Questions we hear on the first call, answered before the first call.

For raw and refined shea butter, our standard minimum is a single 20kg carton for first orders under evaluation, scaling to one pallet (roughly 500kg) for repeat commercial orders and a full 20ft container (around 12–14 metric tonnes in steel drums) for standing supply agreements. Black soap runs a lower entry point, a case of 24 bars, since it's typically bought for retail testing before a bulk commitment.

If your volume sits below these figures, say so on the quote form. We'd rather quote a smaller trial run honestly than have a first order stall at customs over paperwork sized for a container.

Yes, within limits we're upfront about. Shea butter grade (raw, ivory refined, or deodorized/bleached) is selectable per order at no extra cost. For black soap, we can adjust ash-to-oil ratio, add-ins (tamarind, oatmeal, activated charcoal), and shea butter content above our standard 12%.

Custom formulations require a minimum of 200kg to justify a separate production run, and add 10–15 days to standard lead time for a pilot batch you approve before full production.

Yes. We produce unlabeled bulk (drums or cartons) for buyers who repackage locally, and we also print and apply custom labels or cartons to your specification for finished retail units, provided artwork meets our supplier's print-ready requirements and the order meets the private-label minimum of 1,000 units per SKU.

Once you've completed a first shipment, we set up a standing account with your saved specification, preferred INCOTERM, and billing details, so repeat orders are a short confirmation rather than a fresh quote each time. Buyers on a quarterly or monthly cadence can also lock in a price for a defined window rather than re-quoting per shipment.

Raw (unrefined) butter is cold-pressed and minimally filtered, it keeps its natural ivory-to-yellow color, nutty aroma, and the highest concentration of unsaponifiables. Refined butter is filtered further to remove impurities and lighten color while retaining most active compounds. Ultra-refined/deodorized butter goes through a further process to strip color and scent almost entirely, the choice for formulators who need a neutral base that won't affect a finished product's fragrance profile.

We can supply all three grades from the same harvest season on request; the technical data sheet for each ships with your quote.

Properly stored raw and refined shea butter holds for 24 months from production date; black soap holds for 18 months. Keep it below 30°C, away from direct sunlight, in its original sealed container, heat cycling (melting and re-solidifying repeatedly) is what shortens shelf life fastest, not time itself.

Every shipment includes a certificate of analysis with production date, batch number, and recommended storage conditions.

You have 14 days from container arrival to flag a spec discrepancy, supported by a third-party lab report or photographic evidence for visible defects. Confirmed out-of-spec batches are replaced at our cost for the next shipment, or credited against your next order if you'd rather not wait, your choice, not ours to decide for you.

This is written into every sales contract, not just something we say on a call.

Both. The majority of our buyers are cosmetic and personal-care manufacturers using it as a raw material, our refined and deodorized grades are formulated with that use in mind, and we can supply INCI documentation, allergen statements, and a full technical data sheet for regulatory filings in the EU, UK, and US.

For orders from existing stock: 5–10 business days to prepare and dispatch. For orders requiring fresh production (typical for larger volumes): 3–5 weeks production plus transit. Ocean freight transit runs roughly 3–4 weeks to European ports and 4–6 weeks to North American ports; air freight, where the order size justifies the cost, cuts that to 3–7 days.

We confirm a firm dispatch date in writing once your order and payment terms are locked in, not a range you have to chase us on.

We export primarily via Tema Port, Ghana, with inland trucking arranged from our Tamale facility. Standard terms are FOB Tema, but we quote EXW, CIF, and DDP on request depending on whether you'd rather manage your own freight forwarder or have us handle door-to-door.

For first-time buyers unfamiliar with the process, we generally recommend CIF or DDP, it removes the freight-forwarder coordination from your side entirely.

Every shipment ships with a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate (where required by the destination country), and certificate of analysis. HS code for raw and refined shea butter is 1515.90; for black soap, 3401.19. We'll also prepare a certificate of free sale or any destination-specific customs document your import broker requests, given advance notice.

Yes, mixed-product container loads are common and don't carry an extra handling fee, provided packaging for each product meets its own storage requirements within the same container (black soap and butter ship fine together; both are stable at ambient container temperatures).

Bank transfer (SWIFT/TT) and irrevocable letter of credit (L/C at sight) are both accepted. First-time buyers typically work on a 50% deposit to confirm production, with the balance due against shipping documents before or on dispatch. Established accounts with a shipment history can move to net-30 terms.

USD by default. We can also invoice in EUR or GBP for buyers who prefer to avoid a currency conversion step, at a rate locked at the time the pro forma invoice is issued.

Always. You'll receive a pro forma invoice itemizing product, quantity, unit price, INCOTERM, and estimated dispatch date before any payment is requested, it's what most import banks and finance teams need on file before releasing a deposit.

Request one through the quote form or by email, specifying which grade(s) you want to evaluate. Sample size is 100–250g per grade, sent by courier. Shipping is billed to you at cost (we don't mark it up); the product itself is complimentary for the first sample request per company.

Sample turnaround is typically 3–5 business days for courier dispatch, with delivery time depending on your country and courier chosen.

ISO 22000 (food safety management), HACCP, Fair Trade, and EU Organic. Certificates, along with lab test results (heavy metals, microbial, free fatty acid content) for the specific batch you're purchasing, are provided with every commercial order and available on request before you order, for your own compliance review.

We can arrange Halal certification for orders that require it, through a recognized certifying body, with roughly 2–3 weeks added lead time for the audit and paperwork. Kosher certification is handled case by case, let us know at the quote stage so we can confirm feasibility and timeline before you commit to a date.

All shea nuts are sourced from women-led cooperatives across the Northern, Upper East, and Upper West regions of Ghana. Every batch we ship is mapped back to the cooperative it came from, if you'd like that detail for a sustainability report or supply chain audit, ask and we'll include it with your certificate of analysis.

Price is agreed with each cooperative's leadership before harvest begins, not negotiated after nuts are already perishable, and payment goes directly into the cooperative's bank account rather than through a field agent. Our Fair Trade certification covers the pricing and payment structure specifically; full detail is on our Sustainability page.

Yes, and we'd encourage it for buyers planning a significant standing order. We host supplier audits and facility visits in Tamale by appointment, give us 3–4 weeks' notice so we can coordinate cooperative visits alongside the facility tour, since the two are usually more useful seen together.