Welcome to the Olive Tree Market blog, where we delve into the stories behind our beloved stall holders and their unique products. Today, we’re thrilled to introduce you to Seanut, a brand that has been making waves in the organic food scene with their delicious, handcrafted peanut butter. Founded by two Belgian travellers, Jacqueline and Renee, Seanut’s journey began in Central America and has now found a home in Sydney and Newcastle. Let’s explore the inspiration behind Seanut’s organic peanut butter and discover what sets it apart from other brands on the market
What inspired the creation of Seanut’s organic peanut butter and how does it stand out from other brands on the market?
Two years ago, in Central America, Jacqueline and Renee, two Belgian travellers, founded Seanut. We started backpacking in Mexico and ventured down to South America, exploring local ingredients and flavours in markets and farms along the way. As peanut butter enthusiasts, we craved a natural, organic option without additives or sugar – a real challenge in Central America. So, we decided to make our own.
So off we went, buying peanuts from local markets in Guatemala, we mixed up a batch in our hostel kitchen. The result? The best tasting peanut butter we ever had. Continuing into Nicaragua, we kept perfecting our peanut butter recipe using local ingredients. Soon, other backpackers wanted to try it and asked if they could buy a jar. Before we knew it, we were travelling with 40 jars of peanut butter on the local buses of Nicaragua, selling it in three different hostels.
Now, two years later, we’ve officially started our company in Sydney. Keeping true to our values, we source organic peanuts from Central American farms who support local communities and use sustainable farming techniques. We lovingly handcraft our peanut butter by roasting the peanuts to perfection and grinding them ourselves for the ideal texture. Each step in the process is carefully done by hand, infused with passion and love.
It’s your first Olive Tree Market; what can shoppers expect to find at your stall?
Shoppers can look forward to our original handmade peanut butter, crafted from organic peanuts and a touch of sea salt. Our unique roasting and blending process creates the perfect flavour and texture for natural peanut butter. We’ll have a jar open for sampling, so you can taste it yourself! If you’re a peanut butter lover, our stall will quickly become your new favourite spot!
Can you share the journey of a peanut from being harvested to becoming a jar of Seanut peanut butter?
The journey of Seanut peanut butter begins in Central America, where we source our peanuts from sustainable farms in Mexico. These vertically integrated farms own both the land and processing facilities, ensuring complete transparency and traceability. Our commitment to traceability is upheld through close contact with suppliers and the careful selection process of them. By employing sustainable farming techniques and organic fertilisers, our process—from peanut to jar—excludes the use of pesticides and chemicals.
After harvesting, peanuts undergo rigorous blanching and selection, ensuring only the finest make the cut. Cleanliness is paramount; freshly harvested peanuts are thoroughly washed to remove any soil, maintaining the purity of our product.
Once cleansed, it’s time to bask in the sun’s warm embrace or the gentle hum of mechanical dryers, ensuring our peanuts reach the perfect level of dryness for their next adventure. The peanuts are now prepared to embark on their journey down under.
Upon receiving our peanuts, the first step in our process is roasting. Roasting is where the magic happens – a dance of heat and flavour that transforms our peanuts into golden nuggets of nutty perfection. Every five minutes, we meticulously hand flip all the peanuts to ensure an even roast, aiming for the ideal level of richness and flavour.
Grinding is where the transformation truly takes shape, as our roasted peanuts whirl and twirl their way into creamy perfection. With all hands on deck, we pour our peanuts into the grinder, where we add a pinch of salt and constantly adjust the wheel to attain the perfect texture.
Finally, the creamy goodness is lovingly poured into jars, each one a testament to the journey from farm to table. We clean the jars, twist the cap on and stick the label. The jars are now ready to embark on their own adventure– a journey of flavour, freshness, and farm-fresh goodness from start to finish.
Sustainability is a significant concern for consumers today. How does Seanut ensure that its peanut butter production is environmentally friendly?
Sustainability is pivotal at Seanut. Even though the peanuts originate from Central America, transportation occurs sporadically by boat, reducing carbon emissions associated with long-distance transportation. We carefully selected our supplier, whom we have close contact with, ensuring that it aligns with our values of sustainability and fair working conditions. Seanut ensures environmentally friendly peanut butter production through a vertically integrated supplier, which means they own the farm and the processing facility. The supplier implements sustainable practices, such as organic farming techniques and energy-efficient processing methods to minimise the ecological footprint.
Finally, the production of handmade peanut butter involves minimal processing compared to industrial-scale production, leading to less energy consumption and no chemicals or preservatives, thus having a smaller environmental impact. Our peanut butter is packaged in glass jars which are reusable/recyclable containers; our small-scale production results in minimal waste and efficient use of resources – no spoilage of peanut butter or energy!
Could you tell us about the different varieties of peanut butter Seanut offers and what makes each one unique?
Currently, our selection features our signature blend: roasted organic peanuts with a touch of sea salt. However, we’re thrilled to announce that new flavours and exciting projects are in the make. Our inspiration stems from our travels and the diverse array of local ingredients we’ve encountered along the way. We’re passionate about integrating these unique flavours into our peanut butter creations.
While we’re keeping some details under wraps for now, let’s just say that the combination of Australian honey, South American cacao, and Central American peanuts promises to deliver beautiful flavours.
Finally, for all the food enthusiasts out there, could you suggest some creative ways to incorporate Seanut organic peanut butter into our daily meals and snacks?
We are big foodies ourselves and love to get creative with food. While peanut butter is typically associated with breakfast, we love developing exciting lunch and dinner recipes that showcase its versatility. We personally love making a marinade with Seanut using soy sauce, chilli oil, maple syrup and a squeeze of lime. This is ideal to marinate tofu or chicken for an Asian dish. Recently, we shared an incredible sandwich recipe on our Instagram featuring Oomami Chilli oil – an absolute MUST TRY!
We hope you’ve enjoyed this deep dive into the world of Seanut and their organic peanut butter. Their commitment to quality, sustainability and community truly sets them apart in the market. Whether you’re a peanut butter enthusiast or just love trying new flavours, be sure to stop by their stall at the next Olive Tree Market on Saturday June 1st at Civic Park from 9am to 2pm where you’ll get to taste their delicious peanut butter and maybe even pick up a jar to enjoy at home.
