From Waste to Wealth: Sustainable Palm Kernel Oil Production

For generations, wild palm harvesters in Liberia relied on palm oil for income, while discarding the palm kernels as waste. Without a market for them, processors often burned the kernels—releasing CO₂ and creating air pollution—or dumped them into rivers and streams, polluting waterways and harming aquatic life.

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J-Palm Liberia changed this by creating a market for palm kernels, turning what was once waste into a valuable economic and environmental solution. Today, thousands of small-scale processors earn additional income by selling their palm kernels, boosting their livelihoods while eliminating harmful pollution.

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We process these kernels into Regenerative Certified palm kernel oil, which serves as the foundation of our Kernel Fresh beauty brand—powering a range of clean, natural skincare and haircare products. Additionally, we export palm kernel oil to the United States, where it is used in high-end soap bars sold in retailers like Whole Foods Market. Our oil is the key ingredient in Whole Foods Market’s first-ever Regenerative Bar Soap, manufactured by Pacha Soap Company.

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The profits from our palm kernel oil sales allow us to expand into more communities, supporting over 10,000 processors across 91 villages—scaling both our business and our impact.