The spread of the epidemic has disrupted the global supply chain. In terms of food, consumers and manufacturers increasingly value trusted sources, food safety and stable supply. Consumers increasingly need to understand the stories behind the products they buy and expect food producers and manufacturers to provide products with high transparency.
A new study released by Macadamia reveals that when buying macadamia nuts, 82% of consumers said that they value the place of origin. Among the Chinese consumers surveyed, this proportion is as high as 89%; among consumers from Australia, Asia and the United States, Among consumers surveyed, more than 50% of consumers choose Australia as one of the most attractive nut producing areas.
In the past five years, Australia has exported about 70% of macadamia nuts to overseas markets. In 2020, despite the interference of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, this proportion will still increase to 75%. In key markets, the sales volume of macadamia nuts continues to increase, which proves the high-quality reputation of macadamia nuts and strong business relationships.
Today, the macadamia industry shared a story about macadamia from the east coast of Australia, telling its journey from farm crops to the protagonist of Milkadamia plant milk and creamer products.
From seed
Australia is the origin of macadamia nuts. This crop originated in ancient rainforests on the east coast more than 60 million years ago. Today, here is still the hinterland of the macadamia industry. The rich volcanic soil and subtropical climate provide an ideal growth environment for macadamia.
Ms. Jacqui Price, Macadamia Market Development Manager, said that with the vigorous development of the macadamia industry, macadamia has become Australia’s fourth largest horticultural export product.
“Especially in recent years, new growers have continued to emerge,” Ms. Price said. “This has injected youthful vitality and unprecedented enthusiasm for innovation into the industry. New growers are keen to adopt the latest farm technology and promote the biodiversity of the orchard.”
Australian growers are committed to continuous learning, and the industry attracts approximately US$5 million in R&D investment each year.
“Adopting new technologies and continuously improving best practices in orchard management have paved the way for further growth, ensuring that Australia’s macadamia industry is always at the forefront of global production, continuing to serve the international fast-moving sector, and being an innovation-oriented Consumers provide quality products,” Ms. Price said.
Industrial processing
The outstanding production capacity of macadamia nut processors is the core of the industry. Processors are rooted in the main growing areas on the east coast of Australia. Freshly harvested macadamia nuts can be processed nearby to complete the transformation from shelled nuts to bulk nuts, and then flow out through the supply chain.
Australia leads the development of the macadamia nut processing industry and is the first producer to strictly implement quality standards and testing protocols. With safety, freshness and transparency as the cornerstones of operations, all Australian processors have implemented strict quality management systems and have reached high-level certification standards.
Ms. Jackie Price believes that this is the basis for the development of partnerships between Australian processors and global business partners.
She said: “The solid and long-term customer relationship our processors have is based on quality, impeccable food safety standards and perfect customer service.”
“In the National Residue Survey (NRS) conducted by the Australian government every year, macadamia nut processors’ commitment to excellent quality has been verified.”
NRS conducts a series of tests for chemical residues and environmental pollutants on fresh agricultural products in Australia. NRS began in the mid-1990s, and macadamia nuts participated in all annual inspections and achieved 100% compliance results.
“Achieving full scores for 23 consecutive years highlights the impeccable high standards of our growers and processors. Macadamia nuts are actually the only fresh Australian produce that has achieved this record.”
Ms. Price said that the processing department of the macadamia industry is also committed to providing a variety of product formats to help food manufacturers use macadamia to innovate in multiple fields and multiple uses.
“In addition to whole nuts suitable for snacks and chocolate confectionery products, our processors also provide a range of other forms of product options, from half nuts to very small pieces of nuts. This gives macadamia nuts a commercial flexibility and can be It is used in various products such as ice cream, bakery products, garnish accessories, cereals and oatmeal.”
Delicious presentation
Once processed and transported through the supply chain, high-quality macadamia nuts originating in Australia will be shipped to the Milkadamia manufacturer in the United States. Milkadamia products prove that as an ideal production partner, macadamia nuts not only have a wide range of uses, but also have the effect of improving product quality in the minds of consumers.
“We grind high-quality macadamia nuts into a paste, which is used as a basic ingredient for plant-based milk and creamer products,” said Mr. Jim Richards, CEO of Milkadamia. “We do not perform the roasting step, but use macadamia nuts in their original flavor. This pleasant natural flavor can be perfectly matched with coffee. We hope that consumers will focus on tasting coffee, and our macadamia milk formula can ensure Milk and coffee are harmoniously matched without overwhelming the guests.”
Milkadamia’s plant-based milk and creamer series products have been sought after by consumers, especially in the US market, which has a high acceptance of animal milk substitutes. Mr. Richards said that the company values Australian origin and the Milkadamia brand is built on the team’s enthusiastic support for Australian growers who practice renewable agriculture-he believes consumers will also find real value from it.
Milkadamia is expanding its distribution scope to Asian markets, especially China, South Korea and Japan, where consumers are willing to accept high-end, high-quality products. China is the world’s largest plant-based milk consumer market, with a current market size of 55 billion yuan, accounting for about 25% of the entire beverage market. As China’s economy grows, people’s demand for non-dairy, protein-rich alternative milk beverages will continue to grow, especially among consumers who are lactose intolerant. [1],[2]
“Consumers will actually be excited about high-end products that are closely related to their daily lives and can cater to their consumer needs. Many young Chinese consumers are buyers of high-end products, so we believe that the Milkadamia series of products have strong Appeal.”
From farming to the presentation of finished products, the macadamia industry will continue to provide high-quality macadamia products to world-renowned brands, manufacturers and consumers with its excellent reputation for reliability, high quality and safety.
