But first, we sat down with the founder of Australian Native Products, Gary Mazzorana, to hear the incredible story of how he introduced the ‘queen of lemon herbs’ to the world and helped pioneer the booming Australian natives market.
Gary, when did you first encounter Lemon Myrtle? And what was that experience like?
But it was the moment when I first smelled the leaf, and saw the tree, that I said, ‘hey this is for me’. It was new, with no existing production system or mechanisation, but it was the challenge I’d been searching for.
Back in 1994, Australia’s broader understanding of native ingredients was quite limited by today’s standards. Was that something you thought about at the time?
There was very little known about the incredible flavour of native foods. The chance to help rectify that in Australia is another thing that attracted me to Lemon Myrtle. Of all the native plants, Lemon Myrtle has become such an incredible mainstream success.
When did you first realise the full potential of Lemon Myrtle as a commercial product?
The tide changed after that. We began dealing with big European tea companies – and suddenly demand outstripped supply once again. We grew our product ranges and today, we’re selling into big markets right around the world including Japan, Korea, and the USA.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced along the way?
Our mechanical leaf-stripping process has evolved a great deal over the years and it’s a big reason why ANP is still leading the world in Lemon Myrtle. We’re innovative and constantly looking for market advantage by optimising our processes to boost quality, productivity and yield.
ANP has also invested significantly into Lemon Myrtle research. What can you tell us about that work?
We’ve also led research and development in some areas that are under wraps for now, and we continue to be actively involved in R&D, as one of the fundamental values of our company.
As an industry leader, how has ANP grown and bettered the native food industry in Australia?
As the industry leader, ANP has taken Lemon Myrtle to the world market. This has helped to create interest in other native species, in particular with our current customer base who are always looking for new and innovative products. Australia has many new foods and botanicals to offer, that will in time be as well recognised as Lemon Myrtle.
Being a director on the board of ANFAB – Australian Native Foods and Botanicals – has been one way that I can contribute. There are around 4,000 foods that Indigenous Australians have consumed for over 60,000 years, but none of those foods will be accepted in the US or the EU until growers jump through the correct regulatory hoops.
We can play a big part in bringing other native foods to the forefront by sharing our knowledge and experiences with our peers who are trying to grow new and emerging crops.
We’ve already successfully navigated all the commercial and regulatory hurdles, not just overseas but also here domestically with the Australian and New Zealand Food Standards Board (FSANZ). I think we’re well placed to help other growers take their Australian native ingredients to the world market.
Gary, you started ANP more than 25 years ago now but you’re just as passionate about native ingredients as ever before. What keeps you going?
I’ve still got a dream and vision for what Lemon Myrtle can become, globally. And I want to see that become a reality.