Time really does fly when you’re having fun doesn’t it? It’s our thirteenth birthday next week!
Akamuti was born in 2003 from a passion for nature, trees and natural products. Nineteen years old and full of enthusiasm, I was determined to create a range of natural products that were brimming with goodness and soul. Inspired by nature, I dreamed about products that told me a story with their ingredients, a story of soils and climates and the people who grew them. I’m still dreaming about those things! Akamuti brings together my love for healing, people, plants and the planet 🙂
I spent a large part of that first summer trying to perfect everything and get it all just right before I was ready to start trading. Our farmhouse kitchen was where the magic began and I settled on six product recipes, four of which we are still selling today. My favourites were our vibrant green comfrey balm and a fragrant rose and honey balm. I remember the excitement of visiting our local health shops and showing them our products. I vividly remember that amazing feeling when they said yes, they would love to stock them! It was both exciting and scary to see some of our products sitting shoulder to shoulder with some very well known brands.
I have been privileged to have a lot of positive support from the very beginning. Support from my first local customers as well as my chemist and many inspiring business people that I met along the way. Their words of encouragement were just the boost that a naive, shy teenager needed. Not to mention the priceless support of my Mum and Dad!
Our beginnings were very humble. Everything was started from scratch. All of our designs were created on our little computer and our labels were printed out on our temperamental printer (are there any other kind?!). We couldn’t afford to have other people to help us with these things, so we learned to do everything by ourselves. Needs must. (My first website was designed on a free CD that came on the cover of a magazine!) Our customer base grew slowly and naturally and very gradually our product range did too. As the years ticked by, my family joined me one by one. My Mum, Anita and Dad, Stephen were first, followed by my two sisters, Jennifer and Karis and my brother Daniel. Together we’ve created, designed and packaged many thousands of products.
We’ve had plenty of adventures along the way. Counting the long days to the exciting arrival of our first shipment of shea butter, sailing all the way from the faraway shores of Ghana. Being slowly frozen in the bitterly cold winds selling our products at the Christmas market in Saundersfoot. Making perfumes with wild and wonderful ingredients in Gloucestershire. Discovering Jasmine in Spain. Reading wonderful letters from customers whose skin problems have disappeared! Supporting and sponsoring education of girls in India. My Dad giving up his job of 25 years to come and work with us! Being told that discovering our products is like walking into the garden of Eden (thank you Nathalie!)
Today, we’re as devoted as ever to our natural principles. We care passionately about the natural world and the people who live on it. We remain committed to our dreams and look forward to making more of them happen in the future. While running a business is not always fun, it is has for the most part been a joy! I am grateful to spend my days working alongside my family, designing, creating, mixing, batching and promoting all things natural! We’re blessed to run our business from a beautiful corner of west Wales. Our little workshop sits in a tranquil, peaceful place surrounded by trees, meadows and blue skies. We hope that each of our products carry a little of this spirit with them, from us to you!
Over the years we’ve gained some wonderful customers and sent our products all over the world. Our products now sit proudly on shelves in places as varied as Madeira, Malta and Milan! Our customers keep us in business, so thank you for supporting us. Thank you for sharing our vision for a healthier, happier world 🙂
We would like to wish health and happiness to all our readers.
Lindsey and co x