SHEA NUTS & BUTTER
Shea nuts are ethically sourced from Ghana, Burkina Faso and sold to reliable organisations globally
Banyan Trade Africa (BTAL) strives to source quality shea nuts and raw shea butter as sustainably as possible from the various women communities, thereby supporting best practices in the shea industry.
BTAL empowers the shea women communities in the rural areas by ensuring fair price to the ‘Shea Women’ and the various communities associated to shea production.
Banyan Trade Africa is open to partner with all stakeholders in the Shea Trade. Contact us for supply of quality shea nuts and shea butter.
SHEA NUTS
Shea Nut is the seed of the tropical African shea tree, grown in the wild in the Sudan Savannah region in Africa, where hot winds blow sand and dust during the harmattan season.
The seed is the raw material for producing the fatty extract called Shea Butter. Shea nuts have been traded regionally for centuries, and today, about 300,000 MT are exported annually from West Africa, primarily for use as shea butter, which is used both in confectionaries and in cosmetics. The collection and processing of shea nuts is traditionally done by women exclusively, thus providing a source of revenue for the rural Ghanaian and Burkinabé women involved in the shea trade.
Banyan Trade Africa is open to partner with all stakeholders in the Shea Trade. Contact us for supply of quality shea nuts and shea butter.
Export Market
Shea Nuts & Butter
Shea Nuts are sourced from Ghana and Burkina Faso and sold to reliable organisations in the global market. Banyan Trade Africa (BTAL) also sources hand-crafted raw shea butter from Ghana and Burkina Faso.
Europe remains the largest market worldwide for shea butter imports from West Africa, with the Netherlands and France dominating imports much of which is then re-exported to consuming markets globally.
Banyan Trade Africa is open to partner with all stakeholders in the Shea Trade. Contact us for supply of quality shea nuts and shea butter.
WE ENSURE QUALITY NUTS
Collecting
Collecting
Collecting
The Shea Women collects or picks the fallen ripe shea fruit from the ground. No shaking or forcibly knocking the fruits from the trees.
De-pulping
Collecting
Collecting
The fruits are then de-pulped, either by hand or by feeding the animals. No rotten or germinated nuts are used.
Boiling
Collecting
Boiling
After de-pulping, the shea nuts are par-boiled in water within 7 days, for not more than 40 minutes. No-overboiling.
Drying
De-husking
Boiling
The nuts are dried after de-pulping, in clean surfaces.
De-husking
De-husking
De-husking
The nuts are de-husked by hand within 3-4 days and no longer. The nuts are de-husked with care by the women to avoid breakage.
Sorting
De-husking
De-husking
After nuts are de-husked, they are then sorted to remove bad nuts and impurities.
Drying
Checking Moisture
Checking Moisture
After sorting, the shea nuts are dried again, and bad nuts are continued to be sorted.
Checking Moisture
Checking Moisture
Checking Moisture
After the second stage of drying, the shea nuts are tested for moisture levels. We ensure moist nuts are not stored.
Storing
Checking Moisture
Storing
Dried shea nuts are stored in jute bags in dry airy conditions.