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Macadamia innovation challenge opens up opportunities in Australia

A macadamia innovation challenge aims to help the macadamia industry in Australia grow.

The Australian Macadamia Innovation Challenge is running for the second year in a bid to get food manufacturers thinking about why macadamia nuts are needed in their products.

About 30 per cent of Australia’s crop is consumed domestically, the balance is exported, the Australian Macadamia Industry indicates.

It states that Australia has the highest per capita consumption of macadamias in the world.

READ: Macadamias take centre stage in ingredient sector innovation globally

Despite the lengthy production timeframe, taking 10 years for a farm to get up and running, investment from current growers and new entrants is significant.

The Australian industry is in a transitional period moving from niche to larger industry and one that is leading the world in terms of investment in marketing and innovation.

While less than 2 per cent of tree nut production globally is macadamias the Australian industry aims to outperforms in the way macadamias are marketed.

After a successful launch in 2017, the Australian Macadamia Industry has introduced the innovation challenge for a second year.

The program is aimed at generating new packaged food concepts that can inspire the food industry globally and drive new demand for macadamias around the world.

It will expand on this with an increased pool of cash and travel prizes and extension of the campaign to invite participation by entrants from China and Japan, alongside Australia.

Competitors are invited to submit creative concepts for new packaged food products using macadamias.

The program will explore four product categories – confectionery, snacks, cereals and future foods – with competitors required to submit ideas with either an Asian or Western flavour profile.

The 10 shortlisted finalist entries will be invited to pitch their ideas to a judging panel of industry experts and leading food innovators at a finals event and they will attend the awards ceremony in Byron Bay where four major prizes will be awarded including two trips to Fi Europe 2019 and a $5,000 cash grant.

Entries close December 3, 2018.

 

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