Nektium secures first BioTrade permit to bring honeybush to European supplements market
Nektium has now secured a BioTrade permit from South Africa’s Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to source honeybush in line with the principles of the Nagoya Protocol, the international legal framework which promotes the sharing raw materials in a fair and equitable way.
With the permit in place, Nektium’s R&D team is now working to develop a honeybush ingredient with the potential for use across supplements, food and beverages.
“We are delighted to have obtained our first BioTrade permit, which we believe is the first issued to an extract manufacturer for honeybush in South Africa,” said Adriana Regidor, sustainability & corporate affairs director at Nektium.
To secure the permit, it was essential to recognize and reward the traditional knowledge of relevant indigenous groups as determined by the South African Government. Spain-based Nektium therefore worked with South African distributor Parceval (Pty) Ltd to consult and negotiate with the San Council of South Africa and the National Khoisan Council.
As a result of the negotiations, Nektium will share the profits from any honeybush ingredients with both councils and provide their members with internships at the company’s facilities on the island of Gran Canaria.
Nektium will also work with local raw material supplier Agulhas Honeybush Tea, which secured a permit demonstrating its compliance with the Nagoya Protocol in December 2023. The parties will cooperate to ensure sustainable cultivation that preserves wild honeybush stocks, encourages agricultural biodiversity and promotes carbon sequestration.
“Securing the permit was a long journey, but Parceval helped guide us every step of the way,” Regidor said. “We were able to identify a raw material supplier that is committed to our values as well as the two local councils that represent the traditional knowledge holders. We’ve been able to establish a firm relationship built on trust with the San and Khoisan councils.
“The communities they represent have existed for thousands of years, and we are hugely grateful for their depth of knowledge on sustainable honeybush use. In turn, the internship program we are offering means they will be able to acquire new skills and knowledge. This will allow them to return home and uplift their own communities in a variety of ways.”
Ulrich Feiter, Parceval’s CEO and chair of the South African Botanical Products Association (SABPA), told NutraIngredients this marks the very first time that permit’s been issued in the honeybush industry.
“In the meantime, the other companies in the honeybush industry are waking up to the need to be compliant and have started their own process of negotiating benefit sharing agreements,” he said.
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