Plans for pilot kecap manis project at Mossman Mill filed with council

A Singapore-owned start-up is spearheading a push to value-add at the Mossman Mill and it means a popular new food item could soon be rolling off the production line amid growing overseas demand.

A TASTY and popular Indonesian condiment could soon be rolling off a Far North production line.

A Singapore-owned food tech start-up is spearheading a push to add value at the Mossman Mill by producing kecap manis.

CocoNutZ Australia has lodged a development application with Douglas Shire Council to set up a pilot processing plant, run from existing mill buildings, and the construction of one additional shed is proposed.

The trial will crush 10,700 tonnes of cane to produce 3000t of the sauce to meet an increasing Indonesian kecap manis demand.

CocoNutZ Australia has a five year lease in place with Far Northern Milling for the site at the Mossman Mill. Picture: Stephen Nutt/News Corp

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“If successful, opportunities for a much larger commercial facility capable of operating at 50-100 times this capacity will be explored,” the application reads.

Using patented technology in a process called bio-transformation CocoNutZ plans to replace coconut sugar, the primary ingredient in kecap manis, with cane sugar juice to produce the sweet soy sauce eaten with almost every meal in Indonesia.

The pilot project at the Mossman Mill will require the construction on one new shed. Picture: GIZELLE GHIDELLA

CocoNutZ will be the first tenant of the planned Daintree Bio Precinct after receiving funding through round three of Rural Economic Development grants in 2020.

Reduced sugar prices and struggles for small independent mill cooperatives meant plans for diversification has been welcomed at the mill previously owned by Mackay Sugar.

Far Northern Milling director Maryann Salvetti said the kecap manis plant was the first value adding project at the Mossman Mill.

“It’s absolutely a positive step forward,” she said.

Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch speaking with Far Northern Milling director and Canegrowers Tableland chairwoman Maryann Salvetti at the Mossman Mill. Picture: GIZELLE GHIDELLA

Unlike the current operations at the mill CocoNutZ plan to operate year round and 24/7 during the crushing season with an expected reduction to 24 hours a day five days a week in the off season.

However the material change of use application notes there is some uncertainly relating to noise impacts of the two operational phases.

“Reliance on second-hand data (modelling) may result in actual background noise being lower than estimated and thus there may be some risk that minor noncompliance may arise,” the DA stated.

During the crushing season, the proposed operation will employ a total of 15 staff at the Mossman Mill site leased for five years from Far Northern Milling.

Originally published as Plans for pilot kecap manis project at Mossman Mill filed with council