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Founded in 1998, Forest Fruits is a Zambian agricultural company that mainly markets honey. The company sources its products from around 4,000 beekeepers based in the Mwinilunga and Kasempa regions in the north-east and center of the country, where beekeeping has been traditionally practised 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 is ranked 154th out of 191 states in terms of HDI (2021). Underdeveloped infrastructure and a climate risk heightened by droughts and torrential rains in the south make Zambia a more vulnerable country. Access to capital is difficult, with high debt costs and significant currency fluctuation.
The aim of Forest Fruits is to enable beekeepers to live on a decent income. To achieve this, Forest Fruits has chosen to develop high value-added products (honey vinegar, honey mustard, beeswax candles, etc.) to enable the company to offer beekeepers a more remunerative purchase price. On the environmental front, all beekeepers are certified organic, and bee activity contributes to the pollination of forests.
