Pecans

Nut-in-shell (NIS) is delivered by road train to the Stahmann Farms plant where it is unloaded, weighed and recorded with a batch number that identifies the product right through to the end user.

Sizing of NIS at this point is a key to maximizing kernel recovery and the percentage yield of 'half kernel'. Nut-in-shell is then stored in dehumidified cold-storage warehouses until required for processing. NIS is sanitised then further sprayed with water to raise the moisture level to ensure when the Nut in shell is cracked that minimum damage occurs to the kernel in the cracking process and that we achieve maximum full half recovery.

A bank of Mechanical Quantz crackers finely tuned ensures half kernel production is maximised for different sizes and varieties of pecans. These crackers are calibrated to match flow rates, size and quality of NIS which then produce exceptionally low rates of uncracked product requiring re-processing.  

The cracked NIS is then fed into driers which bring the kernel moisture back to a level which ensures maximum shelf life and taste.  From the Driers the cracked product is then fed continuously onto screens which size the resulting kernel. Remaining shell is separated out by aspiration, then by laser sorting, and finally by finishing room staff who manually inspect the product prior to packing.  The Laser sorting equipment is state of the art technology and is reputably the best in the industry.

Maximising returns for nut-in-shell through industry-leading kernel recovery rates, Stahmann Farms is setting a new standard in processing technology and methodology.

Macadamias

Stahmann Farms has been processing macadamias for more than twenty years, and was in fact one of the processing pioneers of the industry in Australia.

Our macadamia processing plant runs separately to the pecan line; however utilises the same Laser sorting equipment.

The macadamia plant has a processing capacity of up to 6,000 tonnes of NIS per annum as well as onsite 500 tonne of drier/storage specifically for Macadamias.

Stahmann Farms offers a range of services to the Macadamia industry including: 

• Drying and Bagging services
• Cold Room Storage
• Container Loading and shipping
• Full Supply chain management from Processing through to delivery of finished goods

In addition to the above Stahmann Farms was the forerunner in toll processing. This unique service enabled owners of macadamia nut-in-shell (NIS) to have these nuts processed and to sell the kernel produced at their own discretion. In addition to this service Stahmann Farms acts many instances as the overflow processor for many of the existing Macadamia processors. However these services are not as common these days and whilst we are still engaged in this activity for select customers this service will most likely diminish as time goes on.

The service which has proved most successful for our growers is the SPA (Sales and Processing Alliance). Under this system the growers’ product can generally be tracked individually through the plant and is sold as consolidated stock by our marketing and sales team. This gives the growers a return on the actual kernel value rather than the standard industry system of payment for Nut-in-Shell based on hand Crack out results