Connecting Africa’s agricultural resources with global markets

The aril is the soft, fleshy covering around the seeds inside the katemfe fruit, and makes up only a small fraction of the fruit’s mass. It is the natural source of thaumatin, a protein up to 3,000 times sweeter than table sugar.

Extracted thaumatin is used in very small amounts as a sweetener, flavour enhancer and taste-masking agent in food and pharmaceutical products.

Why the arils are frozen

Fresh arils spoil and lose potency quickly. Freezing them right after harvest stabilizes the protein so it survives the long journey to processing facilities overseas. We focus on appropriate handling, temperature-controlled storage and cold-chain transport throughout the supply chain to help preserve quality.

Akuamma seeds are the dried seeds of the Picralima nitida tree, native to West Africa, where the bitter, flat seeds have a long history of traditional use.

The seeds contain naturally occurring alkaloids, including akuammine, akuammidine and pericine, which are the subject of ongoing scientific research.

We work with our sourcing partners to provide product information and specifications suited to each customer’s intended application. Buyers are responsible for confirming that their intended use meets the regulatory requirements of their destination market.

Cup lump is natural rubber that coagulates in the small cups hung on trees during latex tapping, either naturally or with mild acids. It arrives as solid, spongy lumps rather than liquid latex.

Processors wash, shred and press cup lumps into technically specified block rubber, such as TSR 20, or into sheets and crepes.

That processed rubber is the foundation of heavy-duty and everyday products, including vehicle tires, industrial seals, conveyor belts, hoses, mats and gloves.

Sesame seeds are small, oil-rich seeds known for their nutty flavour. They are naturally rich in protein, dietary fibre, B vitamins and minerals such as calcium, iron and magnesium.

White seeds are hulled, with a milder, creamier taste, and are widely used in baking, on burger buns and for tahini. Black seeds are unhulled, with a deeper, slightly bitter flavour common in Asian cuisines and traditional desserts.

Depending on your requirements and origin availability, we coordinate seed type, grade, cleaning, packaging, quantity and destination.