From the heart of the Cerrado: The journey of Pequi Oil
Delivering on Clariant's purpose »Greater chemistry - between people and planet.«
This story is an example of how Clariant delivers on its purpose-led strategy.
In Brazil, every biome tells a different story through its plants. In the Cerrado, one of the country’s most distinctive native fruits is the pequi. For generations, the fruit of the pequi tree has been part of local cuisine and a source of income for rural communities. Today, it also has a place in the cosmetic industry, where its oil is valued as a premium emollient for hair care. But before Pequi Oil reaches a cosmetic formulation, it follows a journey that begins on the ground beneath a native tree.
The Cerrado: where the journey begins
The Cerrado is Brazil’s second-largest biome after the Amazon. Characterized by a tropical savanna climate, with pronounced wet and dry seasons, it is home to an extraordinary diversity of plant and animal species. This biodiversity is increasingly under pressure from land conversion, agriculture and cattle farming. In this context, responsible use of native resources can play an important role in creating economic value while maintaining the value of the ecosystem itself.
Among the plants that define the Cerrado is the pequi tree, Caryocar brasiliense, that can begin producing fruit after around 10 to 15 years. When ripe, its fruits naturally fall to the ground, where they become available to both wildlife and local communities. And this is where the journey of Pequi Oil begins.
From fallen fruit to sustainably sourced oil
Once the ripe fruits have fallen, local extractivists collect them following sustainable harvesting practices[BS1.1][BS1.2][CG1.3] designed to preserve the pequi groves and the resource for future seasons. The approach is simple but important: care for the area around the trees, collect ripe fruits that have naturally fallen, and handle the harvest safely.
The fruits then travel to a local processing unit or a cooperative where they undergo controlled processing methods. The fruit is peeled to access the pulp, which is washed and cooked until tender. It is then processed into a paste, allowing the oil to be released. After water is removed, the oil is recovered and filtered.
This first transformation is already an important step in the ingredient’s story. What begins as a seasonal fruit collected in the Cerrado becomes a standardized raw material while remaining connected to its place of origin and the people who produced it. When quality and origin are recognized, the value of the resource increases, as does the value of the work behind it. And that matters for the Cerrado: a standing pequi tree is not simply part of the landscape. It can represent an ongoing source of value for the communities that depend on it.
From local processing to cosmetic-grade ingredient
As it reaches Beraca’s facility, the Pequi Oil is submitted to additional parameter checks to verify its conformity with process requirements. Quality controls are applied throughout the manufacturing process to ensure consistency, safety and suitability for cosmetic applications.
Two versions are produced: Beraca™ Pequi Oil Refined, naturally yellow in appearance and characteristic odor, and Beraca™ Pequi Light Oil Refined, with a colorless appearance and odorless. The result is an ingredient that bridges the richness of Brazil's native biodiversity with the performance and reliability demanded by modern cosmetic formulation.
A natural ally for hair care
Extracted from the fruit pulp, Beraca™ Pequi Oil is a rich emollient containing high levels of oleic and palmitic acids, as well as compounds associated with provitamin A activity.
In hair care formulations, it helps improve the appearance and feel of the hair, supporting curl definition and frizz and volume control while contributing to softness, hydration and a pleasant sensory feel. Beyond these activities, every drop of Beraca™ Pequi Oil carries the story of a biome, a native tree, a seasonal harvest and the people who transform the fruit into a cosmetic ingredient.
Creating value where the fruit grows
The Beraca™ Pequi Oil supply chain also creates opportunities for the communities involved in its production. In 2026, 126 farmers participated in the harvest, 96 of them women, which represents 76% of the people participating in the production chain. [BS2.1][CG2.2]For women living in rural areas, where employment opportunities can be limited, income generated through pequi harvesting and processing can contribute to household needs and greater economic autonomy.
This makes the ingredient’s journey particularly meaningful. Value is not created only when the oil enters a cosmetic formula; it is created at every stage – in the Cerrado, in the hands of the extractivists, in local processing units, and finally through the quality-controlled production of a cosmetic-grade ingredient. From a fruit falling beneath a native tree to an ingredient designed for modern hair care, Pequi Oil shows how biodiversity, local communities, sustainable sourcing and technology can come together to create value.