How sustainable are native Australian ingredients?

 

Australia’s native ingredients have evolved over thousands of years to adapt to the harsh and volatile landscape that covers the continent. Unpredictable rainfall, droughts, fires, are the common realities of living on the landscape. Yet, for thousands of years Australia remained one of the world’s most biodiverse continents with enough food to support human habitation for just as long.

 

By the time Europeans arrived on its vast shores, a balance had been formed between Indigenous Australians and the landscape which they protected and managed. An intricate and ancient link held back the threat of ferocious fires, droughts, and the unpredictability of Australia without the use of fungicides, pesticides, or modern agricultural equipment.

 

Most of our modern foods; carrots, avocadoes, wheat, and cattle, require the application of industrial chemicals for nourishment, protection from disease, protection from pests, and a host of other reasons. They evolved to be supported by man, and the Green Revolution (an agricultural revolution between the 1960’s and 1970’s that saw agriculture transform into a mass-producing megafactory) further encouraged the loss of biodiversity in farming and the use of chemical fertilizers, and others to be used across the world. Many of the chemicals used in agriculture have been linked to adverse health in humans in many long term-high intake studies.

 

So that left us with a question: if the food we eat is not sustainable, what else can we eat?

The answer was right in front of us.

 

As temperatures continue to rise, rainfall becomes less and less, many of the native flora in Australia will thrive. Many of which are not only edible, but highly nutritious.

 

Growing native ingredients require initial inlay of irrigation, and potentially some help, but once established, these plants with not only grow, but will thrive in the conditions that the Australian weather provides. We can then use this to feed ourselves, develop economies for remote communities, and farm areas that are inhospitable to European and overseas foods. It’s a win-win for all.

 

 

How we ensure sustainability:

 

We’re dedicated to making our products as low-impact as possible. That means understanding what goes into growing and developing our products. We deal directly with Small Farmers, Wild Harvesters, and Indigenous Communities to learn and ensure that our products meet our sustainability requirements.

 

Our determination to learn about native ingredients never stops. When we found out about Myrtle Rust, an invasive fungus from South America that kills many species like Eucalyptus, Bottlebrush, and Tea Tree, we realized we needed to revise where we supply our ingredients from. Our Lemon Myrtle comes from Western Australia, where Myrtle Rust doesn’t grow, ensuring that our Lemon Myrtle isn’t sprayed with fungicides which may be the case in some plantations in NSW and QLD.

 

Not only that, we’re committed to making our products as low-impact as possible, from our ingredients, to our packaging, right down to the box we send it in. Check out our manifestation to stop plastic in our product line by clicking here.