…to bottle From tree…

Marula has long been known as the King of African trees, venerated by communities across Southern Africa for its magical properties, whether for its leaves and bark in treating a range of illnesses, for the alcoholic properties of the delicious fruit or for using the oil to alleviate stretch marks from pregnancy.

Around February each year, the fruit of the marula tree falls to the ground where it is eagerly collected by rural women, for whom it has long been an important source of income. First they will use it to make buganu, a potent home made beer that is a central part of Swazi culture.

After brewing the buganu, Swazi women leave their nuts to dry in the sun on a clean surface.

The nuts are then cracked in the traditional way, using carefully selected stones, washed before each session.

After cracking, the two or sometimes three, kernels are prised from their chambers using a pin and stored carefully ready for sale.

Members take their fresh kernels to community buying points to sell to their own company, Swazi Indigenous Products (SIP).

Staff grade and weigh the kernels.

Suppliers receive immediate payment.

The kernels are then taken by truck to SIP's Mpaka factory where they are cold pressed within ten days using manual bridge presses. Nothing is added or taken away, ensuring that the oil reaches the customer in its pure, natural state.

Oil is kept in cold storage and regularly tested for acid value and peroxide value in the company's in house laboratory to ensure that all oil meets SIP quality standards.

Products are then lovingly hand crafted to natural formulations to preserve the real qualities of marula and other African oils.

Finally they are despatched to distributors across four continents so that you can enjoy the natural wonders of these oils, content that the benefits are going to 2,600 rural Swazi women.