Sunshine Coast company, Buderim Ginger, has been inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame in recognition of its world class ginger products and distinguished global reputation. The company was founded in 1941 by five Buderim ginger farmers in response to a global ginger shortage during World War II, when it couldn't be imported from China.
The Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame was established by QUT Business School, State Library of Queensland and the Queensland Library Foundation in 2009 to recognise the public contribution made by leaders of business to the reputation of Queensland and its economic and social development. This year marked its 100th inductee to the Hall of Fame.
Source: Buderim Ginger
The committee stated Buderim Ginger was inducted in recognition of its standing as Australia’s leading producer, processor and distributor of ginger products.
“With a strong international presence, Buderim Ginger exemplifies enduring business leadership and strategic adaptability,” stated the profile.
History and growth
Buderim Ginger's Managing Director, Tom Himstedt, said the company has grown from a group of five farmers who came together to plan the rapid expansion of the ginger industry, to a huge exporter and tourist hotspot.
“They formed the Buderim co-op in a farm shed, with the first processing occurring in a workshop on the hill at Buderim,” said Himstedt.
Today, Buderim Ginger is the world's only western ginger processor and produces more than 60 different ginger products from its base at Yandina in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.
It exports about half of its total production to 17 countries around the world – mostly in northern Europe and North America, but also to Asian countries such as Korea, China and Japan. The company is also a major Sunshine Coast employer, with more than 80 people working at its Yandina facility.
It has also been a tourist attraction for decades, with The Ginger Factory now attracting over 400,000 people each year – including notable visitors such as Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1983.
“The tourism side started in the late 1940s when the people of Buderim were curious about this agri-food business and the company used to open its doors on Friday afternoon,” said Himstedt.
“Ever since then, the story of the factory, the story of the processing, has always been a part of the overall brand story. The tourism park tells the story of ginger.”
Himstedt said the product that really built the company was crystallised ginger, which is now marketed under the name Naked Ginger. Their range also includes sushi ginger, pickled ginger, ginger jam, ginger cordials, and a very popular ginger beer.
The company has a strong focus on sustainability across all areas – from the dedicated local farmers who supplied the product, through to improving water and energy use during factory processing, and favouring environmentally-friendly packaging.
Himstedt said the company had built long-term relationships with local farmers and the local community, and had many employees who had been there for more than 20 years.
“If you walk through a supermarket today, we're in at least five aisles – then we're in a pharmacy, then we're in a café, then we're in many other people's products … From a handful of ginger comes a pretty amazing story,” he said.
The ginger and tourism business was sold to the Himstedt Family in 2020, for $13 million. Last year, the company added a Ginger Beer Home Brew Kit to its range of snacks, condiments, beverages, and health products.
