Here's how macadamia nuts started to grow
in Hawaii. Macadamia nuts are called "the Hawaii nut" because here in
Hawaii where we live, our rich volcanic soil, our tropical rains and our
golden sunshine are ideal for growing the most delicious macadamia nuts in
the world.
An "Inedible" Ornamental - Macadamia trees are graceful, spreading
evergreens with glossy leaves and decorative nuts. It's no wonder
macadamia trees have always been loved for their beauty. But their nuts
are so hard to crack (the world's hardest shell, harder than hickory) that
for generations no one knew a delicious nut was inside. Macadamia trees
were planted as ornamentals only!
Beautiful Tree Gets a Name - An Australian chemist, John Macadam,
cultivated these lovely trees "down under" during the mid 1800s. It
happened that Macadam had a botanist friend, Baron Ferdinand von Muller.
Since the Baron was the first to describe the tree botanically, he earned
the right to name it too. He chose the name "Macadamia" in honor of his
friend, John Macadam.
1881: Australian Tourist Loves Hawaii - In 1881 the first macadamia tree
came to Hawaii. It was planted on the Big Island of Hawaii at Kapulena
near Waipi'o Valley...where it thrived. The trees' native Australia had
been good for growing macadamia nuts. But it turned out that Hawaii's
climate and soil conditions were great!
1921: The First Plantation - By 1921 a far-seeing Massachusetts man,
Ernest van Tassel, thought there might be commercial potential in growing
macadamias. He planted the first Hawaiian macadamia plantation on
government land near Honolulu. Unfortunately, he was ahead of his time.
Back then, seedlings from one parent tree couldn't produce nuts of
consistent quality. By the 1930's a small amount of nuts were sold
commercially, but large-scale commercial production was yet to come.
University of Hawaii: 20 Years of Research - The University of Hawaii
embarked on 20 years of testing and research. Some 60,000 trees were
observed and tested in a painstaking process of selection and grafting.
Eventually nine strains were developed that could consistently produce a
high quality nut. That was the beginning of a long partnership between
Mauna Loa and the University of Hawaii, which continues today.
1946: The Original Plantation - The original plantation of what was to
become Mauna Loa was established in 1946. The very first macadamia nut
trees were planted early that year near Kea'au on the Big Island of Hawaii
(Home of Mauna Loa).
1956: The First Commercial Crop - You have to be patient with macadamia
trees. They take seven years to produce a commercial crop, and 15 to
really pick up steam. But the original investment paid off, and the first
commercial crop was harvested in 1956.
1976: Lots More Trees - By 1976 the old sugar plantation business in
Hawaii was waning. Mauna Loa began converting five old sugar plantations
to macadamia plantations at the rate of 1000 acres a year. Most of those
trees are still producing the premium macadamia nuts you enjoy today.
1980's: Cracking Nut-Cracking Problems - Mauna Loa worked with scientists
to find better ways to crack the world's hardest nut. Their goal was to
preserve more nut kernels whole. It worked, and were able to supply the
growing demand for premium, whole macadamia nuts.
1984: Mauna Loa Blows Her Top - In 1984 a big eruption made headline news.
Hawaii's namesake volcano, Mauna Loa, became famous overnight. And with it
Mauna Loa nut company, and our macadamia plantations nestled on her
slopes. Now more visitors were coming to Hawaii, discovering the delicious
taste of Mauna Loa macadamia nuts, and demanding the same premium nuts
from stores back home on the mainland.
2004: Hershey gets a "Taste of the Tropics" - Hershey acquires Mauna
Loa.Today: The Largest and most experienced
processor in the world - Today our nuts come from nearly 10,000 acres of
orchards on the slopes of the Mauna Loa volcano on the Big Island of
Hawaii. Our primary nut processing plant is still in Hilo, Hawaii (come
see the Visitor Center there when you're on the Big Island). Hawaii's
perfect growing conditions, and Mauna Loa's matchless attention to quality
at every step of processing, has earned Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut
Corporation its premium reputation as the leader in macadamia nuts. |
