The Grains research and development Corporation published a study showing that lupins could have a significant impact in the consumer food market in regards to nutritional composition and health benefits.Ī mixture of frustration and altruism finally spurred Gary into action. Science had shown lupin could be a valuable weapon in the armoury against a range of chronic Western ills, from heart disease to diabesity- diabetes linked to obesity.

LUPINS COULD BE THE NEW DISEASE FIGHTING SUPERFOOD The albus lupin crop in bloom at the Drew family’s property, Northwood, at Brocklesby. He was also running sheep and growing canola on the property that had been his father’s and grandfather’s before him. Gary was growing lupin as a break crop to put nitrogen back into the soil between wheat crops on his property, Northwood, at Brocklesby near Albury in the NSW southern Riverina. “They spent millions on R&D and equipment.” He was also “sick and tired” of hearing people chattering on about superfoods such as quinoa and chia when he knew he was producing something just as good at a fraction of the price. “I really wanted their lupin milk to work,” he says of the plant-based drink that seemed set to rival soy milk. Gary had watched with a mixture of interest and disappointment as the state’s farmers tried with mixed success to develop lupin products for human consumption. Western Australia is the largest producer of lupin in the world – but the majority is exported as livestock feed. Lupin, a pulse crop, is part of the legume family and its seeds – also known as lupini beans – have been eaten in the Mediterranean region for centuries. Gazing at the gorgeous golden colour he thought, why aren’t humans eating this? He pulled back the tarp from a load of steamed and rolled lupin he was delivering to a cattle farmer mate and released a mouth-watering sweet aroma “like the smell of Uncle Tobys”. ABOUT three years ago, Gary Drew had an epiphany.

The Second Coming by Lupinus