Calamansi represents hope, possibility,
and action

Calamansi, also known as calamondin, or Philippine lime (botanical name citrofortunella microcarpa) is a wonder fruit of the Philippines. Small in size with its unique taste and aroma that combines the flavour notes of lemon and lime. We love it in traditional and modern Filipino cuisine and beverages. Indigenous to the Philippines, calamansi is available throughout the archipelago with top producing provinces Mindoro Oriental, Quezon, and Guimaras comprising almost 70% of national production. The Philippines is one of the largest exporters of calamansi globally given its superior quality over other variants grown in other SEA countries. 

Calamansi is rich in Vitamin C, a great source of antioxidants, dietary fibres, and high in essential nutrients namely calcium, iron, magnesium, sodium, and zinc. Additionally, through innovative R&D, calamansi by-products can be converted to new applications and purposes such as nutrient supplements, baking ingredients from pulverised seeds, and health and wellness products such as essential oils.

It represents lives and livelihoods, from the farmers and communities who grow it; businesses who innovate and bring it to market, to the families who migrate to other countries, and plant its seeds to mark a new beginning.

In Australia, Filipinos represent the fifth largest migrant community, and the third-largest cohort of Asian heritage after the Chinese and Indians. For the Filipino diaspora, and their families, a backyard calamansi tree is a symbol of home - both the Motherland we departed, and the gift of life in Australia we adopted. From where we were, where we are to where we’re going, we are always on a journey.

Calamansi is undervalued in its abundance in the Philippines but so revered in its scarcity in the Filipino diaspora. Like Filipino cuisine, calamansi is relatively unknown compared to its citrus counterparts, and not commercially available at scale. Yet. But if the success of yuzu is anything to go by, driven by the advocacy of The Entree.Pinays, there’s hope.

As part of its mission, The Entree.Pinays aim to educate the Australian public on the true value of Filipino produce, by sharing the way we cook and eat through a program of curated experiences, content, industry engagement and commerce.

Calamansi has been spotlighted in Melbourne Food and Wine Festival menus and convenient store, special dining events with chefs and restaurants, corporate virtual masterclasses, cooking videos for SBS Food, Gourmet Traveller and Philippine Embassy and Department of Tourism, In My Kusina cooking series, Calamansi-for-a-Cause fundraisers, and first-to-market products for our online marketplace and popup events, Merkado by The Entree.Pinays.

The Calamansi Story is the next chapter.

A contemporary, community-led, accessible publication representing a breadth and depth of Filipino-Australian migrant stories, reflecting migrant economic and social opportunities in Australia and promoting Australia's multiculturalism story to the ASEAN region.

New research highlighting the connection and contribution of Filipino-Australians to Australia's local economy and multicultural society, as well as a foreground to any new research on calamansi international trade.

Investment in social enterprise programs supporting Philippine calamansi farmers through sales of the book via our Buy for Good category on merkado-market.com.

New opportunities for knowledge exchange in sustainable practices, education and technology in agriculture and urban farming, cross-border trade for innovative, health and wellness calamansi-forward products, and food tourism.

Reach and engage audiences, industry, business, government and changemakers in Australia and the Philippines to raise awareness and investment in the sustainable future of calamansi.