Impressed by the advantages of the baobab tree, Santa Barbara–primarily based wellness firm KAIBAE is placing individuals and the planet earlier than earnings and redefining what it means to achieve success in enterprise.
Central to the manufacturing of KAIBAE’s line of well being and sweetness merchandise, in addition to their baobab fruit powder — which is utilized in varied merchandise for corporations akin to Nature’s Path Natural, Republic of Tea, and Patagonia Provisions — is the usage of regenerative practices, preservation of biodiversity, and recognition that sustainability will not be sufficient.
KAIBAE, which turned an authorized B Corp in 2022, was initially impressed by botanist-humanitarian Thomas Cole’s curiosity within the baobab tree. He fashioned the corporate with Barbara Maes and Dr. Luc Maes, and so they have since partnered with communities in northern Ghana who’ve cherished the baobab for hundreds of years. When KAIBAE was first began in 2014 (see story right here), there had by no means been a business harvest of baobab. Having only a few alternatives for financial growth, northern Ghana’s harvesting of the baobab tree is a essential new income that improves the neighborhood’s entry to schooling and healthcare and prevents meals insecurity.
“We determine wild crops all through Africa,” mentioned Dr. Luc Maes. Dr. Maes, whose background is in naturopathic medication, mentioned that KAIBAE is “impressed by the baobab, the place we will make a distinction not just for individuals’s well being, but additionally protect biodiversity.”
Barbara Maes mentioned KAIBAE has related with many unbelievable individuals, is popping out with new merchandise, and has attention-grabbing collaborations within the pipeline.
“Baobab is getting numerous consideration as an historic ingredient, and is now turning into more and more mainstream,” mentioned Barbara Maes, an artwork historian and curator who’s liable for new enterprise and day-to-day operations for KAIBAE. “It’s thrilling to see that the demand is growing and persons are appreciating its advantages.”
The KAIBAE baobab harvest in Ghana is now the number-one annual supply of revenue for greater than 100 neighborhood staff going into schooling and well being fields.
KAIBAE has two branches of enterprise: retail merchandise and the wholesale promoting of substances for added merchandise. The retail department of KAIBAE is the place merchandise are produced that help the intestine and pores and skin microbiome.
“The pores and skin microbiome is a crucial a part of our well being that we’re dropping,” mentioned Dr. Maes. “It’s contributing to various well being issues and as a health care provider, diabetes, weight problems, metabolic syndrome, or heart problems are all situations that I’ve seen all through the years.”
The retail facet of KAIBAE is targeted on sourcing substances round combining substances that profit the pores and skin microbiome, added Dr. Maes. KAIBAE is anxious about what substances are used of their merchandise, whether or not they’re their merchandise or different individuals’s.
“We’re all about preserving wild vegetation,” mentioned Dr. Maes. “If we don’t protect them, we’re going to have an much more fast destruction of our biodiversity.”
The opposite department of KAIBAE sells substances for meals, in addition to uncooked substances, the uncooked materials, the fruit, powdered oil, and the leaves to the meals, beverage, and the beauty industries. By doing this, KAIBAE can proceed to help the communities and promote financial growth that they’ve dedicated to with the native communities.
The dream for KAIBAE is for the enterprise to change into an instance for a way we must be making and utilizing merchandise every day. “I really feel like we’re creating a chance the place shoppers can change into energetic individuals and should not solely sustaining their well being, but additionally their environmental well being,” mentioned Dr. Maes.
Though it has been a steep studying curve, the KAIBAE founders say they need to be part of their very own neighborhood, the larger neighborhood, and simply do good work. From harvesting substances within the wild to creating a stable provide chain, they agree that they’ve discovered rather a lot.
“We’re not slowing down,” mentioned Barbara Maes. “Let’s simply say that this staff is full velocity forward.”
See gokaibae.com for extra details about KAIBAE.
