about

Last Forest Enterprises Pvt Ltd is a mission-driven social enterprise and sustainable marketplace based in Kotagiri, in the Nilgiri mountains of Tamil Nadu, India. It was founded in 2010 with roots going back to forest livelihood work by Keystone Foundation since the early 1990s. Its core mission is to pioneer sustainable living choices by connecting indigenous communities with markets, ensuring that traditional forest-based livelihoods are preserved, valued, and economically viable.

🌱 What We Do

Last Forest bridges the gap between forest-based indigenous producers and conscious consumers by bringing hand-harvested, natural products from remote communities into organised markets — both in India and internationally. It operates at the full supply chain of procurement, quality assurance, branding, marketing and sales.

The enterprise sources a wide range of natural, wild, and locally harvested products that include:

• Wild forest honey — sustainably gathered from the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
• Beeswax products such as soaps, balms, lip balms, food wraps & personal care items.
• Essential oils, herbs & spices, millets, coffee and grocery items that are chemical-free and locally grown.

Social and Cultural Impact

At its heart, Last Forest is a fair-trade and sustainable enterprise focused on empowering indigenous communities — including the Toda, Paniya, Irula, Kurumba and other groups — by helping them earn dignified livelihoods while conserving biodiversity and traditional knowledge systems.

The company reinvests a significant share of profits into community development — improving health, education and economic opportunities for producers. Thousands of people in over 150+ villages across multiple states benefit from its work.