Organic African Shea Butter: Traditional Methods & Harvesting

Perhaps you’ve already tried shea butter, perhaps you’re considering swapping to shea butter instead of regular butter, or perhaps you’ve never even heard of it. Regardless, the origins of shea butter, particularly organic African shea butter, are so interesting and are definitely worth knowing about (even if you’re not quite the shea butter convert just yet!).

In this post on organic African shea butter: Traditional methods and harvesting, we’ll take a closer look at where this remarkable natural ingredient comes from, long before it reaches your kitchen cupboards.

The very first thing to know is that African shea butter starts its journey on the sunny savannahs of West Africa. For generations, local communities have gathered the nuts by hand and transformed it using traditional methods that have remained almost identical over hundreds of years.

Of course, shea butter has been used for years and years in West African cooking. But it’s more of a novelty still here in the UK. Saying that, interest in natural, ethical products has grown in the last few years, and now more people, including those in the UK, are keen on making ‘healthier’ swaps in the kitchen - and that includes investing in organic produce, which is where organic African shea butter comes in.

Traditional harvesting process

Traditionally, the harvesting process of shea butter is wonderfully hands-on, and it often involves the community working together towards the same shared outcome.

The traditional harvesting process will usually follow the natural rhythm of the land, which means the process can’t be rushed - this is important. Shea fruits are collected by hand once it falls from the tree and not beforehand to ensure the nuts are fully ripe and that the trees remain unharmed.

Harvesting usually takes place during the rainy months (yes, even Africa has rainy months), from around May to August, as this is when the shea tree reaches maturity and produces its fruit - but, that doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, shea trees grow really slowly in the wild and might even take a decade or so to bear fruit, and that’s why it’s so important to take care of the trees during harvesting.

The entire traditional harvesting process of shea butter is deeply rooted in community life, with the community, often of women, working in union to gather, process and share knowledge on the practice.

You see, the process behind the earthy, nutty product we consume runs far deeper than you might assume, as the collective effort both preserves traditional methods and strengthens bonds within African communities.

Traditional processing steps

After the harvesting phase, the transformation from nut to butter truly begins - and it’s not as simple as just crushing it.

1. Nut separation and cleaning

The outer fruit pulp is first removed to reveal the shea nut inside. The fruit itself is sometimes described as looking like a green plum, but it’s the nut in the middle that contains that all-important shea kernel. We’ll come to the kernel later.

At this stage, the nuts are also washed to remove any dirt and ensure that only the best nuts move onto the next step.

2. Drying

After the cleaning has been done, the nuts are laid out in the sunshine to dry naturally. All of the processing steps are important, but this one is essential for preserving the nuts and preventing spoilage.

3. Traditional crushing methods

Once dried, the nuts are cracked open to release the kernels! To turn a kernel into what you’d more likely associate with the finished product of shea butter, they’re crushed by hand (often using stones or simple tools) to create a coarse paste.

This hefty task is more often than not completed in groups, to turn the work into a shared community activity rather than something long and laborious.

4. Hand extraction process

The details don’t stop there, as the crushed paste is then mixed with water and kneaded by hand. This requires strength, rhythm and experience, as both the texture and temperature need to be perfect.

5. Natural filtration

Of course, if you’re planning on cooking with shea butter, you can’t have any impurities or grit in it. So, the shea butter is gently boiled and skimmed to remove any remaining impurities. Once it’s cooled, the shea butter naturally solidifies into the smooth and creamy texture we’d expect.

Organic certification in Africa

When you’re planning on using shea butter in your cooking or baking, looking for an organic certification will help reassure you that what you’re using is as natural as possible.

Organic standards require shea nuts to be harvested from wild trees, without the use of synthetic chemicals, pesticides or additives, and processed using traditional, low-impact (albeit labour-intensive) methods.

Getting an organic certification involves checks and documentation, and in the UK, it’s the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that oversees food safety and quality standards for edible fats and oils, helping ensure that products like shea butter are safe to enjoy in everyday cooking and, on top of that, to ensure the items are pure and traceable.

For local communities, this can mean better access to international markets and more stable (and fair) incomes, while encouraging sustainable practices that protect the shea trees and surrounding ecosystems for future generations. You can read more about organic certifications and what this means for your shea butter here.

If you want to ensure you’re getting 100% organic shea butter, the easiest place to shop for it in the UK is right here. Star Shea’s Vegan Butter is an organic, Grade A shea nut butter that’s produced without synthetic pesticides, fertilisers or GMOs.

Regional variations

Your shea butter will always have its origins from the same tree, regardless of which region in Africa it’s sourced from. However, across West Africa, geography, tradition and culture all play a role in shaping the final butter, particularly when it’s destined for cooking rather than cosmetics.

• West African differences - Countries such as Ghana, Burkina Faso and Nigeria each have different approaches to harvesting and processing, which can lead to slight changes in shea butter flavour and colour.
• Local techniques - There’s no one ‘right’ way to make shea butter, so things like how long the nuts are dried for and the way the butter is churned can make a difference in the way it tastes.
• Cultural significance - Shea butter production is deeply rooted in local culture, often with recipes that have been passed down through generations. 
• Geographic impact - Soil type, rainfall and climate all affect the shea nut, so, naturally, this will impact the texture and quality of the shea butter.

Community impact

Investing in shea butter isn’t just about investing in your own health, it’s also about investing in the communities behind it.

Women’s cooperatives play a central role in the production of shea butter, as they work together to harvest, process, and share the rewards of their group labour. For many families, shea butter provides an important and reliable source of income, which, in turn, helps to support many households and local economies, too.

Lots of the knowledge regarding the production of shea butter is passed down from female generations, meaning you could be eating a grandmother’s recipe she’s passed down to her daughter, who’s also passed it down to her daughter.

Plus, when Fair Trade practices are in place, these female-powered communities will receive fairer pay and safer working conditions, so you can rest assured knowing that the journey of shea butter from a tree to your table is a positive one for everyone involved.

That’s also why Star Shea works with the Morning Star Integrated School, a school set up for young women who are unable to qualify for higher-level education, to create the Vegan Butter that’s free from additives, animal products and chemicals.

Modern meets traditional

However, sometimes it’s not as easy as honouring all of the traditional practices behind making shea butter. There must be a balance between honouring said traditions and modern expectations.

Although, and perhaps it goes without saying, many producers still do work incredibly hard to maintain traditional methods, especially when making raw shea butter for cooking, all while still meeting organic compliance standards.

Quality control and assurance now play a big part in the production of shea butter, and it essentially refers to the process of meeting recognised quality standards to make sure your shea butter is clean and safe for consumption.

Simple checks like frequent monitoring and testing of the raw materials and finished product, and regular maintenance on any equipment being used in the product, make sure that your shea butter is safe (without stripping away its natural goodness, of course!).

As demand for shea butter inevitably grows, scaling up is (or should be) done carefully so that production can increase without rushing the process.

Environmental considerations

There are a couple of environmental considerations to think about when it comes to the production of shea butter - but, honestly, that’s what makes it so unique.

• Sustainable harvesting - Shea fruits are only collected once they have naturally fallen, this way, the health (and lifespan) of the shea tree can be protected. 
  
• Ecosystem protection - Steering clear of intensive farming will help preserve soil health and water sources. 
• Organic farming practices - We’ve already explored why organic is best, but essentially it makes sure you’re buying a product that contains no pesticides or harmful fertilisers. 
• Biodiversity support - Shea parklands make for rich ecosystems for plants and animals - organic practices will help to keep it this way. 

Cultural significance

Shea butter is more than just another product in Africa, in fact, it’s actually deeply woven into both everyday life and culture across many African communities. Nicknamed ‘women’s gold’ to reflect its value as not only a source of income for families but also because of its symbolism of resilience, community and tradition, you can see that shea butter is incredibly valued.

In local medicine, raw shea butter has long been used as a natural remedy because of its soothing and protective properties - some of which we can see in our cosmetics today.

In cooking and baking, organic shea butter also holds an important place as it’s long been used in traditional cooking. Shea butter will appear in family recipes, festive meals and regional specialities, and the techniques, tastes and cooking methods will all likely have a rich history.

Plus, there’s also the aspect of strong community traditions, where cooking, sharing food and the process behind making shea butter are all social activities.

So, in exploring the story (and roots) of organic African shea butter, it’s clear this much-loved ingredient is far richer than the product that ends up in your trolley, basket or cooking. From traditional harvesting methods, which are still honoured today, to strong community involvement, each step of the shea butter process reflects a minefield of knowledge and utmost respect for the land.

It’s always special to discover the origins of an ingredient that’s now loved so much - and it would be difficult to find a product with a richer history, where flavour, tradition and environmental responsibility are so crucially connected. So what are you waiting for? Invest in and try organic shea butter for yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is African shea butter really organic?

Not all shea butter is naturally organic. Just because shea trees often grow in the wild, it doesn’t mean that the shea butter made from the nuts meets organic standards.

For shea butter to be labelled as ‘organic’, it has to be produced and processed following specific guidelines and without the use of synthetic fertilisers, harmful pesticides and chemical solvents.

So, if this is something you’re keen on avoiding, it’s always best to shop organic. However, if you’ve purchased your shea butter from a reputable and transparent company, like Star Shea’s Vegan Butter, your African shea butter will really be organic.

Where does organic African shea butter come from?

Organic African shea butter comes from the nuts of the shea tree, which usually grows wild across West Africa. The nuts are traditionally harvested by hand (often by groups of women) from naturally fallen fruit and are processed using methods that might have been passed down from generation to generation.

Star Shea’s Vegan Butter has its roots in Tamale, Ghana, and supports local communities and sustainable farming practices. This also makes the butter organic and gives it that perfectly nutty, earthy flavour.

How is organic African shea butter made traditionally?

Organic African shea butter is made traditionally through a series of steps, some of which are rather labour-intensive.

1. Fruit collection
2. Nut cleaning and drying
3. Crushing the kernels
4. Hand extraction
5. Natural filtering

What does real African shea butter look like?

‘Real’ African shea butter will have a natural, unrefined appearance, per se. Shea butter can vary by colour, but usually it has an off-white, slightly ivory or pale yellow colour - if it’s bright white, that could suggest heavy processing.

Texture and smell-wise, your shea butter should be creamy, not overly gritty, and also soften easily when warmed by your hands. Steer clear of any chemical or off smells, too, and your shea butter should have a mild nutty aroma. Make sure to also choose a supplier who mentions traceability or those who work with women’s co-operatives, as this supports fair pricing and sustainable production.

How can you tell if African shea butter is organic?

The easiest way to tell if your African shea butter is organic is by looking at the packaging or on the brand’s website. The UK has a strict organic certification policy (you can read more on it here), so if you notice an ‘organic’ label on a product, there’s a high chance it’s met said organic standards.

Organic shea butter is made from nuts harvested without the use of synthetic pesticides, chemicals or additives and is usually minimally processed (you can check your shea butter for visual signs of processing). However, clear information about sourcing and traceability is more often than not a great sign.