Maningrida Wild Foods, a Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation (BAC) enterprise, today launched a unique Kakadu Plum spice mix developed in partnership with Outback Chef.

BAC CEO, Ingrid Stonhill, said the mix had been developed to enhance the flavour and boost the nutritional value of the meat and fish dinners preferred by Maningrida locals.

The spice mix’s main ingredient, Kakadu Plum, is dubbed an Australian superfood and is said to have 100 times more vitamin C than an orange.

“The spice mix has been developed through community consultation over about a year,” Ms Stonhill said.

“Outback Chef has been a fantastic partner and spent time with the bush foods staff to perfect the mix.

Ms Stonhill said the Kakadu Plums are harvested locally, creating an income for homeland residents.

The women who make the spice mix at Maningrida are employed under the Community Development Program.

“The mix will be produced in Maningrida, branded and distributed by Outback Chef and also sold locally through Darwin-based Aboriginal Bush Traders.

“It is called Mardanggic Spice, Mardanggic means Kakadu Plum in the local Burarra language.

“Our staff will harvest, crush, dry and grind the Kakadu Plums, then combine them with the other spices that make up the mix,” she said.

“This new product will provide employment for three to four women and it will be a popular food product in our local community.

Outback Chef CEO Jude Mayall said the new product has “a wonderful

story to tell”.

“It has always been my belief that we should be looking at the full circle with our production by linking wild harvesting through to the production process to the final packaged product,” Ms Mayall said.

“Working with the Maningrida community has been fantastic, their enthusiasm and willingness to commit to this project is something very special and I’m very grateful to the wonderful new friendships that have been made through this collaboration.”

The Maningrida Wild Foods team is also working with Outback Chef to develop other tasty Kakadu Plum products.

The spice mix can be purchased through Outback Chef’s website www.outbackchef.com.au, by contacting them on email sales@outbackchef.com.au, through Darwin’s Aboriginal Bush Traders, or direct from Maningrida Wild Foods by emailing wildfoods@bawinanga.com

Pic: Leila Nimbadja and Nathaniel Wilson from Maningrida Wild Foods display the spice mix ingredients at today’s launch