Bush tomatoes have been an important bush food staple for Indigenous Australians for thousands of years. Traditionally the sun-dried fruit was collected through autumn and winter, dried and stored for up to several years.
Sweet and savoury, bush tomatoes are perfect when added to sauces, marinades, meats or even doughs. You can even swap them out for sundried tomato. They have a caramel sweet-salty flavour.
Bush tomatoes are rich in antioxidants. The bush tomato is one of the few native foods containing selenium, a rare mineral that plays a key role in metabolism. It also provides a rich source of Vitamin E, Vitamin C, iron, copper, folate, zinc, magnesium, potassium and calcium. Bush tomatoes are also high in dietary fibre and provide 10.3g of protein per 100g.
Origin: The bush tomato (also known as Solanum centrale) is a fast-growing shrub native to the arid desert regions of central Australia, from Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory to Marla in South Australia and the east Kimberly in Western Australia. More than 80 per cent of harvesting is done by hand by Aboriginal wild harvesters.
About the Company
At Roogenic, we are a health-conscious bunch that passionately believe in the medicinal health properties of Native Australian Plants.
From the start, we have partnered with Indigenous communities and small farmers that share our vision of growing the bush food industry so the people of Australia and the world, can utilise their incredible health benefits.
We launched our small family business in 2015, serving ice teas brewed with native Australian plants at the Fremantle Markets in Western Australia. From there, we started to get a mountain of reviews from ecstatic customers that were experiencing improved gut health, improved sleep, reduced inflammation, more energy and other benefits. It was at that moment we realised the significant nutritional density and complex health properties Australian plants have to offer.
Now, we are a leading Australian health and wellness company proudly making functional products that marry the traditional medicinal use of bush tucker with scientific research to help improve the livelihood of people looking for natural health solutions.
Indigenous Support Policy
Although we are not an Indigenous owned company, we will continue to passionately work with our Indigenous growers to create a responsible industry that continues to include Indigenous Australians in the value chain. To see how we are achieving this, please read out Indigenous Support Policy below.
Finally, thank you for being a part of our journey, because of customers like you, we can support our indigenous growers and small farmers while shining a light on the medicinal properties of australian plants.
Sourcing & Supply
In terms of our supply chain, we will continue to source our products from sustainable options, prioritising Indigenous growers and wild harvesters that look to preserve and care for the land while they harvest.
We champion recycling. At Roogenic, we're proud to be leading the bush food industry with sustainable packaging options.
Concerns over the threat to our marine life and the natural environment in Australia due to single-use plastic products are well-founded, but the good news is there are sustainable solutions available.
In January 2021, we managed to reduce the plastic in our postage boxes by 90% by using recyclable paper and biodegradable tape to protect your products.
As of July 2021, we have moved all of our tea blends to 100% biodegradable packaging. The new packaging is more compact to reduce our footprint. The outside of the box is made from 100% plant-based virgin fibre and is food contact safe, while the internal liners and teabags are also made from plant-based materials including corn starch, tapioca root, and sugarcane.
The product - from end to end - is 100% biodegradable.
