Exciting Nut News In Peanut Capital

Plenty Foods owner and managing director Josh Gadischke with the end result in the new plant … superfine peanut powder

February 26, 2026

Plenty Foods unveiled its high-tech, multi-million-dollar nut powder manufacturing plant – the first of its kind in Australia – to invited guests at a special function in Kingaroy on Thursday.

Local growers, customers and government and industry stakeholders attended the official opening by local MP Deb Frecklington.

The opening of the plant means Australian food manufacturers who have relied on imported almond, macadamia and peanut powders will now have access to local products.

The Kingaroy processing plant, built in two stages, has been under development since 2021 but faced delays caused by COVID disruptions, escalating building costs, supply-chain challenges and re-designs.

Owner and managing director Josh Gadischke thanked the federal Department of Industry, Science and Technology for its ongoing support along the journey.

He said the department had believed in what Plenty was trying to achieve, ie. advanced regional manufacturing, higher value food processing and export capability.

Josh also thanked the State Government’s Regional Economic Future Fund and the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning for supporting Stage 2.

“What you see today is not only Australia’s first commercial defatted nut powder processing plant, it is proof that Australian manufacturing is alive and evolving and that regional Queensland can lead in food innovation,” Josh said.

He said it was a new chapter in value-adding food processing in Australia.

“Defatted nut powder is not simply a by-product, it is a premium ingredient,” Josh said.

He said it delivered the nutritional advantages that modern food manufacturers were actively seeking.

The powders also make use of nut grades from growers that are difficult to sell due to colour, shape or other small imperfections which do not affect their nutritional value.

Josh said Plenty was still transitioning from its William Street site (in the old Butter Factory) to the new complex in Cornish Street.

Offices, a research lab, car park and bottling facility will also be located eventually at the new site.

Mrs Frecklington said Plenty Foods was an Australian agricultural success story.

“The vision that (Josh and Jo Gadischke) have put into practice is really quite outstanding,” Mrs Frecklington said.

Guests at the opening enjoyed snacks designed by local TAFE culinary teacher Jason Ford made out of peanut and almond powder.

Plenty says their superfine nut powders offer manufacturers higher protein and lower fat, as well as better absorption and blending properties, in comparison to regular nut flours.

Footnote: Plenty Foods is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, tracing its origins back to Proteco which was founded in 1986 by Graham and Lynne Helmhold. Proteco began in the old Kingaroy Butter Factory in William Street, which is still used by Plenty, and was the first company in Australia to extract oil from macadamia nuts and avocados. Josh Gadischke bought Proteco from the Helmholds in 2010 and in 2020, it was rebranded as “Plenty Foods”.