Natural Evolution

Natural Evolution Foods is a company founded on the principles of natural, nutritional, gluten-free superfoods. This innovative brand is the brainchild of Robert Watkins, a second-generation farmer who believes that ultimate nutrition begins with healthy soil and plants.

Robert and his family were one of the largest banana growers in Australia, specializing in a variety known as Lady Fingers. However, every week, tonnes of unsaleable fruit had to be wasted due to not meeting the supermarket giants' guidelines. This led to Rob's invention of the Banana Blankey, a fully recyclable packaging system that reduced costs, handling and plastic packaging. The invention saw Rob take out the episode winner of ABC's New Inventors in 2009.

What began as a practical solution to his waste problem has now evolved into a new market for all growers and has the potential to earn more for their higher grades of bananas. The brand's flagship product, green banana flour, was born when Rob accidentally drove over a hand of bananas that had been baking in the Tropical North Queensland sun. With more than 450 tonnes of green bananas wasted each week in North Queensland, a problem had finally been solved.

Natural Evolution Foods is the first company in the world to commercially produce green banana flour, previously known as Mt Uncle's Banana Flour. In the five years of commercial production, Natural Evolution has made incredible scientific discoveries. One of the most significant is discovering the highest natural resistant starch found in a variety of bananas grown in Tropical North Queensland, known as Lady Fingers.