Majority of the produce is used in cosmetics,
moisturizers, creams and lotions. Top suppliers of the product are found in
West and Central Africa.
Major exporters of Shea butter are Central Republic,
Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Uganda. Others include republic of Ghana, Togo and
Uganda.
In recent times the demand has risen exponentially
because of patronage from large cosmetic companies. Shea butter is a vegetable
fat extracted from dried kernels.
The off white extract is a fat substance predominantly
used in cosmetic. Shea nut is harvested from the karate tree and refined to extract
the fat.
The fat contains a complex mix of arachidic acid,
linolenic acid and palmitic acid. More acids include fatty acid, stearic acid
and oleic acid.
Sea butter export options available to investors include
full time, freight forwarding, part time and brokerage deals.
Major
Exporters of Shea Butter
- Central Republic
- Nigeria
- Burkina Faso
- Uganda
- Ghana
- Togo
- Uganda
- Ivory Coast
- Mali
Applications
of Shea Butter
Shea butter has many economic applications such as skin
care lotion, moisturizer and lotions. Other uses include ingredient in lip
gloss, emulsions, soap and conditioners.
It is used for cooking, found in medical ointments for
dry skin or pain relief. Stearin a derivative of processed Shea is used in the
food industry.
Uses
of Shea Butter Ingredients
- Lipsticks
- Sunscreen formula
- Make-up
- Emulsions
- Lip gloss
- Hair conditioners
- Used in cooking
- Medical ointments
- Lotions
- Creams
- Moisturizers
- Food industry
Shea
Butter Extraction and Refining Process
Women using traditional methods usually start the process
separating and cracking the dry nut. The nut is then crushed and boiled to
extract the Shea butter.
The roasted nuts a stirred to prevent the Shea burning, then
ground and water introduced into the mix. The water and kneading is added to
separate the butter oil curds which are slowly melted in a separate pot.
It is then left to cool then shaped into balls. The
traditional method sometimes causes impurities and contaminants in the product.
Marketing
Opportunities
Exporters need to give serious consideration to consumer’s
specification. Basic specification includes moisture content, free fatty acid
and oil content.
Other specifications are solubility, color, texture and
latex. The production method and specification is different for each industry
based on the application.
Shea is exported in different forms such as finished,
nut, instead, stearin or butter. Exporters must follow strict specifications
and guidelines as dictated by the buyer.
There are lots of marketing opportunities in Europe,
Denmark, Sweden, France and United Kingdom. Major industries that import the
product are pharmaceuticals, food and cosmetic industry.
What drives the market is the huge demand for natural and
organic products. International organizations use a portrait of rural women
using traditional methods as a marketing tool.
There is also a demand to know the origin of the product and
other certification. The industry is highly competitive so you need an
effective marketing strategy. You need to follow the buyer’s specifications to
avoid rejected cargo.
Labeling
- Organic declaration
- Origin
- Recommended storage instruction
- Classification
- Shelf life
- Statement of identity
- Ingredient declaration
- Net quantity
Permits
and Legalities
The label should have origin, classification and production
method. You are required to follow legislations, documentation and regulation
of buyer country.
Global buyer requirement may involve R&D
certification, quality control, stages of production, practices and environmental
concerns. Quality requirement include deodorizing, color, fatty acid
composition and concentration of unsaponiables.
Labeling requirements include net weight, date of
manufacture and best before. Others are name of exporter, contact address,
place of origin, batch code and product classification.
Common documentations are safety data sheet, certificate
of analysis and technical data sheet. Other documentation covers product
information, certificate of origin and CAS number.
Use effective packaging and clean containers to avoid
contaminants.
Documentation
- Standard certificate
- Certificate of origin
- Package list
- Commercial invoice
- Entry declaration
- Bill of lading
- Examination and inspection
- Organic declaration
- Quality assurance
- Origin
Finally
Register your business as a limited liability company. Consult
with exporters that have good knowledge of the business.
Buy only quality products and actively seek foreign
buyers. You can source funds from agricultural banks or core investors. Stay abreast
of production process and secure relevant documentation.
image attribution-By TREEAID - Burkina's gold, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org
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