This News Has Ruined Our Summer Ice-Cream Dreams

The last couple of weeks have been relatively sunny and we've been dreaming of summer days with BBQs and multiple ice-creams. However, after learning that we could be facing an ice-cream drought thanks to a vanilla shortage, we're devo. According to The Guardian, the price of vanilla in Madagascar rose by almost 150% this year after a poor harvest and now, ice-cream companies are feeling the burn. Charlie Thuillier, MD of ice-cream brand Oppo said prices have sky-rocketed in recent times: “the price has doubled in the last month. We were paying €35 a litre in February but now it’s €76". Imagine a world without 99s... You can get vanilla all over the world but according to Thuillier, vanilla from Madagascar "has the greatest depth of flavour". There are synthetic, artificial flavours but these taste considerably different so that doesn't sound like an option. That said, the price of vanilla ice-cream is likely to raise considerably. NOT ideal with summer just around the corner.