Where Precision Meets Scale
Located in Alkmaar, Mpumalanga,South Africa's premier macadamia region, the Golden Macadamias Processing
Facility stands as one of the largest and most advanced in the world. Designed to handle up to 30,000 tons
annually, it combines cutting-edge automation, climate-controlled storage, and predictive sorting to ensure
every nut meets the highest quality standards.
From rapid farm-to-factory intake to our validated pasteurisation system and ready-to-eat packing lines,
every step is built around food safety, consistency, and traceability. More than a facility, it's a
grower-owned investment in innovation and integrity, delivering world-class macadamias to global customers
who demand the best.
Innovation & precision drives everything
These subsidiaries together form the Golden Macadamias Group, ensuring seamless integration from orchard to end market. Golden Macadamias operates through two wholly owned subsidiaries:
Smart Curing Automation
Advanced systems monitor and manage curing — the critical first step in macadamia processing.
Climate-Controlled Cool Store
Our temperature- and humidity-regulated storage maintains nut quality for 8-12 weeks, allowing us to sort based on predictive lab data rather than relying solely on raw output.
Rapid Farm Intake
We move crop off the farm quickly to preserve shelf life and take full control of product quality from the start.
Ready-to-Eat Capability
Our dedicated RTE zone includes validated pasteurisation (5-log Salmonella reduction), giving us the flexibility to pack both bulk and ready-to-eat formats.
Partner Facilities
As the largest marketer of macadamias from the world’s top origin, we ensure unmatched supply security and consistency. We've expanded our footprint by partnering with leading processors in Kenya and Guatemala, bridging seasonal gaps and enhancing year-round availability.
Cold Storage & Export Efficiency
To support reliable export operations, NDX partners with trusted external cold storage facilities
located near key ports. These BRC-approved warehouses meet our strict internal standards and undergo
regular audits to ensure full compliance with global food safety regulations.
By streamlining logistics and maintaining premium storage conditions, we help our partners respond
faster to customer demand—without compromising on quality.
-
Strategic location for reduced transport times
-
Daily temperature monitoring for optimal product storage
-
On-site container loading once stacks are confirmed
-
Customer labels printed directly at the warehouse
The Step-by-Step Journey
of a Macadamia Nut.
Every macadamia undergoes a carefully managed process to ensure the highest quality and food safety from farm to final pack:
It starts here
-
Between February and July, ripe macadamias naturally 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.
-
Between February and July, ripe macadamias naturally 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.
-
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.
-
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
-
A comprehensive 20kg 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.
-
.jpg)
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.
Processing Paths
Depending on the product type, nuts follow one of three specialised lines:
Quality Control
From start to finish, our process is designed to maintain quality, traceability, and global food safety standards.
-
Pasteurisation
-
Metal Detection
-
X-ray Inspection
-
Final visual and manual checks
Export & Distribution
Final products are dispatched globally through NDX, our dedicated sales and marketing arm. Shipments are customized to meet specific customer specifications, market requirements, and compliance standards, ensuring Golden Macadamias reach the world's most discerning buyers with quality intact.
Learn More
