The opportunity
A pressing and refining line that recovers fat from mango seed kernels — the by-product of any pulp or dried-mango operation. Mango butter sells to cosmetics and personal-care makers as a shea/cocoa substitute; the de-oiled cake becomes animal feed or digester feedstock. The science is proven locally on Pakistani varieties; commercial extraction is the gap this plant fills.
Revenue lines
- ▸ Mango butter (cosmetic-grade, unrefined & refined)
- ▸ Mango kernel oil (food/cosmetic fat)
- ▸ De-oiled kernel cake (animal feed / biogas feedstock)
- ▸ Buyers: cosmetics & personal-care formulators, ingredient traders
Why now
- ● Personal-care demand has overtaken food as the main use of mango butter, and real buyers exist at scale (AAK, Hallstar, Manorama, Emami).
- ● Kernels are 10–15% of fruit weight and currently discarded at near-zero cost — the feedstock is free and abundant.
- ● Pakistani researchers have already characterised cosmetic/edible-quality oil from seven local varieties — the raw material and the science are proven; only commercial extraction is missing.
- ● It's the line that most differentiates us from a commodity dried-fruit exporter — a genuine 'wow' co-product.
Indicative economics
All figures are indicative planning ranges — confirmed jointly during due diligence, not a guaranteed return.
Capital requirement
Indicative ~$150k–500k (PKR ~40–140M)
Small commercial expeller/press units run roughly $1,700–6,800; a multi-tonne/day commercial line with pressing and filtration sits in the $150–500k band, more if solvent extraction is added. The exact turnkey figure needs a vendor quote — treat this as indicative.
How it earns
- ▸ Cosmetic-grade mango butter sells wholesale at ~$9–35/kg; bulk unrefined (~$9–15/kg) is the realistic entry price for a new Pakistani supplier.
- ▸ At a medium plant's fruit volume, the kernel stream can yield tens of tonnes of butter a year from material that currently costs money to dump.
- ▸ The de-oiled cake is a second monetisation — feed or digester feedstock.
Margin logic
Sector plant models show 45–55% gross and 22–32% net margins — healthy, because the feedstock is essentially free. Raw material being near-zero is the structural advantage here.
Payback thinking
Modest CAPEX plus high margins and free feedstock make this the most attractive valorization line on a standalone basis. The real execution risk is kernel handling, not the market.
Plant & machinery
Kernel de-pulping, drying & dehulling
Cleans and dries seeds promptly to prevent mould/rancidity — the key operational step.
Screw / expeller oil press
Presses fat from the kernel (~5–7% yield by pressing, higher with solvent).
Filtration & refining
Produces clean, consistent, export-grade butter with a certificate of analysis.
Packing & QA
Bulk export packaging plus quality documentation buyers require.
How it works, end to end
- 1Collect kernels from the pulp/dried-mango line — a by-product already on site.
- 2De-pulp, dry and dehull promptly to prevent spoilage.
- 3Press (and optionally solvent-extract) to recover the fat.
- 4Filter and refine to cosmetic/edible grade with a certificate of analysis.
- 5Pack for bulk export; route the de-oiled cake to feed or the digester.
Why partner with MMA Farms
- ✦ Feedstock is genuinely free — the seed is currently discarded, so raw-material cost (65–75% of OPEX in a normal oil plant) collapses.
- ✦ Proven local science on our exact varieties (Chaunsa, Sindhri, Langra) — quality is demonstrated, not hypothetical.
- ✦ Bolts onto the same intake line as the pulp/dried plant — no separate fruit sourcing.
- ✦ Highest-margin, most exportable, most differentiating line — turns a waste stream into a cosmetics ingredient.
Risks & how we manage them
We'd rather be straight about the risks now than surprise you later. Here's our honest view.
⚠ Kernel handling logistics (the real risk)
How we manage it: Kernels must be de-pulped, dried and dehulled promptly or they mould/rancidify — we design the collection-and-drying flow around the harvest peak.
⚠ Cosmetic-export quality & buyer entry
How we manage it: Consistent grade with certificates of analysis; start with bulk unrefined to established traders before targeting premium accounts.
⚠ Price volatility
How we manage it: Offtake contracts to smooth the seasonal swings typical of natural butters.
Investor questions
Is mango butter really valuable?+
Yes — it's a genuine cosmetics ingredient, chemically similar to cocoa and shea butter and stable above 35°C, which is why formulators use it as an emollient and shea/cocoa substitute. There's a real global market (~$100–235M) with named industrial buyers, and it sells wholesale at roughly $9–35/kg.
Where does the raw material come from?+
The seed kernels are a by-product of the pulp or dried-mango line — 10–15% of every fruit, currently discarded. That's the whole appeal: the feedstock is free, so margins are structurally high. This line pairs naturally with a core processing plant rather than standing entirely alone.
What's the catch?+
Kernel handling. Seeds must be de-pulped, dried and dehulled quickly or they spoil, so the operational discipline around the harvest peak matters more than the market does. We're upfront about that — it's an execution challenge, not a demand problem.