The launch of the Australian Macadamias Technical Resources last year marked a milestone for Australia’s macadamia industry. The Technical Guide and Application Solutions Guides were developed to help food manufacturers incorporate macadamias into new products more easily and shorten the path from ideation to market.
Since launch, the resources have been downloaded thousands of times by food professionals worldwide. In 2026, we are building on that momentum through the Australian Macadamias Food Innovation and Tasting Forums, a program of face-to-face forums across Asia, where manufacturers can hear from the experts behind the guides and experience the product possibilities they unlock.
The first forums were recently held in Seoul and Tokyo, with further events planned in China and Taiwan later in the year. The series reflects a new phase in Australian Macadamias’ global marketing program, combining market insight, technical guidance and hands-on tasting to support product innovation inside the companies developing the next generation of food products for consumers across Asia.
From technical resource to market activation
Supported by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), the events were officially opened by Dane Richmond, Trade and Investment Commissioner in Seoul, and Kendall Draper, Trade Commissioner and Counsellor (Commercial) in Tokyo.
In Seoul, where the series kicked off, Australian Macadamias Market Development Manager Laura Davies highlighted South Korea as one of Australia’s most significant trading partners and a market whose café culture and fast-moving product development environment often set trends across the wider region.
Japan, meanwhile, remains one of the world’s most sophisticated food markets, where premium ingredients, quality assurance and product differentiation are critical to product success. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the Australia–Japan Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, an important milestone that reflects the depth, trust and enduring strength of the partnership.
Laura pointed to innovation opportunities across multiple product categories, including confectionery, bakery, nut butters and spreads, and ice cream and gelato.
“The opportunity is not more of the same,” Laura said. “The opportunity is elevation – premiumisation, texture contrast and functional indulgence. That is where Australian macadamias perform exceptionally well.”
“However innovation requires technical confidence to reduce risk, improve speed to market and deliver consistent outcomes,” Laura explained. “That’s where our new resources come in.”
Developed with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries (QDPI), the resources provide validated inclusion rates, processing guidance and scalable formulation support, giving manufacturers practical tools to translate ideas into commercially viable products.
Inside the science of product development
A major drawcard of both forums was the depth of technical insight provided by QDPI’s Product Development Lead Kerridyn Hooker, who provided an industry-experienced food technologist’s perspective on macadamias as an ingredient and unpacked the thinking behind the Application Solutions Guides.
The project was underpinned by a consumer-led product development methodology, combining trend analysis and market insights with an iterative development process for each concept.
“The result was a suite of solutions designed to be commercially viable, food-safe, technically robust and reproducible at scale,” Kerridyn explained.
“Macadamias occupy a distinctive position in the global ingredient landscape. They carry strong consumer equity and are associated with premium quality and indulgence. Their creamy, buttery flavour enhances formulations without overpowering them, while their technical versatility allows them to perform effectively in both sweet and savoury applications.”
Kerridyn also noted that macadamias are supported by a mature and well-established Australian industry, with experienced growers and processors able to deliver the consistent formats and processing options product developers require.
From formulation to finished product
The forums also explored in-market perspectives. In Seoul, Korean food stylist and recipe developer Millie Lee highlighted the value of the Application Solutions Guides as a practical reference for food professionals.
“Rather than functioning as theoretical reference material, the Application Solutions Guides provide clear guidance on which macadamia formats are best suited to different applications, the processing methods they perform well under, and the kinds of results developers can expect,” she said.
Millie explained that this level of detail helps reduce unnecessary experimentation. For food professionals working under time pressure, having a reliable technical resource supports faster decision making and a more efficient path from concept to finished product.
In Tokyo, attendees heard from Will Brook, Chief Executive Officer of Australian premium cereal and snack brand Brookfarm, who offered a manufacturer’s perspective on incorporating macadamias into commercially successful products.
“When you’re developing premium food products, the ingredients you choose really matter,” Will told attendees. “Macadamias bring a level of quality and indulgence that consumers immediately recognise. We specifically choose Australian macadamias due to their superior quality. They’re a true differentiator and they taste incredible.”
The ultimate test: taste
Guests sampled a range of concepts developed from the guides, demonstrating how macadamias can perform across multiple categories including bakery, snacking, dips, nut pastes and praline fillings.
Among the concepts available for tasting were dry and wet coated macadamias, macadamia mini nut tarts, macadamia white chocolate cookies, macadamia pesto, harissa macadamia hummus and a chocolate macadamia spread.
The session also gave guests the opportunity to continue conversations with presenters and connect with Australian macadamia exporters attending the forums.
Positive industry response
Feedback from attendees suggests the forums are already achieving their goal of supporting product innovation with Australian macadamias.
Participants highlighted the value of bringing together market insight, technical guidance and tasting in a single program designed specifically for food manufacturers, with more than 85% expressing satisfaction with the event in South Korea and 78% in Japan.
Importantly, intent to use the resources was high across both markets, reinforcing the value of providing practical technical resources alongside direct industry engagement. 74% of attendees in South Korea indicated they are likely or very likely to use the Technical Guide and Application Solutions Guides in their business, and 63% in Japan.
The series continues
The Australian Macadamias Food Innovation and Tasting Forum series will continue later in the year with events planned in China and Taiwan.
These forums will again bring together product developers, chefs, R&D teams and industry partners to explore how Australian macadamias can support premium, innovative food products across multiple categories.
Food manufacturers interested in attending future Australian Macadamias Food Innovation and Tasting Forums in China or Taiwan are invited to register their interest.
