Eku is a member of the Global Shea Alliance (GSA)

The Global Shea Alliance is a non-profit industry association with 560 members from 35 countries including women’s groups, retailers, suppliers and NGOs. 

Nearly 2 billion shea trees grow naturally on parklands in 21 African countries stretching from Senegal to South Sudan, while 16 million women living in rural communities individually collect fresh shea fruits and kernel for processing. 

More than half of all shea exports are processed in West Africa with approximately 800,000 tons collected each year. Global demand for shea has significantly increased because of its use in more food and cosmetic products. Although, the shea industry provides a critical source of jobs and incomes to often poor and under-served communities, a lot still needs to be done to ensure that these communities receive a fair share of the economic benefits of their produce.

As around 95% of Eku products are made from Shea, we proactively source our ingredients from local shea farmers and co-operatives in order to ensure they receive market rates for their produce. Each Eku product sold provides a fair economic lifeline for a farmer somewhere in West Africa and this has only been made possible because of you, our fantastic customers.

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