Nelixia

Nelixia is a woman-owned social enterprise founded in 2010 that produces and exports natural essential oils and ingredients across Central America for the fragrance, flavor, and aromatherapy sectors. Working directly with 646 smallholder farmers in Guatemala, Honduras, Paraguay, and El Salvador—including Indigenous Q’eqchi’, Kaqchikel, Mam, Pocomchí, Uspanteko, Lencó, and Chortí producers—the company provides stable market access, premium pricing, and regular agronomic training. Nelixia’s sustainability credentials (including Organic, UEBT, FairWild, and Rainforest Alliance) are reinforced through measurable environmental investments, such as planting more than 80,000 trees since 2017 and expanding agroforestry systems. With a loan from Beneficial Returns, Nelixia is upgrading equipment at its Guatemala facility to increase processing capacity, enabling higher purchases from smallholder suppliers and strengthening rural livelihoods in climate-vulnerable regions like Alta Verapaz.