Wild-harvested rosella picked on Larrakia Country reached acclaimed chefs at some of Australia's leading restaurants within 24 hours of harvest.
Key points:
• Rosella reaches acclaimed restaurants in record time
• Six-week harvest window makes it highly sought after
• Continues Indigenous supply chain opportunities
In a rare and highly coordinated supply chain, Indigenous harvester Shannon Motlop hand-picked the rosella on Country in the Northern Territory, carefully packed the delicate produce and delivered it to Darwin Airport, where it was flown more than 3,000kms, reaching the hands of young indigenous chef Jack Brown at Sydney's Berowra Waters Inn in just 16 hours.
The delivery captured a true "land to hand to plate" journey, connecting Indigenous harvesters directly with some of the country's top chefs during rosella's six-week season.
Known for its vibrant ruby colour and tart cranberry-like flavour, rosella has been used for generations by First Nations communities for both food and traditional practices.
The fleshy calyx of the plant is prized for its versatility, being used in sauces, desserts, syrups, jams, beverages and savoury dishes.
Fresh rosella's short season makes it one of the most coveted native ingredient harvest windows on the culinary calendar and is one of many native flavours emerging as a sought-after seasonal ingredient with chefs across the land.
Efficient Indigenous supply chains established
While many restaurants have historically relied on frozen rosella due to transport and shelf-life challenges, Adelaide-based Creative Native Foods has been working directly with Indigenous harvesters and suppliers to move fresh produce rapidly from remote areas to restaurants.
Berowra Waters Inn, led by Mr Brown, was among the first establishments to secure the fresh rosella for its renowned menu of refined Australian cuisine featuring premium native flavours.
Another venue using Mr Motlop's rosella harvest was Restaurant Botanic in Adelaide, a leading regional dining institution that many food experts have tipped as a potential future Michelin Guide contender.
Restaurant Botanic chef Jamie Musgrave said rosella had become a staple seasonal ingredient in the kitchen.
"We love this time of year as rosella is a staple in our menu," Mr Musgrave said.
"The vibrant tartness can balance out richness and brings such depth to the flavour."
Creative Native Foods rapid "Country to kitchen" process highlighted both growing demand for native ingredients and increasing commercial opportunities for Indigenous harvesters and food businesses.
Rosella harvest follows huge Kakadu plum order
The limited rosella harvest followed the Adelaide-based company placing one of its biggest Kakadu plum orders of the year with Mr Motlop's Aboriginal Community Harvest operation earlier this month, continuing its commitment to Indigenous-led procurement.
The purchase typified growing demand for native ingredients, while supporting greater Aboriginal participation across Australia's emerging native foods supply chain and aligned with Creative Food's broader strategy to have Indigenous businesses and farmers central to the industry's future and create market pathways that keep value in Aboriginal enterprises.
Owned by Wiradjuri entrepreneur Terri-Anne Daniel, the business is Australia's biggest distributor of native ingredients, supplying restaurants, hotels, tourism operators and food manufacturers.
Its procurement model is built on direct relationships with Indigenous harvesters, creating market pathways that keep more value within Aboriginal-owned enterprises.
"Backing harvesters like Shannon and his brother means the people doing the work on Country are the ones building the business," Ms Daniel said.
Native food industry ripe for growth
The use of native ingredients continues to surge in hospitality circles, with chefs increasingly seeking distinct flavours that were uniquely Australian and connected to Country.
Industry analysts have identified native foods as a significant growth opportunity for regional and Indigenous economies.
The University of Sydney estimated Australia's native food industry was worth $81.5 million in 2019-20, with demand continuing to increase across food service, retail, tourism, wellness and export markets.
