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Australia goes nuts for Alstonville macadamia oil

The Alstonville-based macadamia oil business featured on ‘A Current Affair’ last Thursday has been inundated with orders and enquiries from around Australia and the world.

Staff at Macadamia Oils of Australia – who pioneered the commercial extraction of oil from Australia’s native macadamia nuts and are the world’s leading supplier of cosmetic grade macadamia nut oil – have been run off their feet with orders for their skincare range, following the hype generated by the TV segment.

Australian Macadamia Society Chief Executive Officer Jolyon Burnett said that while millions of Australians enjoy regularly munching on the deliciously buttery nuts, not as many people were aware of their incredible beauty benefits – including the use of macadamia oil for skin, hair and nails.

“The macadamia nut is incredibly versatile and this segment showcased them in a different way,” says Mr. Burnett. “It’s one of the few foods that can be found right throughout the supermarket aisles, from fresh kernel to muesli and cereals, snack bars, confectionery, bakery products, frozen desserts, ice cream, oils, skin care and beauty products.

“Macadamia oil is 100% pure, free of any additives and contains powerful mono-unsaturated fatty acids. It contains palmitoleic acid, which contains many great anti-aging compounds.”

The ‘A Current Affair’ segment highlighted the amazing beauty benefits of macadamia oil and revealed the inexpensive oil is used as a hidden ingredient in many big brand anti-ageing and beauty products. It touted macadamia oil as the ‘new buzz in skincare’ and ‘one of the most affordable skin care products on the market’.

With the promise of more youthful looking skin and more money in your purse, it’s no surprise the Alstonville business received hundreds of phone calls after the program went to air.

“We’re overwhelmed with the response,” says Macadamia Oils of Australia General Manager Shane Hill. “We’ve had orders from Kununurra in far north Western Australia to Tasmania.

“Lots of people just wanted to know more about the products and how you use them.”

Mr. Hill said the best seller has been the macadamia face and body oil, followed closely by the professional lotion for ageing skin. He attributes the success to two key factors.

“People didn’t realise it came from macadamias which are an Australian native nut, and everyone likes the idea of buying Australian skincare products.”

Mr. Hill said the palmitoleic acid found in macadamia nut oil can not only slow down the signs of aging, but some research has found that it can even remove signs of aging.

Macadamia Oils of Australia have a large processing plant and storage facilities, from which they supply the majority of their product to the United States, as well as other countries like South Korea, France, Singapore and New Zealand. They source their macadamia nuts from the main growing regions of Bundaberg, Gympie/Glass House Mountains, and the Northern Rivers and Nambucca regions of NSW.

Go nutty for new season macadamias

Lovers of Australia’s native nut are in for a crunchy treat with more than 4,000 tonnes of new season creamy, buttery macadamia kernels from picturesque plantations across subtropical New South Wales and Queensland expected to hit supermarkets, green grocers and farmers’ markets nationwide… read more

Beautify your skin naturally with local macadamias

Most Australians know that macadamias are good for your health, but did you know that Australia’s native nut also contains powerful beauty benefits?

Accredited Practising Dietitian and Nutritionist, Nicole Senior, said we should look to the wonderful properties of macadamias as a natural way to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, retain skin suppleness and achieve a healthy, radiant glow… read more

A handful of macadamias a day keeps the doctor at bay

Australians of all ages are being encouraged to munch on healthy home-grown macadamias and incorporate them into their daily meals to help improve and maintain overall health and wellbeing.

Accredited Practising Dietitian and Nutritionist, Nicole Senior said Australia’s native nut plays an important role in a healthy diet as it is the richest nut source of naturally healthy monounsaturated fats, similar to those found in olive oil… read more

Queenslanders Nuts About Australian Macadamias

New Consumer Research: Australia’s Native Nut is Queensland’s Favourite

Queenslanders enjoy snacking on macadamias more than any other nut with new consumer research showing Australia’s delicious native kernel is much-loved and a big favourite with people living in the sunshine state.

A new Newspoll survey of more than 1,200 Australians aged between 18-64 revealed Queensland is leading the way when comes to recognising and appreciating the wonderful properties of homegrown macadamias with 32 per cent claiming them as their favourite nut, ahead of cashews (22 per
cent) and almonds (14 per cent)… read more

Home-grown macadamias set to shine at Noosa International Food & Wine Festival

Delicious Australian macadamias, grown just kilometres away in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, will take centre stage at next week’s Noosa International Food & Wine Festival.

And our passionate local macadamia growers, who are in the midst of harvesting their 2013 crop, are excited that the spotlight will be well and truly on what they call ‘the world’s finest nut’ at the event.

The macadamia nut – which Aboriginal people called ‘Kindal Kindal’ and which European settlers later named the Bauple nut (after the town of Bauple, just north of Gympie, where they discovered it in 1858) – will take pride of place in many of the finest ‘tasting plates’, marquee stalls and cooking demonstrations at the festival. It will also be showcased on Saturday and Sunday when the event’s acclaimed executive chef Shane Bailey uses macadamias in up to 5000 serves of his magnificent chocolate mousse dish.

“As a local grower, it gives me a great sense of pride to see our local nuts showcased in such a wonderful way,” says Beerwah macadamia grower Lindsay Fullerton who is looking forward to taking time out from harvesting to attend the festival. “To see the nut being enjoyed and used creatively by some of the world’s top chefs so close to where they are grown is really fulfilling.”

Chef Bailey says that macadamias were an obvious choice for him “because nothing compares to the creamy texture or the unmistakable buttery taste… they’re so versatile and of course they’re very indulgent…"

Click here to download full media release

Macadamia beauty secrets revealed on ‘A Current Affair’

The beauty benefits of macadamia oil have been highlighted on Channel 9’s A Current Affair, which revealed the oil is used as a hidden ingredient in many big brand anti-ageing and beauty products. See the story here

Here are three beauty benefits of macadamia nut oil.

1. Macadamia Nut Oil for Dry Skin
One of the best ways that macadamia nut oil can be used is to treat dry, damaged or aging skin. Macadamia nut oil contains palmitoleic acid, which contains many great anti-aging compounds. Some of these compounds have been found to decrease the rate at which skin matures. However, the palmitoleic acid found in macadamia nut oil can not only slow down the signs of aging, but some research has found that it can even remove signs of aging. Macadamia nut oil is light and not greasy, making it a great oil for the skin, and especially the face. When used regularly on the skin, macadamia nut oil can soften, moisturize and even add a glow to dry or damaged skin.

2. Macadamia Nut Oil for Hair
Macadamia nut oil contains several important vitamins and minerals that make it a great way to treat dry hair. Remarkably lightweight and non greasy, macadamia oil’s unique composition gives it an uncanny similarity and compatibility to sebum, the natural oils our own scalp produces. It’s this unique similarity that makes it so effective, allowing the oil to infuse into hair and scalp with extraordinarily fast absorption and penetration; resulting in less amounts of dandruff, increased silkiness and shine of the hair, and even a promotion in the rate at which the hair grows. While macadamia nut oil is most often used as a type of conditioner for hair, and therefore is washed out after application, it is light enough to leave in without leaving hair greasy or weighed down.

3. Nail Care
Macadamia nut oil also makes a great nail treatment. In the winter, dry skin can often result in the appearance of torn or damaged cuticles around the edges of nail beds. Using a small amount of macadamia nut oil can soften these cuticles, resulting in greater ease of removal. Keeping the skin around the nail bed soft can prevent torn, damaged cuticles from even occurring in the first place. To make a great macadamia nut oil nail treatment, pour a small amount of the oil into a microwave safe bowl or cup, and warm in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. This should warm the oil to a comfortable temperature that is not so hot as to prevent you from putting your hands into it. Carefully place one hand into the oil, and keep it there for about five minutes or so. Remove the hand from the oil, and carefully massage the fingertips and nail beds. This will not only improve the condition of the cuticles, but will also result in stronger, healthier nails. Repeat the process with the opposite hand. Do this once a week to see optimal results.

Did you know Britain’s Queen Elizabeth loves macadamias?!

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth loves macadamias. The 87-year-old monarch enjoys a hearty breakfast of her popular cereal, sprinkled with fresh fruit from her gardens or macadamia nuts, which she keeps in a Tupperware box, according to former royal chef, Darren McGrady. See the full story

Storm and Disaster Assistance QLD & NSW

QLD Sunshine Coast LGA

The AMS wishes to advise growers in the Sunshine Coast LGA that the Federal Government has changed the boundaries on the Sunshine Coast to include the whole of the Local Government Area as activated for Category C and D under the NDRRA. Click here for details.

NSW Ballina-Byron LGAs

These LGAs were omitted from the State and Federal governments’ most recent announcement offering Category C assistance to the seven LGAs of Bellingen, Greater Taree, Kempsey, Lismore, Nambucca, Port Macquarie-Hastings and Tweed.

Industry representatives are urgently calling on all farmers in Ballina, Byron, Kyogle and Richmond Valley LGAs to support the call for Category C assistance in these regions by notifying their industry bodies and the Department of Primary Industries about any damage that has not been reported… read more

Damage assessments can be lodged by calling the Damage Reporting Hotline on 1800 814 647, emailing information to or by going to www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/responses/flooding-2012/flood-damage-report.

North Coast NSW shared workforce labour pool

The AMS, through the AMS Productivity Development Officer (Robbie Commens), has been working with the NSW Sugar industry, the Ti-Tree industry and Regional Development Australia to coordinate a North Coast NSW Agricultural Shared Labour Pool.

The pool is designed to create an opportunity for skilled local workers to gain year round employment in the agricultural and horticultural industries whilst at the same time enabling local primary producers access to skilled and qualified labour. All workers involved in the pool are put through a training course to ensure each individual has a suitable base level of knowledge and understanding which delivers a level of confidence for primary producers.

In view of the recent severe weather event, the pool have workers available for casual labour. Contact Aliison Kelly on 0448 031 295.

For those of you who missed the NBN TV story about the shared labour pool and macadamia industry click here

Tips on managing storm damage in macadamia orchards

Greg O’Neill is a macadamia grower from the Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland and Chris Searle a consultant from Bundaberg. Both Greg and Chris have had experience with managing storm damage in macadamias, click here to read their advice.

2013 Australian macadamia forecast estimated at 39,000 nut in shell

The 2013 Australian macadamia crop has been estimated at 39,000 tonnes nut in shell (NIS) – 11,500 tonnes kernel equivalent – by the peak industry body, the Australian Macadamia Society (AMS), in its first forecast for the year… read more

New Study Confirms Australian Macadamias Are Heart-Healthy

Australians can munch on home-grown macadamias to their hearts content with final results of a new study conducted by Spanish researchers showing a Mediterranean diet with extra servings of nuts and olive oil reduces the risk of cardiovascular illnesses by almost 30 per cent… read more