Aimee McCammon, CEO of Pic's Peanut Butter
Pic's Peanut Butter has recently collaborated with MPI, Northland Inc., and Northland landowners to trial the commercial viability of a homegrown hi-oleic peanut industry in New Zealand. CEO Aimee McCammon said that as a leading and renowned favourite peanut butter, the thought of being able to cultivate and source peanuts from here in New Zealand was one that Pic's wanted to be part of.
This trial also has the potential to create jobs and new opportunities for New Zealanders and establish a locally-based peanut-growing industry, as peanuts are currently being sourced from South America and Australia. This would lower New Zealand's dependence on imports, lessening the chances of global supply chain disruptions and significantly lowering the carbon footprint of peanut butter manufacturing in New Zealand.
Of course, the passion for growing peanuts is also for the health and nutritional benefits they offer New Zealanders, making it a valuable ingredient to grow and supply.
The key stakeholders, such as MPI, Northland Inc., local Iwi, and farmers, are all working towards determining the most suitable peanut varietals for Te Tai Tokerau. Pic's Peanut Butter has provided support to the trial and will play a crucial role as an active participant by being a dedicated buyer of locally grown peanuts, aligning with their vision for a more sustainable and localised peanut butter production.
Six hectares of land in Northland were specifically dedicated to planting hi-oleic peanuts, carefully considering seed types, soil quality, and temperature. The trials conducted over the past few years provided valuable data, indicating the nutritional advantages of locally grown peanuts.
"The harvest from the first year showed that, in some cases, the nutritional values of the locally grown cultivars were higher than our imported nuts. This gets us super excited about the potential of our local industry," said McCammon.
This is the third year of the trial, and McCammon is hopeful for successful peanut plant growth for harvest in March next year. The goal is to have some New Zealand peanuts ready for the local market by 2024, contributing to the broader objective of establishing a successful and sustainable peanut-growing industry in Te Tai Tokerau.
Pic Picot, Pic’s Peanut Butter & Greg Hall, Northland Inc.
Environmentally friendly practices were an essential part of the trial, with peanuts serving as a rotational crop, adding nitrogen and helping restore soil.
"The trials mean we can assess the opportunities for a local peanut industry and look at reducing risk for agricultural farmers in Te Tai Tokerau. This has obvious sustainability benefits and provides better food crops overall."
McCammon said that Pic's has worked closely with four local Iwi, MPI, the local government, and local farmers. She continued that the people of Te Tai Tokerau have been incredibly enthusiastic and committed to building a local peanut industry.
"In particular, we owe a big shout out to Greg Hall and Jeanette Johnston from Northland Inc., Declan Graham from Plant and Food Research, local Iwi and farmers who have all embraced the opportunities and solved challenges to help make this happen."
A booming homegrown peanut industry is expected to have a transformational impact on the broader food and agricultural industry in New Zealand, offering locally grown, healthy produce, creating employment opportunities, and instilling a sense of pride in the achievements of New Zealanders.
From an economic perspective, the initiative can potentially redirect the approximately NZ$10 million Pic’s spends annually on importing peanuts into the local economy, contributing to the country's economic growth.
McCammon said there were other potential regional pockets in New Zealand with good soil and climate conditions for peanut growing. However, McCammon's and Pic's focus is currently on developing Te Tai Tokerau and deciding the best processing and transporting methods for a sustainable business model.
"There's plenty to do, so we'll spend our time getting this right, but there's no doubt there is a lot of possibility and opportunity."
