J-Palm Liberia

What J-Palm Liberia does

J-Palm Liberia is a Liberian-owned manufacturing and agribusiness company founded in 2013 by Mahmud Johnson that produces 100% natural skin care, hair care, body care, household, and food products under the Kernel Fresh Premium consumer brand. The technical foundation of the product line is cold-pressed wild-harvest palm kernel oil sourced from a vertically integrated supply chain of more than 10,000 smallholder palm oil producers across 91 villages in Bong County, processed at the company's own Palm Kernel Oil (PKO) factory in Gbarnga. The portfolio spans a 91-SKU catalog organized into facial care, skin and body care, hair care, bar and specialty soaps, kiddies care, household cleaners, gift/bundle boxes, and red palm oil food products, with cold-pressed palm kernel oil as the hero ingredient across categories.

The business operates across three go-to-market motions: (1) direct-to-consumer via a Shopify e-commerce storefront (kernelfreshpremium.com) with worldwide shipping and five owned retail stores in Monrovia (Sinkor flagship, Duport Road, Red Light, Barnesville Junction, Johnsonville); (2) an expanding wholesale/field-sales channel for the dedicated Palm Fresh Laundry Soap line, recruiting Field Sales Agents, Wholesale Sales Reps, and Retail Sales Agents to cover Margibi, Bong, and Nimba counties; and (3) motorcycle-based same-day delivery inside Monrovia. Revenue is generated primarily through unit-priced SKU sales (individual products ranging from roughly $0.86 household cleaners to $40+ premium bundles) and curated gift/bundle boxes (Kernel Fresh Christmas, Valentine's, Independence, Family, and co-branded ZIG collections) sold at discount-to-retail bundle price points.

The company has more than 70 full-time employees (per the CEO), has served more than 100,000 customers in Liberia and internationally, and is financed primarily through grants — most notably a 2020 USADF 4-year grant and a $448,528 Whole Foods Market Foundation grant in April 2025 — with no disclosed equity investors. Institutional and strategic relationships include a 2019 Pacha Soap partnership for blockchain-based supply-chain transparency, the Kernel Fresh x ZIG co-branded Independence Collection, and Shopify/Google Analytics as the core digital infrastructure.

Name

J-Palm Liberia

Legal name

J-Palm Consumer Inc. (JPL)

Website

https://kernelfreshpremium.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

J-Palm Liberia is a Liberian-owned manufacturer of natural skin, hair, body, household, and food products made from cold-pressed wild-harvest palm kernel oil, sourced from 10,000+ smallholder farmers across 91 villages and sold via five Monrovia retail stores, a Shopify storefront with worldwide shipping, and an expanding wholesale field-sales network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural Personal Care Products

NAICS

Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)

SIC

Fats & Oils (2070)

akta.pro primary industry

Virgin & Cold-Pressed Culinary Oils (AFAJALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Foot Care (Deodorizing, Anti-chafe, Callus Care) (CRADANAK), Napkins, Tableware & Foodservice Disposables (Plates, Cups, Cutlery) (CRADALAD)

Keywords

• Natural skin care
• Hair care products
• Palm kernel oil
• Bar soaps
• Household cleaning products

Headquarters

HQ city

Paynesville

HQ country

Liberia

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-consumer product sales (Kernel Fresh brand): One-time purchase sales of 100% natural skin care, hair care, body care, and home products under the Kernel Fresh brand via the company's own Shopify e-commerce storefront and physical retail stores in Monrovia. Worldwide shipping available.
2. Wholesale and retail distribution (Palm Fresh Laundry Soaps): Sales of the Palm Fresh Laundry Soaps line through Field Sales Agents, Wholesale Sales Reps, and Retail Sales Agents who onboard wholesalers and retailers across Liberia (including Margibi, Bong, and Nimba Counties).
3. Holiday and curated gift-box bundles: Limited-edition seasonal packages (e.g., Christmas Super Boxes, Valentine's Box, Independence Specials, Gentlemen's Package) sold at premium bundle price points including food staples such as Kpatawee Fresh Red Palm Oil.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

J-Palm Liberia manufactures and sells 100% natural personal care and household products (skin care, hair care, facial care, bar soaps, body washes, kids care, laundry soaps, cleaning solutions, and red palm oil) under its Kernel Fresh Premium and Palm Fresh brands. Products are formulated around cold-pressed wild-harvest palm kernel oil sourced from smallholder farmers in rural Liberia and sold through its own Shopify e-commerce store, five retail stores in Monrovia, and a wholesale/field sales agent network.

Product overview

J-Palm Liberia operates as a single integrated consumer goods company under the Kernel Fresh Premium product brand, rather than a multi-module SaaS platform. The portfolio is built around a single hero ingredient — cold-pressed wild-harvest Liberian palm kernel oil — and is delivered through five interlocking product layers: (1) facial care (e.g., Rose Water & Lemongrass Super Hydrating Face & Body Cream, Baobab & Palm Kernel Oil Natural Glow Lotion, Clay & Manuka Honey Purifying Face Mask, Rose Water & Vitamin C Toner Serum, Rose Water & Glycerin Hydrating Facial Toner, Baobab Facial Oil, Kernel Fresh Premium Moringa Facial Oil, Kernel Fresh Exfoliating Facial Scrub, Charcoal Clay Mask, Turmeric & Lemongrass Facial Scrub, Cleansing Facial Bar); (2) skin and body care (Kernel Fresh Premium Moisturizing Oil, Kernel Fresh Natural Face and Body Lotion, Lavender & Peppermint Rejuvenating Massage Oil, SheaKernel Premium Hair & Body Butter, Peppermint Kiwi & Moringa Body Wash, African Black Soap Body Wash); (3) hair care (Kernel Fresh Peppermint Hair Oil, Coconut & Lemongrass Deep Conditioner, Batana Shampoo for Bundles, Coconut Oil Curl & Shine Intensive Leave-In Conditioner, Kernel Fresh Solid Shampoo Bar, Natural Shea Butter & Palm Kernel Oil Conditioner); (4) soaps including the Moringa Coconut Lemongrass, Palm Kernel Oil + Shea Butter + African Black Soap, Oatmeal, Banana Kiwi, Coffee Scrub, Spearmint Lemongrass and Super Gents' bars; and (5) gift/bundle boxes that combine the above SKUs into themed packages such as the Gentlemen's Package, Ready-To-Go Facial Care Package, Spa Treatment Facial Care Package, Instant Glow Package, Rose Facial Package, Pimples and Dark Spots Collection, Radiant Glow Package, Premium Skin Care Package, Dry Season Special, Define Your Curls Collection, Luxury Hair Growth & Styling Collection, Hair Repair & Growth Collection, Family Glow Package, Kernel Fresh Nature's Box, Skin & Hair Care Package, The Everything Box, Timeless Elegance Package, and seasonal Kernel Fresh 2024/2025 Christmas, Valentine's and Independence collections (including the Kernel Fresh x ZIG Collection). The line also extends beyond personal care into household (Air Freshner 250ml, Chlora 500ml, Cleaning Solutions Large/Small, Dish Wash 500ml, Hand Wash 365ml, Palm Fresh Laundry Soaps), kiddies care (Kernel Fresh Baby Oil, Kernel Fresh Kiddies Premium Box, Kiddies Hair Care Set), and food (Kpatawee Fresh Red Palm Oil) categories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kernel Fresh: Premium, all-natural skin and hair care product line made from cold-pressed wild-harvest palm kernel oil, including moisturizing oils, soaps, body butters, shampoos, conditioners, and packaged gift/bundle sets.
• Palm Fresh

Products and services

• Kernel Fresh Premium Moisturizing Oil 100% natural, cold-pressed palm kernel oil moisturizing oil available in 60ML, 120ML and 250ML sizes and unscented or vanilla fragrance options; serves as the flagship ingredient across the Kernel Fresh line for skin and hair moisturization.
• Rose Water & Lemongrass Super Hydrating Face & Body Cream Lightweight face and body cream formulated with rose hydrosol, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, shea butter and bamboo extract to deliver hydration and elasticity to skin.
• Baobab & Palm Kernel Oil Natural Glow Lotion Anti-aging facial lotion formulated with hyaluronic acid, salicylic acid, baobab oil, palm kernel oil and shea butter to hydrate, plump and clear the skin.
• Kernel Fresh Natural Face and Body Lotion Non-greasy 24-hour moisturizing lotion made with cold-pressed palm kernel oil, unprocessed shea butter and glycerin, offered in cucumber and vanilla fragrances.
• Lavender & Peppermint Rejuvenating Massage Oil 120ml massage oil blending palm kernel oil, coconut oil and peppermint essential oil for relaxation, aromatherapy and skin moisturization.
• Baobab Facial Oil 50ml baobab-based facial oil used as part of the Kernel Fresh facial routine to nourish and rejuvenate the skin.
• Clay & Manuka Honey Purifying Face Mask Purifying facial mask using Liberian clay and Manuka honey extract to exfoliate, tighten pores and brighten skin, with palm kernel oil, shea butter and moringa oil for moisture.
• SheaKernel Premium Hair & Body Butter Whipped shea butter and palm kernel oil hair and body butter sold in 90g, 120g and 300g sizes, designed to hydrate, strengthen hair and add radiance to skin.
• Kernel Fresh Peppermint Hair Oil 250ML peppermint hair oil available as a spray or flip-cap bottle, formulated to stimulate the scalp and promote healthy hair growth.
• Coconut & Lemongrass Deep Conditioner 250ML deep conditioner made with coconut oil, palm kernel oil and shea butter to moisturize, repair and define curls for natural hair.
• Peppermint Kiwi & Moringa Body Wash 500ML body wash combining peppermint essential oil, moringa leaf powder, shea butter and palm kernel oil with a fresh kiwi fragrance for hydration and rejuvenation.
• African Black Soap Body Wash Liquid body wash made with African black soap, shea butter, palm kernel oil and oatmeal powder, scented with chocolate and coconut fragrances.
• Palm Fresh Laundry Soaps J-Palm Liberia's laundry soap product line supported by a dedicated field sales team of 10 agents, distributed across Liberian wholesale and retail channels.
• Kpatawee Fresh Red Palm Oil Red palm oil food product (200ml packs) included in the Kernel Fresh 2025 Super Christmas Box and Super Family Package for cooking.
• Air Freshner 250ml 250ml household air freshener priced at $1.45, expanding the Kernel Fresh offering into household products.
• Chlora 500ml 500ml chlorine-based cleaning product priced at $0.86 within J-Palm Liberia's household line.
• Dish Wash 500ml 500ml dish washing liquid priced at $2.75 within J-Palm Liberia's household product line.
• Hand Wash 365ml 365ml hand wash priced at $2.20 within J-Palm Liberia's household product line.
• Gentlemen's Package Men's grooming bundle including SheaKernel soaps, Moringa Coconut Lemongrass soaps, Peppermint Kiwi & Moringa Body Wash, Kernel Fresh Lotion, Unscented Skin & Hair Oil and SheaKernel Hair & Body Butter, priced at $18.
• Ready-To-Go Facial Care Package Facial care bundle including Rose Water Toner, Rose Water + Lemongrass Cream, Vitamin C Toner Serum, Baobab Facial Oil and a Cleansing Facial Bar; discounted from $32 to $22.
• Kernel Fresh 2025 Super Christmas Box Limited-edition holiday bundle combining 30 premium Kernel Fresh essentials (hair care, bath and body, skin care, and food items) priced at $30 (regular $39); available only for the 2025 Christmas season.
• Kernel Fresh 2025 Super Family Package All-in-one family bundle containing approximately 31 essential Kernel Fresh products for bath, face, skin, hair, laundry and food, priced at $32 (regular $35).
• Kernel Fresh Everyday Hair Care Package Year-round hair care bundle featuring Kernel Fresh shampoo, conditioner, hair oil and butter products, priced at $16.
• Kernel Fresh x ZIG Independence Collection Co-branded Independence collection priced from $12 in partnership with ZIG, launched for Liberia's Independence Day on July 26.
• Kernel Fresh (consumer product brand) Consumer-facing brand owned by J-Palm Liberia that produces 100% natural skin care, hair care, baby care, household, and food products made from cold-pressed wild-harvest Liberian palm kernel oil; served over 100,000 customers in Liberia and worldwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 100,000 happy customers served in Liberia and worldwide
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and supporting.

• Pacha Soap (US-based soap company)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2019Announced June 23, 2019: J-Palm Liberia partnered with Pacha Soap to utilize blockchain technology to ensure transparency in J-Palm's supply chain and ultimately to expand market access for smallholder oil farmers. Co-development partnership on blockchain-based supply-chain transparency.
• Shopify Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationShopify powers J-Palm Liberia's online store at kernelfreshpremium.com (referenced in Privacy Policy as the e-commerce platform processing order information, payment, and shipping). Shopify provides the underlying storefront, checkout, and order-fulfillment infrastructure.
• Google AnalyticssupportingTechnology or IntegrationUsed to help J-Palm Liberia understand how customers use the Site (per Privacy Policy), supporting analytics, conversion optimization, and marketing campaign measurement.
• ZIG (Kernel Fresh x ZIG Independence Collection)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-branded 'Kernel Fresh x ZIG Independence Collection' of products (e.g., $12+ Kernel Fresh x ZIG Collection SKU and related July 26 / Independence Special SKUs). Co-marketing partnership around Liberia's Independence Day.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Alaffia: West African (Togo-origin) social-enterprise brand that makes natural skin, hair, and body care from shea butter and other regionally sourced ingredients, with a comparable farmer-impact narrative and multi-channel US/global retail presence.
• Dr. Bronner's: Multi-category natural personal-care and soap company with a strong ethical-sourcing and regenerative-organic supply chain story (including palm oil), a useful analogue on how a values-led CPG brand can scale globally.
• Eden Bodyworks: Black-owned natural hair care brand with oil- and butter-based product lines sold through D2C and retail, directly comparable in SKU architecture, price points, and target consumer.

Broad incumbents

• SheaMoisture: Mass-market natural hair and skin care brand built around African and Caribbean ingredients (including palm kernel/shea-derived oils) for textured hair; competes for the same end consumer but at far larger scale and marketing spend.
• Mielle Organics: US-based textured-hair care brand whose ingredient list and positioning (natural oils for natural hair) directly overlap Kernel Fresh's hero products; well-capitalized via institutional investors and global retail distribution.
• Camille Rose: Natural hair and skin care brand using botanical and oil-based formulations targeted at textured-hair consumers, an adjacent category player with similar D2C-plus-retail motion.
• PATTERN Beauty: Celebrity-founded textured-hair care brand that has scaled rapidly through venture capital and major US retail; comparable end-consumer and category, with a far larger marketing budget.

Others

• Carol's Daughter:
• Pacha Soap: US-based natural soap company and J-Palm's 2019 blockchain supply-chain co-development partner; relevant as a peer on natural soap product overlap and as a strategic ecosystem partner.

Regional players

• Asili: Africa-based (East African) natural beauty brand sourcing and manufacturing on the continent for local and diaspora consumers; a regional analogue for Kernel Fresh's vertically integrated African-origin model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jpalmliberia
• Facebookfacebook.com/jpalmliberia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jpalmliberia

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about J-Palm Liberia