Unrefined Shea Butter, Grade A
Ivory to light cream, handcrafted by the same cooperative communities each season so quality stays consistent across shipments. The grade for cosmetics and personal care formulation.
Nigeria → United States
Bulk agricultural commodities, sourced at origin and delivered to your dock.
Akesan imports unrefined shea butter and Nigerian agricultural commodities for manufacturers, refiners and wholesalers across the United States — with the documentation and traceability that keep a shipment moving.
Shea butterGrades A, B & C, plus Nilotica
DocumentedCOA, COO & phytosanitary
BondedContinuous customs bond on file
TraceableLot-level origin to delivery
What we supply
Our core offering is Nigerian shea butter
In the grades the trade actually buys — from cosmetic-grade unrefined butter to industrial volume, with traceability back to the cooperative that produced it.
Nilotica Shea Butter
Vitellaria paradoxa ssp. nilotica from northern Nigeria. Softer, with a naturally lower melting point and a cleaner, less smoky odour profile.
Grades B & C
For industrial and high-heat applications where a darker tone and a different odour profile are acceptable, and where volume matters more than cosmetic grade.
How we work
Sourcing at origin is where most import programmes fail
So it is where we concentrate our effort.
Cooperative sourcing, not open-market aggregation
We buy through established cooperatives and processing facilities in the shea belt — Kwara, Niger, Oyo, Benue and Kogi — which means traceable lots and stable quality rather than whatever was aggregated that week.
Documents that clear
Every consignment moves with a certificate of origin, a certificate of analysis and a phytosanitary certificate issued at origin, with FDA prior notice filed ahead of arrival.
Customs handled
We hold a continuous customs bond and clear through a licensed customs broker of record, so your name is never the importer on a shipment you did not arrange.
Supplier verification
Our suppliers are pre-screened for APHIS requirements before any purchase order is raised, and we keep foreign supplier verification records on file for every facility we buy from.
Beyond shea
Commodities that travel well on the same lanes
If a Nigerian commodity ships in a container, we can quote it.
- Sesame seed
- Hibiscus flower (roselle)
- Dried split ginger
- Cocoa beans
- Cashew nuts
- Tiger nuts
- Soybean meal
Send us a specification and we will quote to your dock.
Availability, grades on hand, container configuration and a delivered cost.