traceability and exceptional quality. That is why we make available to you:
- The provenance of cultivation in the tribe
- The identity and story of our growers
- Planting conditions and techniques
- Preparation conditions and techniques for optimal vanillin content
- Storage conditions for proper conservation
