Abena Boamah-Acheampong
A former 7th-grade math teacher and therapist built a clean beauty brand around her supply chain. Hanahana sources shea butter (nkuto in Twi) directly from the Katariga Women's Shea Cooperative in Tamale, Ghana — paid at twice the standard fair-trade price.
"Stay smooth, don't be ashy."
— Abena Boamah-Acheampong
Ghanaian-American Abena Boamah-Acheampong was a 7th-grade math teacher and therapist before launching Hanahana from her kitchen in 2017. Shea butter — nkuto in Twi — was her family's foundational self-care ingredient.
She traced her shea supply directly to source, paying the Katariga Women's Shea Cooperative in Tamale, Ghana twice the standard fair-trade price.
Hanahana has reached over $2M in sales and landed at Ulta Beauty after scaling from kitchen production. Boamah-Acheampong has raised over $400K in venture and angel capital and executed a first-of-its-kind community equity crowdfund via Wefunder, allowing customers to hold equity alongside institutional investors.
Supply chain is the brand — sourcing directly from the cooperative, at twice the fair-trade rate, is the product story.
Cultural specificity over universalism. Brand voice is unapologetically Ghanaian-American, honest, and joyful.
- 2017Launches Hanahana Beauty from her kitchen in Chicago
- 2020sSales surpass $2M; launches at Ulta Beauty
- 2020sRaises $400K+ in venture and angel funding; runs Wefunder community equity crowdfund
"Stay smooth, don't be ashy."
Hanahana Beauty brand voice