A Shea butter processing unit has been set up in Tema (Ghana) by Bunge Loders Croklaan affirming that the site is the largest plant of this kind in Africa.
As per the Bunge Loders Crooklaan, the processing unit is a fully-mechanized solvent fractionation plant that produces raw Shea butter formulated from crushed Shea nuts gathered locally. Generally, two main products (Shea olein and Shea stearin) are manufactured from Shea nuts.
Shea stearin produced in the plant is then further processed at the firm’s processing units in The Netherlands, US, Canada, and Malaysia to manufacture ingredients that can be utilized in food as well as non-food products.
This new facility is the first Shea processing plant of the firm in Africa, and the company claims that the plant will make it possible to fulfill the growing demand for Shea across the globe.
Aaron Buettner, President declared- “Our latest investment in Ghana plays a crucial role in boosting BLC’s global infrastructure such that it can process and supply premium-quality Shea products to our global customers, while also strengthening the entire ecosystem of regional crushers and local Shea gatherers in the West African region.”
He further said- “The facility enables us to significantly support and bolster the local Shea communities through the transfer of knowledge of value-adding processes and by investing in local skills development. We are glad to team up with local communities to collectively put in efforts to build and advance the African Shea industry.”
Ben Vreeburg, Senior Director for Sustainability for tropical oils at BLC stated- “We believe that the key to build a finer tomorrow for Shea communities is by financing in sustainable trade and income multiformity. This belief is what brings our Shea sustainability stratagem to life and the Where Life Grows campaign captures our determination to generate benefits to the countries and communities where Shea is emerged.”