Facts and Uses for Macadamia Nuts
The Kwa Zulu Natal South Coast is a hub for top-quality macadamia nut exports
The subtropical climate and fertile landscape create favourable agricultural conditions, with the KZN South Coast cited as one of the country’s leading macadamia nut producers. Local growers have seen volumes double over the past four years, paving the way for incredible opportunities for investors looking to capitalise on this growing global demand.
South Africa is one of the world’s leading macadamia nut producers, and while Mpumalanga tops the list for trading, KwaZulu-Natal boasted a positive macadamia nut trade balance of more than R50 million for the 2023 marketing year, according to Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal. Many farmers are now investing in macadamia nuts due to the possibility of earning significant profits.
The KZN South Coast, in particular, has established itself as a leading producer of premium macadamia nuts, with several renowned exporters at the forefront of this high-quality production.
Outside of the Asian markets, most macadamia nuts produced in South Africa are exported to Europe and the USA. Trade & Investment KZN noted that there is still a substantial untapped opportunity to explore, with China predicted to experience a steady increase in demand, primarily due to the rising incomes of middle-class individuals and their growing expenditures on convenient and nutritious foods.
Employment creation exists throughout the production chain of macadamia nuts, from farming through to manual selection, removing the husk, drying in shed systems, cracking, organising, classifying, and packaging.
Macadamia Nut Uses
- Macadamias can be incorporated into cereals, snack bars, candies, cakes, cookies, spreads, savoury crusts, pestos, and much more.
- Macadamia nuts are great for plant-based, vegetarian, and vegan diets.
- Macadamia nuts can serve as an ingredient in various dairy alternative products, including macadamia milk, creams, cheeses, dips, sauces, and ice creams.
- The low carbohydrate content makes macadamia nuts suitable for the Keto diet, used in Keto-friendly breads, cereals, and other baking options.
- Macadamia oil is excellent for roasting, baking, grilling, and frying.
- Macadamia oil can act as a base for salad dressings, marinades, sauces, and replace butter in baking.
*Source: Trade & Investment KZN: Macadamia Trade Fact Sheet
Macadamia Nut Fast Facts
- The macadamia nut tree originally comes from Australia.
- Macadamia nut trees need a warm subtropical climate and regular watering.
- It takes 7-10 years for macadamia trees to mature.
- Macadamia nuts have the hardest outer shell among all types of nuts.
- Macadamia nuts are available in various colours from cream-coloured to green and brown.
- Macadamia nuts are packed with a diverse array of nutrients.
- Macadamia oil has a high smoke point (210°C to 234°C) which is important as that’s the temperature at which it sends up smoke and gives food an unpleasant, bitter taste.
*Source: Trade & Investment KZN: Macadamia Trade Fact Sheet
*Information provided by the publicist
