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Founded in 1998, Forest Fruits is a Zambian agricultural company that mainly sells honey. The company sources its products from around 4,000 beekeepers based in the Mwinilunga and Kasempa regions in the north-east and centre of the country, where beekeeping has been practised traditionally for around 300 years. Forest Fruits contributes to the development of this ancestral activity by offering beekeepers access to the market for the sale of their honey.
According to Oxfam International, 64% of Zambia’s population lives below the poverty line. With a GDP per capita of $1,157 in 2021, the country ranks 154th out of 191 countries (2021) on the Human Development Index (HDI). Underdeveloped infrastructure and increased climate risk from droughts and torrential rains in the south make Zambia a particularly vulnerable country. Access to capital is difficult, with high debt costs and significant currency fluctuations.
Forest Fruits’ goal is to enable beekeepers to earn a decent living. To achieve this, the company has chosen to develop high value-added products (honey vinegar, honey mustard, beeswax candles, etc.) in order to offer beekeepers a more lucrative purchase price. In terms of the environment, all beekeepers are certified organic, and the bees’ activity contributes to the pollination of forests.
