Outback Harvest: Ancient grain teff propels McNauls into future

INNOVATION FINALIST 2018: IT MAY be an ancient grain, but teff is propelling Shane and Fraser McNaul’s farming business into the future.

FARM: Outback Harvest Father Shane and son Fraser and McNaul run Outback Harvest, value-adding their crop of teff into a variety of products including flour Pictured: Shane and Fraser McNaul in their teff crop. PICTURE: ZOE PHILLIPS

IT MAY be an ancient grain, but teff is propelling Shane and Fraser McNaul’s farming business into the future.

The father and son from Wakool, in the NSW Riverina, are so confident in their business plan for teff, it is the only summer crop they planted this season.

The McNauls added the ancient Ethiopian grain to their 1820-hectare multi-enterprise operation west of Deniliquin, in 2014.

Fast forward five years, and they are now in their fourth season of commercial teff production with their own brand, Outback Harvest, stocked in nearly 300 outlets across the nation.

“We hope in the next few years teff will become the farm’s biggest enterprise,” says Fraser, 30, who first spied an agricultural opportunity in ancient grains while on a backpacking trip to South America.

“I came across quinoa in Bolivia and came home and said to Dad, ‘Why don’t we have a go at growing and value-adding ancient grains, and create our own brand?’.”

Shane was confident his son had a winning idea. Their first trials of quinoa and teff went into the ground in December 2014. Where the quinoa failed, teff was a success. So, they threw themselves into perfecting the art of growing the gluten-free grain and Fraser continues to focus on agronomy and increasing yields.

Fraser also worked with food development scientists to help create teff products palatable to Western tastes. He partnered with the nation’s best at CSIRO and has worked on recipe trials over the past two years. Mum Lyn’s expertise in the kitchen has also been invaluable, Fraser says.

The McNaul’s Outback Harvest range includes teff grain and flour, as well as teff pancake, bread and muffin mixes, and teff pasta. All gluten-free. They grow two varieties — brown and ivory — adding choice for consumers.

The McNauls are passionate about diversity and sustainability. Teff joins rice, wheat, barley, canola, cattle and sheep to lower risk for the drought-affected family farm.

Recent seasons have been tough, but the McNauls have invested effort and research into building a strong business plan with the consumer in mind.

“We think teff’s a fantastic product, we just need to educate people about what it is as many still haven’t heard of it,” Fraser says.

The hardworking farmers are sure to succeed in that goal if their track record is anything to go by.

FINALIST Farm Magazine Innovative Farmer of the Year 2018

OUTBACK HARVEST, Fraser and Shane McNaul, Wakool, NSW

FARM MAGAZINE: FRASER AND SHANE MCNAUL