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Please click on the following titles to read the entire article. "Ice-creams offset can price slump" Australian Cane Grower, 16 August, Vol.21 No.16 "Pair "nuts" about Tourism Award" "Wheeling out yet another winning macadamia taste" Town & Country, Thursday July 15, 1999 |
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Diversification is back on the agenda as low sugar prices force many cane growers to seek other ways of maintaining their income. Childers couple Anthony and Teena Mammino have turned Grandma’s ice-cream recipe and a small mountain of low-value macadamia nuts into a winning combination which threatens to swamp their traditional sugarcane growing business. Passionfruit, pawpaws and passionfruit are also playing their part in diversification, as CANEGROWERS Communications Manager Bill Kerr Discovered. The runaway success of the Mammino’s home-made gourmet ice-creams provides valuable additional income to supplement diminished return from 11 500 tonnes of cane supplied to Isis Mill. Mammino Macadamia Nut Products have won several regional tourism awards recently, including the Queensland Micro Business Network Award for Best Home-based business and the Central Queensland/Southern Reef Tourism Award for Best New Tourism Business. “We never expected it to get so big,” says Anthony, who admits they have been “run off their feet” by the many and varied demands created by their rapidly expanding operation. This successful sideline to cane growing had its genesis only two years ag9o when the Mammino's began selling macadamia nuts in the shell to passing motorists from the roadside stall outside their farm house near Childers. The third-generation cane growers were trying to add value to nuts harvested from 600 trees planted by Mr Mammino’s father Alf over a five-year period on slopes too steep for cane growing. Over the past five years the price has fallen from $4 a kilogram to only $2 - $2.3/kg – barely break even. They bought a nut-cracking machine and Teena Mammino, mother of three young children, began experimenting with her grandmother’s ice-cream recipe. Soon they were selling an increasing number of rich, home-made ice-creams from their front door. Strict regulations govern the making and selling of food products and, inevitable, the Mammino's had to decide whether to close the business or back their dreams with real money. Theis included rezoning the site to home cottage industry, installing a commercial standard kitchen complete with ultraviolet hot water system and upgrading their parking arrangements for visitors. Eighteen months and nearly $20 000 later, their judgement has been vindicated with tourism awards and growing demand; so much so that they have to buy extra nits from their neighbours and Anthony’s parents are both involved in the operation. Although 1.5 tonnes of nuts are still sold in the shell, the cracking machine (which yields 250-300g of white kernel from 1 kg of nuts) allows them to produce their own nut toffee, sugar coated nuts and nut tarts for sale from the “shop”. They also sell nut products bought from other manufacturers including macadamia honey, coffee, oil and beauty products. Not everyone likes macadamia ice-cream, even when it comes in white, chocolate or white with ginger, so the range was broadened to include local ingredients such as Bundaberg Rum, mango, strawberry, passionfruit and avocado. Only boysenberry flavouring is not sourced locally. Initially, a batch of 60 ice-creams might last several weeks but Teena now churns out 500 a day, perhaps three or four times a week. The basic model is a 150 ml plastic cup with a wooden stick embedded in the ice-cream. It’s $2.50 retail price compares well with mainstream brand gourmet ice-creams on a stick. A 600ml tub also sells for $10. Although packaging has been restricted to simple clear plastic containers the Mammino's recognise that continued growth will require specialised containers. Apart from the downstairs shop, they supply several outlets in Bundaberg. They hope that soon their sweet treats will feature on dessert menus in fancy Brisbane restaurants. This year they mounted displays using a mobile freezer trailer able to carry 1000 ice-creams. Although they are close to the Bruce Highway, traffic restrictions prevent them from diverting traffic to the shop. Fortunately, Lucketts Road is an increasingly busy secondary link between Childers, Bundaberg and Hervey Bay and the farm has become a popular stop for local tour buses. |
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| Pair "Nuts" about Tourism Award |
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They say the proof of the pudding is in the eating and obviously the judges at the annual Central Queensland/Southern Reef Regional Tourism Awards held at Bundaberg last Saturday had tasted the fare offered by Mammino Macadamias. Anthony and Teena Mammino admitted to being "bowled over" when their name was read out at the Awards held at Coral Cove Resort last Saturday. The pair took away the award as the Best New Tourism Business. "What a wonderful night it was for Childers," said Anthony. "In addition to our awards Childers scored another two passes by within the Wide Bay region where Mammino Macadamias are not asked to attend with their products. "This coming weekend we have been asked to attend both the Wild Scotchman weekend at Gin Gin and also the Harbour festival in Gladstone," said Teena. Their icecream will also be utilised when Brisbane television personality Kay McGrath visits Childers for a function tomorrow night. |
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| Award Judges Go Nuts |
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Mammino Macadamia Nut Products took out the Home Based Business Category in the state heats of the 1999 Officeworks Micro Business Awards. he company also won the right to compete for a place in the national awards in Melbourne late in May. |
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| Wheeling our yet another winning macadamia taste. |
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While in Isis district’s red dirt may be the curse of many mums, Anthony and Teena Mammino think it’s good enough to eat. |
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