A premium ingredient grown in its natural home

The 2026 Australian macadamia crop is predicted to reach 59,080 tonnes in-shell at 3.5% moisture, or 63,350 tonnes at 10% moisture, according to a climate-based forecast produced using scientific modelling developed by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries*.

Few categories rival ice cream for universal appeal. Even as expectations evolve, it remains a category for which many consumers hold a genuine soft spot. Across global markets, shoppers are paying closer attention to ingredients, texture, nutrition and provenance, reshaping what “premium” looks like in frozen desserts. Against this backdrop, macadamias are gaining traction as a strategic ingredient, offering a compelling, underutilised opportunity for product developers.

With 2025 now complete, the year is likely to be remembered as one shaped by active debate and adjustment across global markets. Inflation and cost-of-living pressures remained front of mind in many economies, governments and businesses grappled with the rapid pace of change driven by artificial intelligence, and shifting geopolitical dynamics influenced trade policy, tariffs and supply chains. These were just some of the factors that formed the context in which food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers and brand owners navigated the year.