Tucking into the Australian superfood market

The healthy food revolution has sparked consumer interest in "superfoods".

But there are several foods in our own backyard ripe for picking as SMEs tap into this space.

Entrepreneur, nutritional scientist and native food expert Vic Cherikoff runs Australian Functional Ingredients. Among the range of products he markets via his online store are sauces (Illawarra plum), syrups (lemon aspen, Davidson plum); and confits (Quandong, rainforest lime and riberry) to name a few.

"We buy the raw fruits, herbs and spices and then process them for various uses. Fruits may be sold as frozen fruits packed in pouches; made into reduced fructose confits, syrups or sauces; or processed as purees or extracts. Herbs and spices are generally milled or extracted. Blends are offered as superior seasonings."

The birth of an industry

Cherikoff's research work at the University of Sydney's biochemistry department, analysing the nutritional composition of Australian Aboriginal bush food, spurred him on to launch his own business.

"My first business began in 1984 when I started supplying left-over wild food samples that had been freeze-dried, homogenised and tested, yet were still foods and fine to eat. These were heady days which lead to a cascade of restaurant chefs, colleagues who helped distribute products in other states … and an industry was born," he says. Read more