Nutworks moves to Cooroy facility to boost exports amid rise in macadamia demand

A Sunshine Coast nut company is relocating its production site to the Noosa Hinterland where it was first founded nearly 30 years ago amid strong revenue growth.

A Yandina macadamia company is shifting production to a larger facility in the Noosa Hinterland to drive exports amid rising growth following an uptick in domestic supply of macadamias.

Nutworks will process 3500 tonnes of macadamia nuts from its new Cooroy site once it is up and running later this year with scope to increase capacity.

The company also acquired Fresh Macadamia Company in tandem with buying the factory late last year to broaden its range of products.

The business was founded in Verrierdale in 1993 by four local macadamia growers and has since become a global brand which exports to 14 countries.

Nutworks chief executive Wayne Gersbach said the larger space will enable the company to increase their foothold in overseas markets.

“When the option to buy in Cooroy came up it made much commercial sense because the cost of the new factory was similar to what we would have spent buying silos and drying facilities for Yandina,” Mr Gersbach said.

Nutworks’ Yandina facility are opening a new production site in Cooroy. Pictured, company's chief executive Wayne Gersbach. Photo: Patrick Woods.

“There’s a market largely in China but also in Vietnam and Taiwan for nut-in-shell products, so we’re moving that side of our operation right now and that will be up and running by this year. At the end of this year we’re moving our cracking facilities from Yandina to Cooroy to increase our cracking capacity.”

Nutworks’ annual revenue has doubled throughout the past four years with projected earnings to reach $27m by the end of this year, which follows the $12m they made in 2018.

Exports account for 80 per cent of the company’s revenue with Japan and Europe being its two most profitable markets followed by China, the US, South Korea and Vietnam.

The rapid increase of macadamia yields has also contributed to the business’ growth, Mr Gersbach said.

About 58,000 tonnes of the nut are expected to be grown in Australia this year and is forecast to double to 110,000 tonnes in 2030.

Nutworks’ Yandina facility will operate primarily as the company’s retail store once the new factory is fully up and running. Photo: Patrick Woods.

The company aims to crack 16 tonnes of macadamias a day from their Cooroy site this yar, up on the 10 tons they do at Yandina.

Mr Gersbach said Nutworks will focus on bringing in new additions to their product line and increasing their overseas sales.

“During Covid, we were largely focused on the supplier base and got around our growers in Bundaberg and working with them where we can to assist their growth and to sure up the supply side of the equation,” Mr Gersbach said.

“Now that borders are opening, we can get out face-to-face and our sales team can move our focus to the sales front instead, we’ll be out re-establishing markets that died off with Covid and introducing these new products we’re bringing online to those existing markets.”