Is the macadamia nut a neglected plant-based food choice?
Few people are aware that the macadamia nut is the only natural food crop in Australia that has ever been produced and exported as a commercial food item. Actually, it is currently the fourth-largest horticultural export out of Australia. Currently, Australia and South Africa produce the majority of the world’s macadamia nuts, making up almost half of the total production.
We at Marquis Macadamias have observed an increase in the European market’s demand for macadamias. Approximately thirty percent of the world’s imports of macadamias come from Europe. In comparison to most other nuts, macadamia nuts are predicted to increase at a faster rate in the European market during the next five years. This is a result of the shifting dietary habits of European customers, who are searching more and more for unusual flavours, wholesome snack options, and plant-based protein sources.
The food processing industry is also employing macadamia nuts more and more; in Europe, the categories utilising macadamia nuts as an ingredient are those with the quickest rate of growth: cereal and protein bars, fruit and nut bars, and ice cream toppings.
An unusual snack with a powerful health benefit
The texture and flavour of macadamia nuts are smooth, creamy, and buttery. They are a superfood that offers remarkable health advantages. Macadamias are a fantastic source of fibre, plant iron, and heart-healthy plant omega-3 fats. Manganese is essential for antioxidant defences. A single handful of macadamias offers consumers a diverse range of vitamins and minerals.
Opening the conversation on food safety by putting technology first
Our With the installation of Napasol pasteurisation systems and a A$9 million investment in food safety technology, Marquis has become the first macadamia processor in the world to effectively deploy 5 log pasteurisation capabilities in its facilities. Salmonella and other microbes are effectively killed by the method. It treats the kernel under exact pressure conditions using only heat and steam. It is a nonchemical treatment, therefore it has no effect on our product’s taste, texture, appearance, or shelf life.
We have continued to extensively invest in various processes in addition to Napasol pasteurisation technology. Most recently, we invested an extra A$1 million on colour sorters throughout our facilities to increase processing capacity and efficiency while lowering waste, kernel damage, and labour dependency.
Grower to client, Marquis Group is vertically integrated. This implies that we may further our commitment to giving customers high-quality products by offering farm-to-plate traceability. Maintaining clean, premium, and environmentally friendly macadamias requires strict control over the whole supply chain, from the grower to the consume.
An environmentally friendly nut
When choosing what to eat, consumers are becoming more conscious of the effects on the environment. The innate resilience of macadamia trees is being leveraged by growers worldwide in the macadamia sector to enhance sustainable cultivation methods and yield.
Because of the macadamia tree’s distinct physiology, each tree may store a significant amount more carbon than many other crops. An Australian macadamia orchard’s trees absorb around 14.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare annually from the atmosphere. They also use very little water as a crop.
In an industry first, the 3,000-hectare macadamia farm Hinkler Park Plantations, located in Bundaberg, Queensland, and a supplier to the Marquis group, became carbon positive earlier this year. By storing carbon and reducing energy and fertiliser consumption, they are able to offset an annual amount of emissions equal to 4,236 passenger cars!
Also, we make sure the entire nut is utilised during manufacture. Macadamia husk is added by farmers to compost mixtures and soil beneath trees. Growers chop branches for mulch after pruning. Every macadamia shell that is produced in the plants is either ground into stockfeed or used as renewable fuel to dry the nuts in their shells.
Macadamia oil: from a lucrative commodity to a by-product of processing
Macadamia oil, which was formerly thought to be a byproduct of processing macadamias, is now a sought-after speciality niche product in the food service, manufacturing, and grocery industries, as well as the realm of cosmetics and personal care.
Considered a sustainable alternative to oils like coconut and palm oil, macadamia oil is gaining popularity among producers who want to showcase their eco-friendly credentials. The adaptability and health and beauty benefits of macadamia oil are becoming more widely recognised worldwide.
In the majority of regions and business sectors, including the US, EU, and Asian markets, we are now witnessing positive demand growth. For the Marquis Group, macadamia oil is a small but expanding product line. From 2020 to 2021, sales volume increased by 109 percent year over year, and from 2018 and 2021, average yearly growth was sixty percent.
Novel methods to savour macadamias
We have a chance to develop new, customised products because of the shift in customer demand for more plant-based goods, especially in the dairy substitute market. To create distinctive macadamia products, Marquis’ food scientists, manufacturing specialists, and quality assurance experts collaborate with food producers, retail buyers, and wholesalers globally. For instance, there is a lot of interest in the types of macadamia paste. In particular, pure and blended nut butters, non-dairy macadamia milk, and pure paste components for ice cream and cookies are in demand.