Mechanical crushing
is an important marketing argument. The word "NATURAL" will
have all his meaning. Main "Natural Health Food " chains
are insisting on the "CRUSHING" method.
Although there
are no scientific studies proving the superiority of the crushing
sheabutter, local population in Africa are not using the solvent one
for their skin and hair, even when the price is very attractive. Anyhow,
there is no reason to maintain the terms of virgen, crude or crushed
for all the oils except for the sheabutter.
Budget will be
the key thing for the choice.
Depending upon
the formulation, laboratories will need and ingredient without odor,
without color and with no acidity. In this case there is only one
choice : REFINED SHEABUTTER.
Niches and specific
markets are more and more using new concept :
- Green market
will have more arguments with UNREFINED, mainly if the buyyer is
use "as it is" (Body butter, Ethnic market willing to
use the pure sheabutter, etc...)
- when it is
possible, the vitamin environment of the UNREFINED butter will increase
the anti-inflammatory effect.