Where Precision Meets Scale
At the heart of Golden Macadamias is the world’s largest macadamia processing facility, located in the Lowveld, Mpumalanga, within South Africa’s premier macadamia-growing region. Purpose-built to process scale with precision, the facility sets the benchmark for efficiency, food safety and export excellence.
Equipped with advanced sorting, cracking, drying, and quality-control technologies, every nut is handled with care, consistency, and full traceability. With a seasonal throughput capacity of up to 30,000 tonnes, our integrated operations are designed to unlock maximum value,
supporting reliable supply for global customers and sustainable returns for our grower network.
Ongoing reinvestment in infrastructure, technology, and people reinforces our position as a trusted international leader in macadamia processing.
Committed to Responsible &
Sustainable Operations
Environmental stewardship is embedded into every aspect of our facility operations. From renewable energy integration to water conservation and waste reduction, we operate to global sustainability standards, protecting the land, resources, and communities that underpin our long-term success.
Our Sustainable Initiatives
100% Grower Owned.
Powered by Purpose.
Golden Macadamias is proudly 100% owned by our growers, the very people who cultivate, nurture, and deliver the quality nuts that fuel our business. Our shareholders are not investors from afar, they are macadamia farmers located across South Africa and Southern Africa, from the subtropical Lowveld to the rolling hills of KwaZulu-Natal and beyond.
Their commitment to quality, sustainability, and community is the foundation on which Golden Macadamias is built. Each shareholder plays a vital role, contributing to the strength of the organisation and the future of the industry. Without our growers, there would be no Golden.
The Step-by-Step Journey
of a Macadamia Nut.
From orchard to export-ready product, every macadamia follows a carefully managed journey designed to protect quality, maximise value, and ensure full traceability. Guided by world-class systems and experienced teams, each step transforms our growers’ harvest into premium macadamias trusted by customers worldwide.
It starts here
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Between February and July, ripe macadamias fall to the orchard floor when ready. Farmers collect these fallen nuts daily or multiple times per week using manual or mechanical methods. This prompt collection is crucial, any delay exposes nuts to moisture, pests, and fungal growth that can compromise quality and reduce their commercial value.
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After harvest, macadamia nuts are dehusked on-farm to remove the outer husk shortly after picking. This timely process prevents quality deterioration, reduces moisture-related defects, and stabilises the nut before drying. Dehusking allows for effective airflow during initial drying, preserving kernel quality and preparing the nuts for controlled processing at the facility.
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De-husked nuts undergo initial air or bin-drying to reduce moisture content to 10-12%. This on-farm drying in ventilated bins or racks prevents mold growth, improves shelf life, and prepares the product for more controlled drying processes at the processing facility.
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Growers transport their NIS to Golden Macadamias' processing facility in Alkmaar. Upon arrival, deliveries are registered and a representative sample is drawn for quality grading and payment assessment. This sampling process determines the financial return to the grower based on quality metrics.
Golden Macadamia Facility
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A comprehensive sample is extracted from each delivery, representing the entire truckload. This sample undergoes testing for size distribution, kernel recovery rates, and defect levels. The transparent assessment ensures fair payment, and growers must approve the results before their nuts proceed to processing
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NIS enters temperature and humidity-controlled drying bins where moisture content is carefully reduced to below 1.5%. This precision drying process takes 14-21 days and is essential for achieving crisp, high-quality kernels while preventing spoilage and ensuring long-term storage stability.
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Specialised equipment cracks the shells with precision to extract kernels while minimising breakage. Through a controlled process, clean, high-quality kernel recovery is ensured, maximising whole kernel yield—critical to achieving premium grades. Nuts allocated to the Nut-in-Shell (NIS) stream are carefully sorted and packed to specification, preserving shell integrity and quality for their intended end use.
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Kernels are graded by size and style, then subjected to rigorous quality control. Kernel is examined for foreign matter, discoloration, mold, or insect damage through a multi-stage sorting process. This ensures the stringent quality standards demanded by premium customers.
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Extracted kernels undergo controlled conditioning using NAPASOL, a validated pasteurisation process that ensures food safety while preserving kernel quality. This step reduces microbial load and stabilises the kernels, delivering consistent texture, extended shelf life, and uniform quality across each batch - without compromising the natural characteristics of the macadamia.
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Graded kernels are vacuum-packed or nitrogen-flushed in food-grade packaging to preserve freshness and prevent oxidation. Following final packing, each carton is scanned through an X-ray system as a final quality control step, ensuring product integrity and compliance with food safety standards. Each package is then labelled with size, style, grower batch information, and full traceability codes before being stored in temperature-controlled warehouses, awaiting shipment to global markets.
Export & Distribution
Final products are marketed and sold globally through NDX, our dedicated sales and marketing arm. Shipments are customised to meet specific customer specifications, market requirements, and compliance standards—ensuring Golden Macadamias reach international customers with consistency, confidence, and care.
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