About ours
Responsible production
Of soapberry
Our supply chain
Just as there is a big difference in the quality of soap berries, there is also a big difference in the conditions under which they are produced - both in relation to the people who work with them and nature.
Nepal is a country affected by great poverty, inequality, bureaucracy, corruption and lack of respect for nature and human rights.
In the beginning, this meant that we could not rely 100% on our contacts and intermediaries. Although they assured us that things were fine, they were not to our standards.
That is why we have entered the Nepalese supply chain ourselves to gain control over our production and the conditions under which it takes place. And this happens in close cooperation with our local partners who share our values and desire to strengthen development in Nepal. Together with them, we work to ensure proper working conditions and fair payment for all involved. It is a process that we will never finish and that can always be improved.
The farmers harvest the soap berries once a year, and the harvest is influenced by the weather and whether the seasons hold true. This means that the prices of raw berries vary from year to year when we shop. Just as coffee prices and the prices of many other raw materials are affected by the market, the weather, the harvest etc
The last time we visited our value chain in Nepal, we saw that thanks to technological tools such as mobile phones, farmers have begun to mobilize and set market prices that support rather than create competition. This means that they are now in a stronger negotiating position and can secure fair prices. We see this as a positive development that we would like to support.
The majority of the harvested berries are today exported raw to Nepal's large neighboring countries India and China. We want to create additional income opportunities and development in Nepal, where the need for economic growth is greatest. That is why we have chosen that all processing and packaging of our soap berries must of course also be done
taking place in Nepal.
The entire trade chain in Nepal is characterized by a great deal of trust, with the largest buyers sending advance payment for the berries down through the chain all the way to the farmers. Just as we also send payment in advance - out to our families at the other end so that they can initiate the work. This places great demands on the patience and understanding of our dealers here in Denmark, because here you are part of a larger context where you help us invest sustainably in Nepal.
Our work with
Women in Nepal
In our soapberry production and in Nepal, our focus is to work with and create jobs for women. It is not entirely irrelevant whether you employ women or men in a developing country. And it's not because we don't like men (because we can!), but rather because several studies have shown that the key to growth in developing countries lies in investing in women and girls.
Statistically, women in developing countries invest up to 90% of their income for their family, their children, their health and schooling - where men only invest 30-40%.
If we want to create development in poor societies, the key is to invest in girls and women.
The fact that it is typically far more difficult to be a woman than a man in a country like Nepal is of course also a reason in itself. The women in developing countries go to school for less time (if they go to school at all), get married away or have to take care of the family. It's a huge waste of resources - especially considering the above statistics.
We believe that as a Western company you have an enormous responsibility to contribute to constructive development in the countries you trade with. We are therefore very conscious of specifically asking our Nepalese partners to employ women in production. Because it simply makes such a big difference.
We are of course a small fish in a very big ocean. But we are still proud to be able to live up to our values and invest in our fellow sisters in Nepal - and in this way contribute to the development of one of the world's poorest regions in cooperation with all of you
