Plantreprenur Podcast
Friday, March 31, 2023
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'Moo IsMoot'

Using macadamias to produce dairy alternatives, milkadamia is driven by its eco-passion and goal to eradicate the use of palm oil. Climate change, sustainability and regenerative farming are at the heart of the company’s spirit. 

‘Moo Is Moot’ and ‘It’s R Choice’ aren’t just taglines; they’re ideas the brand is built on. The ‘R’ is for responsibility, for revolution, for restoration, for regeneration. Plant-based milk brands always put a lot of effort into climate consciousness, but few do it as much and as well as milkadamia. And it tastes delicious.

What is milkadamia’s ethos?

We see the constant statistical barrage of climate change facts. The impact is deep and sorrowful. Yet, we can’t be discouraged; we must carry on. We must provide hope; provide the actionable steps towards giving our shared space some breathing room.

We see things like the ubiquitous use of palm oil and the resulting destruction of tropical forests as something that can be curtailed. We see the hopeful promise of regenerative farming to pull carbon from the air and place it in the soil as something that can be expanded.

milkadamia looks to use its voice to encourage consumers to be that change. milkadamia looks to transform the ever-louder eco-concern into what is bearable, useful and motivating. 

To quote Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

What are milkadamia’s core values?

Consumer Power: We believe consumers hold the power, not companies. Companies are beholden to those that purchase their products. Consumers vote their values with each dollar they spend. If they value sustainability over price, more companies will move towards sustainability. If they value tropical forests over a low priced item, companies will abandon palm oil and change their practices.

Inter-connectedness: We are interwoven together by the air we breathe, the land upon which we walk, and the concerns we share.

Optimism: Without hope, we cannot move forward. We become paralyzed by fear. We must remain hopeful; striving to make the necessary changes.

Hard work: Hope without work is nothing. We need action and we know it won’t be easy, but the work is vital.

Why macadamia nuts?

milkadamia was born out of a farm kitchen in Australia. We started out as macadamia farmers in New South Wales, Australia, growing nuts (well, they’re really drupes) that were then processed and turned into ice cream, cookies, or chocolate-covered goodies.

Our farmer, who spent his days caring for these incredible nuts, was disappointed. Macadamias have a wealth of nutritional benefits, yet most of the world was consuming them as candy. From that concern, milkadamia was born.

In creating the milk, we worked hard to make it creamy and fairly taste more neutral than nut-forward, unlike other nut milks. We did this because we wanted to appeal to those looking to give up dairy for health or ethical reasons.

What’s the story behind the name?

We try to be witty as well as thought-provoking, defiant and hopeful. Our name fits many of those traits: milk + macadamia = milkadamia. 

We have heard from those who believe the word “milk” can only be defined as something from specific lactating animals. Of course, they are seeking to redefine the dictionary and botanists. It’s a silly fight.

What are milkadamia’s ultimate goals?

Turn 20% of the world’s farms into regenerative farms, and to halt the use of palm oil.

What does an ideal consumer look like?

We have no ideal consumer. That as a notion goes against our inter-connectedness. We did not create milkadamia to be for just certain people; but for a much wider net.

That said, we do seek to be a great milk option for those seeking to replace dairy — even if it is for just a few days a week. Each person consuming less dairy will have a huge environmental impact. While we are vegan, we realize not everyone will go vegan, and that there are those that will end up vegan one day, but are making a slow journey. We want to be there for them, supporting them and showing them that plant-based alternatives taste great (we believe even better than dairy).

What’s in store for the future?

We’re looking into launching several new products, including macadamia oil, new creamer flavours, as well as a line of skincare without palm oil.

We’ll continue to advocate for regeneratively farmed practices and educating people about the destructive practices of the palm oil industry.

We can’t wait for governments to fix things. It’s up to us. Our other great brand drivers are taste and artful execution. Clearly, we are a food company, and taste is at the centre of the brand, but so is art.

The world still holds tremendous beauty and we look to celebrate that. We are launching an art series at the end of the month — art matters; it gives different perspectives of the world. It illuminates and adds to the collective conversation. It expresses. It tells a story.

We gave very different artists the same simple brief: What does milkadamia mean to you? That’s it. We wanted their interpretation; not ours. We were astounded by the art and the viewpoints. It’s something we will continue to explore.

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