Rachel McAullay shares our family's perspective on the future of Australian macadamias

It’s not every day that someone from our family gets to take the stage at a national industry conference, so you can imagine how proud we were to see our very own Rachel McAullay speaking at AusMac2026 in Brisbane!

Rachel is our Financial Controller, but her connection to Macadamias Australia is much more personal than a job title. She’s part of the family behind the business, and she knows firsthand how much care and hard work goes into getting our Bundaberg-grown macadamias from the orchard to the people who enjoy them.

At the conference, Rachel joined the closing panel, “What the World is Telling Us: How Australia Stays the Preferred Macadamia Supplier.” It was a chance to share what we’ve learned as a family business, hear fresh ideas from other Australian food industries and talk about something we all care deeply about: the future of Australian macadamias.

Why being Australian is so important

If you know us, you’ll know how proud we are of our Bundaberg home. Macadamias are native to Australia, and Rachel spoke about why that story is so important when customers are choosing what to buy. Australian produce has a reputation for quality, consistency and safety, and that trust is something worth protecting.

But Rachel also made an important point: it’s not enough to simply say our macadamias are Australian. People need to be able to taste the difference and understand what goes into growing and making them. Every delicious mouthful needs to live up to the story we tell.

That’s one reason we love welcoming visitors to our home in Bundaberg. Seeing the macadamia trees, learning how they grow and tasting the finished product helps people connect with the food they’re enjoying - and with the family and team behind it. Rachel also spoke about finding the right markets and customers who recognise and value that difference.

So many delicious possibilities

One of the things Rachel enjoyed most about the conference was hearing just how many exciting ways there are to enjoy macadamias. We already love them roasted, seasoned or covered in chocolate, but the possibilities go so much further: dips, nut pastes, baking, praline fillings and all kinds of new creations.

And there’s an opportunity much closer to home, too. Australians love their snacks! Rachel would love to see more of us reaching for Australian macadamias as part of our everyday routine - whether that’s an afternoon pick-me-up, something to share with friends or a little treat at the end of the day.

She was also inspired by what other Australian produce industries are doing, particularly how they’re developing new varieties, trying new ideas and finding ways to give people more reasons to enjoy what they grow. There’s so much we can learn from each other.

Looking after what makes our macadamias special

Of course, the discussion wasn’t all about exciting new flavours and products. Rachel also spoke about the practical side of making food: when ingredient prices change dramatically, it becomes harder for manufacturers to keep products on shelves. If we want new macadamia products to succeed, we need to think about how to make them work for the long term.

And as Australian macadamias find their way into more foods around the world, Rachel hopes customers will be able to see that Australian origin proudly recognised on the packaging. Even when macadamias are one ingredient among many, where they come from should still mean something.

Afterwards, Rachel told us how honoured she felt to be part of the panel and how much she enjoyed hearing different perspectives. Most of all, she came home excited about what lies ahead for an industry that means so much to our family.

We couldn’t be prouder of you, Rach! Thank you for sharing our family’s story and representing Macadamias Australia with such warmth and care. And a big thank you to the Australian Macadamia Society and Rachel’s fellow panellists for such an interesting and inspiring conversation.

We’d love to share a little more of our world with you, too. Whether you’d like to meet our family, [explore our range of macadamias] or [visit us at The Orchard Table] next time you’re in Bundaberg, we’d love to welcome you!