Mumbai’s summer desserts have taken on an Australian twist, with a week-long macadamia soft serve activation aimed at introducing Indian consumers to Queensland’s premium nut industry.
The “Queensland Macadamia Soft Serve: A Summer Special” is being hosted at Food Square in Bandra from 21–27 April, in a collaboration between Trade and Investment Queensland and Handful of Health. The in-store experience is designed to showcase macadamias in a format that is both accessible and indulgent for Indian audiences.
At the centre of the activation is a layered dessert featuring a date-based ice cream, blended with macadamia butter and topped with salted caramelised macadamia brittle. Organisers say the concept is intended to highlight the nut’s creamy texture and versatility in a format familiar to local consumers.
The initiative builds on Australia’s broader push to grow awareness of macadamias in India, where familiarity with the product remains relatively low despite positive perceptions among those who have tried it.
Industry-led campaigns have been expanding in recent years. In 2023, Mumbai hosted the first Australian Macadamia Festival, a two-week series of events supported by the Queensland Government that engaged chefs, media and food influencers to promote the ingredient’s origin and culinary applications.
Momentum has continued into 2025 through collaborations with Indian brands, including a partnership with premium chocolate maker Paul and Mike. The collaboration introduced limited-edition products such as milk chocolate with macadamias and cranberries, coffee-infused macadamia cobbles, and a macadamia chocolate spread.
Organisers say the latest Mumbai activation is part of a long-term strategy to position Australian macadamias as a premium ingredient in India’s growing food and beverage market, particularly among urban consumers seeking new and high-quality flavours.
Content from the Bandra pop-up is also being captured for social media distribution, as part of efforts to extend the campaign’s reach beyond in-store visitors.
With India’s appetite for global flavours continuing to grow, industry stakeholders are betting that macadamias, long associated with Australian agriculture, can carve out a niche in the country’s evolving premium food segment.
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