Passion, sustainability, governance. This is the triad that led Kaapi Ingredients and Young Living to celebrate 13 years of partnership. Since 2010, the Brazilian company has been transforming aromatic plants into ingredients that will compose some of the essential oils distributed worldwide by Young Living, a major player headquartered in Utah, USA
The connection between the two organizations comes from a very special ingredient: rosewood essential oil. Extracted from Aniba rosaeodora, it has distinct notes and is highly valued for its complex scent characterized by woody, floral, and herbal elements. In aromatherapy, it is known for properties that boost self-esteem, bring strength and courage.
In pursuit of this specific ingredient Young Living’s researchers began to explore South America, especially the Amazon Forest, natural habitat of rosewood. They were looking for a reliable partner, able to supply rosewood oil, according to all national and international legislation requirements.
That’s when Young Living and Kaapi crossed paths.
On this side: Kaapi Ingredients
The sustainable production of Rosewood essential oil was a dream of Eduardo Mattoso, a physicist, chemist, and enthusiast of Brazil’s natural wealth. Rosewood was classified as an endangered species in 1992. Over almost 70 years, the excessive exploitation led to the cutting down of trees of slow growth and scattered occurrence throughout the forest to the extraction of its essential oil. In 2010, rosewood was listed on the Appendix II of CITES, as a measure to control the international trade of illegal rosewood oil.
Unhappy with the whole situation of rosewood, Eduardo took action to change it. He decided he had to start planting rosewood. After a few of years of trials and errors, he started a commercial plantation in Itacoatiara, a small town east of Manaus, the capital of the Amazonas, the state with the biggest area of untouched Amazon Forest. In 2018, the distillery started to be built and in 2021 the first batch of totally traceable and sustainable rosewood oil was produced in the farm.
The company has overcome the challenge of cultivating a threatened wild species, and Eduardo hopes that in the following years rosewood won’t be considered a threatened species anymore.
On the other side: Young Living
Sustainable extraction of rosewood oil, respecting the forest without degradation, was what Young Living’s researchers sought when they visited the Brazilian Amazon.
They found in Kaapi the required criteria for sustainability and quality control. Above all, they realized they shared the same passion for rosewood, essential oils, wellbeing and sustainability. With this partnership, they could bring back to the market one of the most cherished essential oils.
Today, rosewood is back to the original formula created by Young Living’s Founder D. Gary Young and is one of his most successful products. The name couldn’t be more fitting: VALOR™. The word comes from ancient Latin and means “to show good health, to be strong”, and also wealth and value. It couldn’t be a proper word for such a product. VALOR™ translates the connection between the companies and how they conduct their business, adding value to nature’s wealth and people’s lives.
Watch the video below for more about this story, as told by Young Living.
