OLVEA Burkina Faso is driven by the will to conduct its activity with a commitment to sustainable development and the minimalization of its ecological impact of its production. 

This will is given concrete form by OLVEA Burkina Faso’s Environmental Policy, as well as its membership of UEBT (Union for Ethical BioTrade), a non-profit association that promotes the “Sourcing with Respect” of ingredients coming from biodiversity. In becoming a member of UEBT, OLVEA Burkina Faso commits itself to the principles of Ethical BioTrade: ensuring that sourcing practices promote the conservation of biodiversity, respect traditional knowledge and assure the equitable sharing of benefits all along the supply chain.

A win-win relationship

- Memorandum of understanding expressing the mutual participation between OLVEA Burkina Faso and each women’s cooperative with the emphasis on a long-term outlook.

- Training of cooperatives: in compliance with good practices concerning the processing of Shea kernels and within the terms of the memorandum of understanding

- A source of additional income at improved rates for thousands of women: higher-than-market minimum price and perception of a quality bonus.

- Creation of added value for Burkina Faso: all the kernels bought by OLVEA Burkina Faso are processed into butter directly at its industrial plant in Burkina Faso.

- Promotion of cooperatives’ awareness of Shea processing, a shared resource essential to local development.

Acting as a responsible employer

- Creation of many direct, sustainable jobs in compliance with local labour legislation.

- Work safety: health and safety committee, specific provision of equipment (shoes, helmets, etc.), complete fire safety equipment.

- Ongoing training of employees: technical (in-service training with specialized local institutions), fire, hygiene, safety, IT.

- Social security, bank account, refunding of medical expenses, creation of a mutual fund for employees.

Reducing our ecological footprint

- Assessment of the greenhouse gas emissions generated by OLVEA Burkina Faso Shea production in 2011: 0 kg of CO² per kg of raw butter leaving Burkina Faso

- Continued reduction of our Carbon Footprint, in cooperation with our technical partners.

- Maximizing energy self-sufficiency of the production process, notably by using Shea cake to fuel the boiler.

- A production process that does not use water.

- Location of the production unit in the heart of the Shea gathering area.

- Optimization of logistics: local supplies of Shea kernels and rail/sea link for exported butter.

- Promotion of cooperatives’ awareness of environmental protection and good management of natural resources.

- Introduction of actions for protection of the resource and replanting of Shea trees.

- Recycling of Shea cake (a co-product of butter production) to replace wood for domestic burning and as agricultural input (plant coverage, compost).

Founded in 2007, OLVEA Burkina Faso, formerly named Burkarina, is a limited liability company based in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, in the heart of shea country. 

OLVEA Burkina Faso is a subsidiary of OLVEA Vegetable Oils, specialized in the production and packaging of vegetable oils and butters since 1929. All of OLVEA Burkina Faso's production is distributed exclusively by OLVEA Vegetable Oils.

OLVEA Burkina Faso has an annual trituration capacity of around 3,000 tonnes of shea kernels. The company has a payroll of more than 25 employees who receive in-service training in hygiene rules, best practices in production, safety and fire prevention. 

To guarantee the health safety of its production, OLVEA Burkina Faso has set up a quality management system and has an on-site laboratory that conducts daily inspections.

An ancestral tradition

Shea playsa very important social and economic role in rural areas. The kernels and traditionally made butter are sold on the markets. 

To obtain this butter, the fruit is gathered once it has fallen to the ground, in order to guarantee full maturity. The fruit is gathered from the bush exclusively by women, between May and August. The sweet fruit pulp is edible and children love it.

Once the fruit is brought back home, the women process it in several stages to obtain shea kernels: first, the fruit is rid of their pulp, then the nuts are boiled, dried in the sun and shelled. The kernels obtained are sun-dried again before being sold or transformed into butter. The kernels contain an average 50% fat. 

"Women's gold" is an additional source of income for millions of women in rural Burkina Faso and gives them some economic independence (in particular to pay for their family's schooling and healthcare).

New factory Olvea Burkina Faso

The construction site of the new factory Olvea Burkina Faso began. The purpose of this factory is both able to increase the quantity and quality of shea butter product, while reducing the carbon footprint and promoting energy independence of the production process.

The first stone of the plant was laid in early February; the work progressing well and the plant will be operational by late 2015.

New production plant

Olvea Burkina Faso embarked on an ambitious project: the construction of a new production site in Bobo-Dioulasso.The construction will start by the end of the year and will be operational in late 2015. With this new plant, Olvea Burkina Faso will increase the amount and quality of shea butter products, while further reducing its carbon footprint. To carry out this project, Burkina Faso Olvea strives to optimize the functional aspect (flow management) of the new site by integrating the principles of sustainable architecture to improve comfort (work environment). In parallel to strengthen its environmental commitment, Olvea Burkina Faso conducts research to promote energy autonomy of this new production site valuing Shea meal (co-produced shea), and therefore limit the impact of its activities on the environment. The establishment of a processing line and almonds cleaning will improve the quality of butter produced and lead to certification ISO 22000. The new plant will be more durable than the current unit. 

OLVEA Burkina Faso, certified by Ecocert, supplies organic Shea butter compliant with European Organic Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 and the NOP standards.

OLVEA Burkina Faso is a UEBT member (the Union for the Ethical BioTrade) and offers as well Shea butter coming from a sustainable  supply chain.

Benefits of Shea butter

Shea, with its many benefits, has been used by local populations for thousands of years, and is an integral part of everyday life in West Africa. 

It is used in cooking and traditional medicine:

• skin protection, 

• prevention of cracked skin,

• baby massage, 

• hair care.