Don’t hold back: Indulge

Indulge your sense of Taste and Smell.

In this month of love, many of us will be showing up and showing out to show our loved ones that we care for them. 

When it comes to the accompanying treats, you can stick to the same brands that embellish every holiday…or you could look to the African continent for brand stories that will make even the smallest gesture worthwhile. 

Here are items you should not sleep on starting now:

ReelFruit
An end-to-end fruit processing and packaging company that serves the best dried fruits and nuts that the region has to offer. The next best thing to fresh ingredients is well-preserved dried ones from ReelFruit. The brand began with a desire to produce finished products that could live on any shelf in the world and in 2013, Affiong Williams led her team to their first products. Her passion for innovative problem-solving and agribusiness has sustained the business for almost a decade and expanded the business to a wider range of products. 

Indulgence can be short-lived,
but it should definitely be sweet 😋

Ayoka Essentials
Ayoka is a female-owned business that curates plant-based, vegan-friendly, and environmentally sustainable home fragrance products. Adorn your space with enriched and luxurious organic scented candles, reed diffusers & room sprays. Their aim, to help you create a more joyful home. The founder, Epiphanie Yohou, has been a self-proclaimed scent enthusiast for years and this brand has been a way to embrace that practice and honor her Ivorian roots. 

Keroche Breweries
Based on the illuminous East coast of the continent, Keroche has an entrepreneurial story that goes down well with their beverages. They have a high quality range of malts, beers, wines, and vodkas that celebrate the land and its people quite well.  If you know of Tabotha Karanja’s story, then you know of the tumultuous business landscape in Kenya. Beyond their original wine collections, each new product reflects the tenacity and resilience that Tabitha herself embodies. The Keroche brand proves that with the right mind at the helm, quality products and experiences can be made and sold to local markets. 

Native Nosi
Dedicated to the sweetest things that nature has to offer, Native Nosi harvests sustainable raw honey and offers a grade of honey that is missing on many grocery shelves. Add Native Nosi to your snack boards, tea, and smoothies. You will be better for it. The Nosi story is in the name. Mokgadi Mabela in continuing a family tradition of beekeeping  has breathed new life to the practice in South Africa. Her business is run by many members of her family and the love they have for the environment and pure ingredients that sustain life is evident. 

Sweet Kiwi
In hot and cold weather, few of us can resist a high-quality frozen treat. Sweet Kiwi produces a low-calorie and whipped Greek yogurt that is unlike anything on your shelves right now. The flavors are definitely a conversation starter and the superfood benefits will go beyond any occasion. Over a decade ago, Ehime Eigbe-Akindele had a health scare that ushered her into a new era of eating. The connection between heath, indulgence, and balance best reflects her commitment to offering others the same option and maintaining harmony within us all. 

These African-led businesses are bound to add value to your self-care routine and invaluable memories to the lives of those special people in your life 😊