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The name tiger nut derives from its appearance. The dried brown items look a little like nuts and have stripes a bit like tiger stripes.
Tiger nuts at the factory, ready for processing. Source: SBS / Scott Cardwell
Hindson‘s factory can produce up to 40 thousand litres of tiger nut milk per day. Most of that is destined for cafes and specialty outlets Australia-wide.
Tiger nut milk is among a growing number of plant-based alternatives sold in Australia, such as oat, almond and soy milk.
Why demand for non-dairy milk is growing
Around 40 per cent of all Australian households now have plant-based milk in the fridge, with people increasingly switching from dairy for health, environmental, and ethical reasons.
Laura Hindson holding unprocessed tiger nuts. Source: SBS / Scott Cardwell
“Tiger nuts are a versatile ingredient to make plant-based milk,” Hindson said scooping a handful of dried nuts from a white bag.
“So, they’re quite a nutritious food source.”
Tiger nuts as food
Tiger nuts are actually tubers, or the bulbous root of a stem. They grow underground and provide nutrients to a grass-like plant called yellow nutsedge commonly found in Africa and Spain.
Women grow tiger nuts in Burkina Faso. Source: Supplied / Laura Hindson
Tiger nuts are also a food staple in West Africa including Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.
It aims to help tiger nut farming families improve their lives.
Bagging tiger nuts in Burkina Faso. Source: Supplied / Laura Hindson
By buying the tiger nut harvest at fair prices, Hindson’s startup — Madame Tiger — has changed the lives of more than 600 women and their families in Burkina Faso.
“So, we are paying about three to four times what they were offered previously for their tiger nuts.”
Easing the burden of poverty
“So, it is very, very important for them.”
Terror threats rising
“The rise in terrorism and death has been quite astronomical. And it is part of a broader conflict raging through the Sahel,” he said.
“It is why this tiger nut project with Madame Tiger helps women. They hold a fair job and earn a fair income that helps to improve their lives.”
Business giving back
However, she said developing the production process was slow and took several years.
Dan Hindson and Laura at the Melbourne factory. Source: SBS / Scott Cardwell
“We started with a recipe on the kitchen bench and scaled that up to produce tiger nut milk in a factory,” she said.
“First, we wash the tiger nuts, then we soak them to soften them and then we mill them with water and then we filter out any fibre that is left in the milk and then we blend it with the other ingredients and bottle it.”
Overcoming challenges
However, she said the rewards due to the impact the business has achieved far outweigh the challenges.
“And they built a warehouse and pipelines as well. So, it has made a really big impact on the lives of women and the farmers.”
Laura Hindson with a carton of tiger nut milk. Source: SBS / Scott Cardwell
Tiger nut milk sales are rising in Australia and Hindson hopes to expand steadily to meet growing global demand.
“So, we hope soon to share that with the world.”
