Project Local: Trickett's Grove Walnuts

The secret behind our Fig & Walnut Sourdough (and a few other favourites like Carrot Cake and the Newstead Orchard Apple Danish) comes from a Canterbury co-operative called Trickett's Grove.

Trickett’s Grove started when a group of walnut growers joined forces in 2015 to process and pack their own harvests locally. With orchards that date back to the 1970s, and Canterbury’s dry climate and fertile soil on their side, they’ve built a reputation for some of the best walnuts in the country.

Walnuts are only harvested once a year, in autumn. When the nuts are ready, they fall naturally from the trees. From there, it’s a race against time: long days of gathering, washing, drying, and cracking to lock in freshness. By the time the walnuts reach us, they’ve been carefully graded and packed to order – meaning what we bake with is as fresh and flavourful as it gets.

For Volare, that consistency matters. The sweet crunch of walnuts balancing figs in sourdough, or adding depth to a cake, is only possible when the nuts themselves are top quality. And when you buy a loaf or pastry made with Trickett’s Grove walnuts, you’re also supporting 40 Kiwi growers and a whole community of small-scale food producers.

It’s a reminder that great baking starts long before it reaches our ovens. Sometimes, it starts in an orchard in Canterbury.

But don't just take our word for it – order our Fig & Walnut online and try it for yourself.