Definitely Nuts!

Definitely nuts!

NICOLE GIBSON

THE next level version of a pantry staple is attracting a cult following of fans across Australia, from weight loss advocates to culinary buffs, thanks to a Palm Cove couple’s passion for peanuts.

Local business, The Peanut Project say customers are lining up to get their hands on their all natural peanut butter made from hi-oleic peanuts grown on the Atherton Tablelands and manufactured in Palm Cove.

Owners Adam Clarke & Sofie Connolly relaunched the business in December after acquiring it when they bought Palm Cove café favourite, 27 degrees, six months ago.

Mr Clarke said being locally made and the health benefits of hi-oleic peanuts were part of the product’s appeal however taste was the driving factor behind its popularity.

“Sometimes it’s hard to incorporate something that’s really healthy with no additives to try and sweeten it up or make it taste in a different way,” Mr Clarke said.

“You don’t need to do that with this product because the peanuts are so good from the start that is just tastes good straight off the bat.”

In addition to the taste,

Mr Clarke said hi-oleic peanut butter was popular with health advocates due to its abundance of good quality fats, high protein and nutrients.

“People that are dieting, people that are training heavily or anything like that, it’s very, very nourishing for your body,” he said.

The Peanut Project is also rooted in history using the very same peanut mill, variety of nuts and process to make peanut butter as FNQ’s iconic but now closed business, The Peanut Place in Tolga.

Mr Clarke said The Peanut Place lived on through their

business in a sense as a result.

“We continue to buy the exact same peanuts and use the same process,” Mr Clarke said.

“The only thing we’ve changed is we now do a smunchy which is a cross between smooth and crunchy peanut butter with just that little bit of grit.”

The business is currently in the process of launching its wholesale operations.

In the meantime, peanut butter fans can get their hands on the gooey goodness from 27 degrees café.