Back in the 1990s, Georgia native Tammie Umbel set out to create natural products with a philanthropic purpose. She found her calling in Africa after noticing a flaw of supply and demand: tribes were having trouble selling shea butter due to prohibitively high prices, yet consumers around the world wanted to get their hands on the skin healer. Determined to change things, Umbel negotiated to cut the price of shea butter and began distributing it in bulk. Other companies followed, and it has been a hot commodity ever since. Shea Terra Organics continues to benefit African tribes that depend on these sales for economic stability.