Natural Extracts Industries Ltd

Natural Extracts Industries (NEI) Ltd, established in November 2011, is a social enterprise pioneering the sustainable manufacture of flavours in Tanzania, starting with vanilla, cacao and orange. The company works in all areas from cultivation, to post-harvest processing, to value-add manufacturing and to international sales and marketing. The company's supply chain strategy aims to partner with and capacitate local farmer groups and cooperatives to ensure consistency and continuity of supply, while ensuring that fair prices are passed back to the farmers. Our products are used by industrial food processors (ice creameries, dairies, beverages), commercial bakeries, and a range of restaurants and hotels, while our retail products are distributed within East Africa by supermarkets, boutique delis and gift shops. To encourage sustainable and high quality cultivation, our programme has established links with over 6,000 farmers in the Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Tanga, Kagera, Mbeya and Morogoro regions in Tanzania, and in Mukono, Masaka, Kasese and Bundibugyo in Uganda. Through Farmer Champion representatives, our registered farmers receive training in good agricultural practices, including the use of natural biopesticides and composts. We also provide expert advice on financial and organizational matters, in order to help farmers organise themselves into formal primary societies. Every aspect of production, from cultivation through to post-harvest processing and manufacturing, seeks to use primarily natural materials, inputs and ingredients. Our operations strive to be ecologically friendly, and we actively try to reduce the impact on the environment through recycling and reduction of consumables. We also have a pro-woman staffing policy to promote economic and social empowerment. Our quality has been recognised both in the regional and international markets, and we continue to explore ways to improve our products and develop new, exotic flavours.