29/07/2025
From farm shed to global stage: Buderim Ginger enters Hall of Fame
Yandina’s famous 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 ginger producer, processor and distributor 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. "A group of five farmers came together to plan the rapid expansion of the ginger industry," Buderim Ginger's Managing Director, Tom Himstedt, said.
"They formed the Buderim co-op in a farm shed, with the first processing occurring in a workshop on the hill at Buderim."
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 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," Mr Himstedt said.
"And 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."
Mr 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.
Mr Himstedt said the company had 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.
He 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 Factory
Pictured: Buderim Ginger's Managing Director, Tom Himstedt “From a handful of ginger comes a pretty amazing story."
