Staff Profile: Kathy Beech – Quality & Compliance Officer
Jennifer FindleyNambucca Macnuts is pleased to introduce Kathy Beech, who joined the cooperative in February 2025 and now serves as our Quality & Compliance Officer. Kathy brings an intellectual and energetic presence to the factory floor— she is an environmental champion with a sharp eye for detail and a passion for doing things the right way.
Kathy has a background in environmental science, agroecology, bush regeneration and anthropology, having earned graduate qualifications in Environmental Science and Anthropology. Her skill set combines scientific rigour with a deep understanding of people and systems. She has worked in the food industry for many years, including her previous role working with farmers to ensure compliance and best practice in the blueberry sector, and in the organic sector with garlic and pumpkins. Kathy also brings extensive industry qualifications, including Freshcare, HACCP, and HARPS, reinforcing her strong foundation in food safety and compliance.
About the Role
The Quality & Compliance Officer position is a new and important addition to the Macnuts team. While quality processes have always been part of factory operations, Kathy’s appointment allows for a level of depth, consistency, and oversight not previously possible.
Her responsibilities span a wide range of critical functions, including:
- Food safety and handling
- Maintaining documentation for HACCP and ACO (organic) certification
- Preparing for audits and ensuring full traceability across all production steps
- Managing critical control points and associated records
- Developing forms, checklists, and training materials
- Writing and reviewing operating procedures
- Overseeing batch sampling, testing, and product release
- Environmental swabbing and pest control
- Verifying supplier documentation and food standard compliance
Kathy’s work strengthens our certification readiness, uplifts factory standards, and ensures our growers and customers receive consistently high‑quality macadamia products.
What Kathy Loves About Macnuts
Kathy says she values being part of an organic industry, aligning with her personal commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable food production. She also enjoys working with a small, friendly and dedicated team that continually strives for high standards and best outcomes for the customer.
What’s your favourite way to enjoy macadamias?
When it comes to enjoying macadamias, Kathy’s favourite is macadamia paste—she loves it straight from the jar or spread generously on toast. Among the nuts themselves, she reaches for the Roasted & Salted variety - simple so the flavour of the nut comes first.
