The past year has taken a toll on many businesses. However, with the easing of lockdown many have returned with hopes for a brighter future as things return to normal. An example of this is Shea Butter Central, a business owned by Christopher Tetteh based in Ghana that specialises in shea butter and oils for skin and hair care.
I was lucky enough to be able to interview Mr Tetteh and gain a further insight into the behind the scenes of owning a business. When asked what his favourite thing about owning Shea Butter Central was, he told me that it was being able to see the difference it made in the lives for women in the community. With their jobs at Shea Butter Central, they are able to take their children to school and afford basic things for their everyday lives.
In addition to this, Shea Butter Central offer training to these women on how to efficiently extract shea butter. Also, they are provided with boots and gloves to protect them from snakes that are known to sting them whilst they collect the shea fruit.
One goal of owning a business would be to have consumers spread across the globe. This is certainly a target for Shea Butter Central who work both locally and internationally. They have a presence in the USA and sell to the UK and Scandinavian region. In Africa, they sell many of their products to Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa. Mr Tetteh also informed me that they plan to “take advantage of the AfCTA” (African Continental Free Trade Area) which began in January this year.
The future of Shea Butter Central is bright. Mr Tetteh hopes to expand his business on many fronts. He hopes to expand the number of countries to which they export to and to increase product lines. Some of the products that Shea Butter Central offer, include: Fragranced Shea Butter, Shea Oil, Avocado Oil, Castor Oil, Hibiscus Oil and more.
When talking about the effects COVID had had on his business, Mr Tetteh told me that “Covid brought the economy to a standstill. It put people out of jobs and forced people to prioritise their needs, Unfortunately, haircare and skincare products cannot compare with necessities, so we took a beating after the lockdown in Ghana.” He also said that they still feel the effects of covid, however things have gotten better.
Despite the tumultuous year that Shea Butter Central has endured, it is clear to see that they are in the hands of a capable and budding young businessman who has plenty in store in the future for his business.
