Market Research Future (Food and Beverages) Shea Butter Market Research Report | Page 3

Shea Butter Market Research Report – Forecast to 2023
2 Market Overview
Shea butter is a fatty triglyceride extracted from the nut of plant Vitellaria paradoxa composed mainly of stearic acid
and oleic acid. Shea butter finds broad applications is cosmetics as a moisturizer, salve or lotion and is consumed
as edible oil in many African countries. By composition, it contains 40 to 60 % oleic acid, 20 to 50 % stearic acid, 3
to 11 % of linoleic acid, 2 to 9 % of palmitic acid less than 1 % of arachidic acid. The composition is well suited for
most cosmetic applications making it rapidly absorbable into the skin with excellent water-binding and emollient
properties. The market drivers for Shea butter is its explosive applications expanse in cosmetics and the growing
awareness generation regarding its beneficial effects.
Thus skin and hair products such as lip gloss, moisturizers, and hair conditioner remain the dominant applications
of Shea butter. Shea butter melts at body temperature, which makes it an excellent base for ointments used in the
treatment of itching and skin swelling such as eczema. Shea butter has also been adopted by the chocolate industry
as a substitute for cocoa butter.
Regional Analysis:
The Middle East and Africa is the largest market for Shea butter owing to its traditional popularity and the enormous
consumption of Shea butter as oil in African nations. However, almost half of the Shea production never reaches the
international market and is consumed locally. Nigeria contributes more than 50 % of the global Shea exports followed
by Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, and Togo. The Middle East and Africa are increasingly being
skewed in favor of the Gulf nations owing to growing adoption of natural cosmetics in Gulf economies of Saudi
Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar.
Europe led by France and closely followed by Germany accounts for the second largest market owing to the high
presence of global players such as L'Oreal S.A. and sizeable cosmetic industry of France. Europe is supported by
North America dominated by the U.S.
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