“Our distilled Somali Frankincense gums are freshly harvested, naturally pristine, wild crafted and aromatic.”
As experienced and established Frankincense traders, our supplies are reliable and our quality is consistent. Our focus is to ensure the homogeneity of our botanical sources by actively monitoring the variability of forests and microclimates in the production areas – which is something that many current local traders are consistently unable to fulfill. We are laser focused on stringent quality assurance practices throughout all of the stages of production- from gum harvesting, handling, grading, processing and refining.
Realizing the vast market potential of value-adding Frankincense, we have decided to establish a Frankincense steam distillation company in Dubai (the United Arab Emirates) with the legal trade name Maydi Frankincense (MF). Dubai is our base of operations for two reasons: Its proximity to Somaliland and the fact it is a major trading hub for a variety of products destined to markets in the orient as well as western countries.
Production Capacity
We will become operational towards the end of 2011 (October/November) with an annual start-up capacity of about 2,500 litres of steam distilled oil. By late 2012, after growing and securing new export contracts, we will scale up production to an annual capacity of 8,500 litres of distilled oil. The Frankincense oils we distill will predominantly be Boswellia carterii due to its popularity with the flavor and fragrance industry. More importantly, recent medical research has shown that this essential oil is – among other benefits – a remedy for bladder cancer.
Our distilled Somali Frankincense gums are freshly harvested, naturally pristine, wild crafted and aromatic. They are grown wild but expertly harvested, handled, cleaned, and graded. Finally, they are delicately and skillfully steam-distilled into fine oils using stainless steel distillers. The oil obtained in this way retains its intrinsic therapeutic value and inherent effectiveness. It stays organic and pure from beginning to end just as nature intended – with no artificial additives. Each batch of distilled oil of a different source is separately analysed using Gas Chromatography to authenticate the purity of the oils we produce. This analysis is officially certified by the Government of Dubai.
Quality Control
We steam-distill our quality oils one time under low pressure and temperature so that they keep as many of their delicate aroma compounds as possible. Because the major oil constituents with medicinal benefits take a long time to be released into the steam, the gums are distilled for up to 16 hours. The resin is manually and continuously agitated to keep it from sticking together and subsequently blocking the release of the beneficial compounds.
We label our products to allow our valued customers to get the details needed for tracing and authentication purposes. For each batch of oil that we distill, a Certificate of Authenticity (CoA) is created. The quantities of distilled oil are measured, dated and recorded on the CoA. Finished oils are properly stored and transported in inert, light-protected aluminum or glass containers.
