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Macadamias’ sustainability credentials stack up

Australia’s macadamia growers have been looking to science to show ‘the inherently sustainable characteristics of the macadamia tree and guide the adoption of sustainable on-farm practices’ states a May 2020 article in Food&Beverage News.

The research findings are positive – it appears that macadamia trees are highly efficient users of water, terrific at capturing carbon but low on carbon emissions, and more.

And our macadamia industry is embracing the opportunity this presents, the article states, noting that a third of today’s conscious consumers forwent favourite brands in 2019 as a result of ‘sustainability considerations’, 83 per cent of those in APAC countries expect companies to have concern for the environment and, in Australia, 55 per cent of us qualify as ‘conscious consumers’.

“Demand for transparency is at an all-time high and sustainable production is a non-negotiable for many,” Lynne Ziehlke, GM, Marketing for the Australian macadamia industry told F&B News.

“Now and in the future, selecting ingredients that have resilience to production pressures, and therefore reduced environmental impacts, will be increasingly desirable to both producers and consumers.”

Along with the taste, texture, ‘indulgence’ connotations and health credentials that macadamias bring to the table, they can now add a flotilla of ‘clean, green’ attributes that should help to increase their desirability among ‘conscious’ snackers here and abroad.

“We’re excited to share the sustainability credentials macadamias can now deliver too,” said Ziehlke. “From water use efficiency, to carbon sequestration, minimisation of carbon outputs, recycling of by-products and world’s best biological control, the macadamia industry really is kicking goals in this space.”

Read the full story.

Get a better yield from your macadamia trees: check out this ABC Rural article.

Source: Macadamias meeting sustainability demands I Food&Beverage News