Hazelnuts may be a popular edible nut, but only about a tenth of Australia’s consumption is produced locally. The balance, about 3500 tonnes, is imported and is largely sourced from Turkey.
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Carboor Farms — an emerging business in Victoria’s north-east which produces, processes and sells hazelnuts from a grove it established in 2015 — has plans to increase Australia’s hazelnut footprint.
Carboor Farms managing director Ben Barrow, who is also a mechanical engineer, says his business — which he founded with his wife in 2015 — has just installed the latest process technology in the form of industry-standard nut cracking and colour sorting technology, which it now operates at Wangaratta East.
The business recently purchased a second property at Wangaratta East where it will expand its planting of hazelnut trees by another 23,000.
Over coming years, Carboor Farms has plans to create a tourist destination, a retail nut store and create a visitor and tourism facility to tell the good health news about hazelnuts and other local products.
“Consumers are really interested in having a relationship with the food they eat. It is all about provenance,” Ben said.
Ben’s enthusiasm for hazelnuts is backed by developments in the nut production industry.
He said as far back as 2017, AgriFutures Australia issued a survey report on the hazelnut industry indicating it was a $400 million plus industry opportunity.
In June, AgriFutures released its Australian Hazelnut 2030 Strategic Blueprint where it notes that “due to greater awareness of the health benefits demand for hazelnuts is increasing globally”.
The report said “the nuts are grown in the temperate areas of south-eastern Australia, with approximately 2500 hectares planted to hazelnuts comprising about 1.3 million trees”.
A major part of this increase is attributed to the major company Ferrero, which produces chocolate and hazelnut confectionery and also spreads like Nutella.
Ferrero was founded in Alba in northern Italy in 1946 and sources its hazelnuts from the Mediterranean area.
However, the company has in recent years planted a 2000-hectare grove of trees at Narrandera in the southern Riverina, intending to use the nuts in their own well-known confectionery lines.
Carboor Farms, in addition to processing hazelnuts from its own 11,000 trees, also purchases nuts from other growers in Victoria, Tasmania and NSW.
“With our own integrated role from grower to nut vendor we feel the industry is poised for much more growth,” Ben said.
Hazelnut Growers of Australia president Andy Gibson said “the commissioning of the colour sorter by Carboor Farms and the primary processing scale this provides the industry comes at an exciting time”.
“The hazelnut industry is implementing the 2030 Strategic Blueprint and the industry has been identified by AgriFutures as one of six ‘emerging’ Industries with high growth potential and which will be key to meeting changing global food demands,” Andy said.
“Hazelnuts are vigorous growers, water-efficient and not dependent on bees for pollination (they are wind pollinated), so have huge potential for large growers entering the industry.
“In addition, Australia is also free from most serious diseases and pests that currently affect major hazelnut growers overseas in Turkey, Italy and the United States.
“All up, a safe environment for both growers and investors.
“With the Strategic Blueprint providing direction for the growth of the hazelnut industry’s future, the support of AgriFutures Australia, and growing national and international demand for hazelnuts, the future for growers and investors is that it is a sound and safe long-term investment.”
Carboor Farms offers its premium raw or roasted hazelnuts for sale as wholesale or retail packs online from their nut shop.
Hazelnuts are protein-rich, vegan and paleo-friendly, produced from non-GMO tree stocks and are packed with healthy fats.
Photo by
Jayme Lowndes
