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Karl Mountain, Sweden, June 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ – AAK has formed a public-private partnership with global confectionery, food and pet care company Mars, several leading non-governmental organizations, and an impact investment fund.This will improve the livelihoods of women working in the U.S. Ghanaian Shea Butter Supply Chain.Continuing until 2030, the Women in Shea Butter (WISH) program aims to benefit 13,000 shea butter collectors from more than 150 communities in the north Ghana.
Project Objectives
The common goal of the stakeholders of the WISH program is to bring economic and social benefits to the 13,000 women in the program, promote the environmental improvement of the Shea Butter Park, and at the same time meet the market’s growing demand for high-quality shea nuts.
The project goals will be achieved by expanding women’s access to savings and financial credit, improving natural resource management techniques, and reducing the time burden and labor intensity of work related to the collection and processing of shea nuts. Each of these areas will enable women in the affected communities to derive more benefits from the grains they collect.
In the long term, the project will also have a positive impact on the quantity and quality of shea nuts and the overall sustainability of the shea butter supply chain. AAK provides Mars with shea butter-based cocoa butter equivalents for use in chocolate and confectionery applications. The two companies have pledged to purchase the shea nuts produced in the WISH program for a period of ten years. The project builds on AAK’s existing direct procurement program, Kolo Nafaso, through which the company purchases shea nuts directly from female small farmers. West Africa (Western Africa, So that they can sustainably increase their income. It is also closely integrated with AAK’s corporate mission-Making Better Happen™.
Common business values
Luis PalaAAK Chocolate and Confectionary Fats Global Business Director said: “Mars and AAK share common business values, including a long-term commitment to sustainable development. The WISH program will bring economic and social benefits to women in the project, and promote environmental improvements. Fruit Tree Park. It will also provide AAK with sustainable shea nuts, which AAK will transform into high-quality products for Mars to use in its chocolate and candy brands. The WISH program is a real collaborative effort, and we are very much Happy to be part of it.”
Annie Met OlsenAAK Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer added: “WISH is a pioneering partnership of stakeholders in the shea butter supply chain, combining the knowledge and influence of the public and private sectors. The potential for active and sustainable transformation is huge. , Especially given the holistic, long-term and practical approach taken by all parties involved.”
Public and private alliances of partners:
- AAK Focus on vegetable oils, which are value-added ingredients in many consumer products. Through its unique co-development method, the company addresses the specific needs of customers in many industries-chocolate and confectionery, bakery, dairy products, plant foods, special nutrition, food service and personal care.
- Mars Corporation Is a global A leader in the production of confectionery, food and pet care products, and an investor partner of the Family Farming Livelihood Fund (L3F).
- U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Leading international development and humanitarian work to save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, and help people make progress beyond aid.
- Family Farming Livelihood Fund (L3F) is an impact investment fund launched in 2015 with Mars and Danone, and later joined by Firmenich and Veolia, aiming to change the supply chain of pioneer brands and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.
- Caring International Is the main implementing partner of the WISH initiative and has been Ghana Since 1994. Currently, it works with more than 40 partner organizations to promote an integrated program approach to eradicate extreme poverty and social injustice.
- Presbyterian Agricultural Service (PAS) is a non-profit non-governmental organization in Ghana with more than 50 years of experience in providing agricultural consulting services to farmer organizations. More than 20,000 women working in the shea butter value chain have benefited from PAS intervention.
For more information, please contact:
Tim Stephenson
President of Global Purchasing and Trading
Mobile: +44 7768 822 031
e-mail: tim.stephenson@aak.com
This information has been submitted for publication on 10:30 am CET on June 10, 2021.
About AAK
Everything AAK does is to make something better happen™. We focus on vegetable oils, which are value-added ingredients in many products that people like to eat. We make these products taste better, healthier and more sustainable. The core of AAK products is the joint development of customers. It combines our desire to understand what is better for each customer, the unique flexibility of our production assets, and an in-depth understanding of many products and industries, including chocolate, candy, and bread. Stores, dairy products, plant foods, special nutrition, catering services and personal care. Our 3,900 employees support our close cooperation with customers through the support of 25 regional sales offices, 15 dedicated customer innovation centers, and more than 20 production facilities. Listed on NASDAQ Stockholm, our headquarter is in Malmö, SwedenFor 150 years, AAK has been committed to making things better.
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