• Lupin Co director David Fienberg. Photo by Jenny D’Anger

FREMANTLE is at the heart of a lupin revolution.

The Lupin Co, based in Westgate Mall, is taking the under-appreciated legume to a world eager for healthy alternatives to foods high in fats and sugars.

Diabetes is a growing worldwide problem and low carb foods such as lupin flakes are great for glucose management, says Lupin Co director David Fienberg.

“It can help to prevent nasties like diabesity, heart disease and high blood pressure.”

The Bicton local has been hawking his lupin products across the globe, and recently they attracted a lot of interest during a business trip to Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia.

“There’s a global movement for good food,” Fienberg says.

“They were saying ‘How come we haven’t heard about this?’”

Related to the chickpea and lentil family, lupins are one of the world’s richest natural sources of protein (40 per cent) and fibre (37 per cent), and contain minerals like potassium, magnesium and iron. Lupins are also gluten free and low in carbs (4 per cent).

It’s a crop perfect for Australia as it grows in sandy conditions with little water, so it’s no wonder 85 per cent of the world supply is grown here, “and 95 per cent of that comes from WA,” Fienberg says.

Hailing from a long line of wheat farmers, Fienberg worked for farmer’s cooperative CBH, using his experience to spot the potential of a variety of crops.

His lupins are grown on farms at Mingenew and Coorow, and processed in Bullsbrook, with the husks going to stock feed and the flesh turned into lupin flakes.

For more information go to thelupinco.com.au

by JENNY D’ANGER