THIS ISSUE CONTAINS:

THIS ISSUE CONTAINS:

NEW ARRIVAL: FRESH AND IMPROVED SHEA BUTTER

NON-TRADITIIONAL MARKET FOR SHEA BUTTER IN PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS

NEW ARRIVAL: FRESH AND IMPROVED SHEA BUTTER

We have in stock fresh unrefined shea butter available for immediate shipment. This stock is naturally rich in vitamins A&E; it is pure, natural, smooth, and creamy, unrefined, well filtered and so has all the natural skin healing fractions. It has unique moisturizing properties, non-greasy and non-sticky, absorbed by the skin quickly and well packaged. The improved quality is a result from feedback we received from our customers in 2005. Order your samples now! Samples are available from http://www.sheabutterweb.com

NON-TRADITIIONAL MARKET FOR SHEA BUTTER IN PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS

The most recent non-tradition demand fro shea butter has been from the cosmetic market. Although still small, this market has grown remarkable and represents the highest potential to add value at source. Some estimates show the total West African trade growth from less than 200mt in 1994 to approximately 1,500 mt per annum in 2003 (Aarhus United, 2003). However, the user of un-quantified and traditionally produced butter for soaps, lotions, creams and body washes, particularly in the USA,UK, Nigeria, Ghana and Other African nations, already may have resulted in a trade far greater than 5,000 mt (5-10% of the total exports). For example, The Body Shop, just one of many international companies buying locally produced Shea butter from women’s groups, increased its demand for shea from 5 mt in 1994 to over 100 mt per annum in 2003. (The Body Shop’s Community Trade is a targeted purchasing program of accessories and natural ingredients from disadvantaged communities around the world.

Visit http://www.thebodyshop.com/bodyshop/values/support_community_trade.jsp to learn more about The Body Shop’s African initiative)

Other estimates that total African export figures for traditionally produces butter in the cosmetic market has grown from less than 200 mt per annum to over 2,000 mt in 2004. This represents an annual average increase of 26%. Other experts in the industry have publicly offered figures as high as 8,000 mt per annum and a projected demand from one US/EU Based company supplying the cosmetic industry has been stated at over 4,000 mt of shea butter for 2005.

The main reason for this growing interest in the use of shea butter in the personal care market rests in the recognition by the cosmetics industry and its consumers of the presence of a significant fraction of unsaponifiables (3-12%) including a number of chemicals credited with a range of therapeutic benefits, such as, UV protection, moisturizing, regenerative, anti-eczema, and anti-wrinkle properties. The latest factor in this growth of use in the cosmetics industry is the relatively recent recognition by the US market of this growing consumer demand for shea butter.

When the ASBI surveyed 463 regular users of Shea Butter, the following 10 benefits of shea butter were uncovered:

• Dry Skin
• Eczema cream
• Blemish cream
• For Softer Smoother skin
• For Burns and burn gel
• Wrinkles Reduction cream
• Dry Hair
• Shaving cream
• Anti-itch cream
• Skin Abrasions

 Source: ASBI

REFERENCE:

The Shea Butter Value Chain:

Production, Transformation and Marketing in West Africa

WATH Technical Report No. 2

AFRICA TODAY

(SHEA BUTTER PRODUCING) UGANDA’S MUSEVENI THANKS VOTERS

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has thanked voters for re-electing him and urged the opposition to accept the outcome of Thursday's election.

In his first address to the nation since his victory, he thanked Ugandans for rejecting "negative forces".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4753652.stm

Note: Vitellaria nilotica shea butter variety - is only found in Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan.