How Top of the Range Flowers improved product quality and turnaround with desiccant dehumidification
project at a Glance
Client: Top of the Range Flowers
Application: Red Kangaroo Paw botanical drying
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Solution: Desiccant dehumidification
Equipment: AD 2500
Target moisture content: Less than 9%
Drying time: Approximately 36 hours
Project completed: 2022
Heat recovery upgrade: 2024
Case study updated: 2026
THE CLIENT
Introducing
TOP OF THE RANGE FLOWERS
Top of the Range Flowers (ToRF) has been operating since 1996. They experiment with different Australian native and wildflower crops, farming methods, and processing systems.
Owners, Lodi and Yucca Pameijer have an exclusive contract to supply Red Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos flavidus) to a botanics laboratory that specialises in developing ingredients exclusively derived from native Australian plants.
The Kangaroo Paw’s essence is extracted as an oil and provided to global skincare brand, Clarins - used exclusively for their #extrafirming skin care range.
Clarins video showcasing Top of the Range Flowers.
THE SITUATION
Challenge
ADDITIONAL COSTS AND DELAYS TO CLIENT
Previously, after hand harvesting, ToRF would shred the fresh stems and then transport to a freezer-drying facility, an hour away. They were limited by the quantity they could send per batch. After freezer-drying and milling, the finished product would then be freighted to their client.
ISSUES
The time between harvest and freeze-drying meant a possibility of quality reduction caused by fermentation beginning on the still fresh flowers
Cost to freight to a third party
Extra costs to pay for freeze-drying thousands of kilos of fresh product
Involving a third party meant delays in getting the product to their client
THE DESIGN BRIEF
Indoor Environment Specialists
Farmers by trade, Lodi and Yucca are very innovative and are always looking at ways to improve their processes. After researching the best solution, and talking with their peers, they decided to contact Humiscope.
Director, John Morgan met Lodi and Yucca to learn more about their business, their challenges and what they were trying to achieve.
The couple wanted to make better use of their existing cold room, which was used during summer for their Christmas Bush harvest, by converting it into a drying room in spring for Kangaroo Paw processing.
When operating as a drying room, the space would maintain the required elevated temperature, while in cold-room mode it would operate at 5°C.
Red Kangaroo Paw growing at Top of the Range Flowers’ farm in New South Wales.
“Katherine was very helpful in providing information to address our requirements. She was very competent regarding specifications and was ready to refer any technical questions to Humiscope director, John (Morgan), which we found reassuring.”
~ Lodi Pameijer
Owner, Top of the Range Flowers
THE SOLUTION
Desiccant Dehumidification Technology
The traditional method of sending the product offsite to be dried, meant the whole process, from harvest to it final destination, would take days.
Humiscope talked through the benefits of a desiccant dehumidifier for an all-in-one drying room and cold room solution. Rather than constructing a dedicated drying room, Humiscope maximised the existing infrastructure by converting the cold room into a seasonal drying room.
Humiscope chose a Desiccant Dehumidifier AD 2500 as the ideal system to precisely manage humidity and moisture levels during both the drying process and for their cold storage requirements.
The purpose of a drying room is to create a temperature and humidity controlled environment where product can be dried or cured rapidly while maintaining or improving its quality.
AD 2500 desiccant dehumidifier installed in Top of the Range Flowers’ cold room for seasonal Kangaroo Paw drying.
36 Hours
The first run of drying Kangaroo Paw saw drying completed in approximately 36 hours, achieving the required product moisture level of less than 9%.
5 boxes → 1 box
Once dried, five boxes of shredded flowers equated to approximately one box of finished dried product, significantly reducing the volume of product requiring onward freight.
Lodi and Yucca chose to install the unit and ducting themselves.
Humiscope provided instructions on how to install the system within the cold rooms and how best to place the duct to move the dry air around the space and expel the moisture laden air into the outside environment.
“ The dehumidifier is working very well with the weight of the product dropping - which was the goal. The space was loaded with 50kg of product yesterday and this morning it weighs only 36kg.”
~ Lodi Pameijer
Owner, Top of the Range Flowers
the outcome
Increased Quality - Happy Client
The first batch of dried product sent to ToRF’s client received a glowing response. There was a higher amount of active ingredient available for extraction and the quality of the active ingredient was improved.
COMMERCIAL BENEFITS
Better Service
By eliminating the need to ship flowers to a freeze-drying company, ToRF now provides better service to their client by offering and faster turn around
Value Adding
ToRF’s client reported a higher amount of active ingredient available for extraction and improved quality of the active ingredient.
Time Efficiency
Bringing the drying process in-house eliminated delays associated with third-party processing.
Lower Freight Costs
Bringing the drying process in-house eliminated freight to the third-party processor. Drying also significantly reduced the volume of product requiring onward freight, with five boxes of shredded flowers equating to approximately one box of dried product.
Improved Commercial Return
By improving product quality and increasing the amount of active ingredient available for extraction, the new drying process increased the commercial value of the finished product.
“ We loved the professional and personable support provided by Humiscope and we are now disucssing the possibility of upgrading to include a heat recovery system. This will likely make the whole system more energy efficient.
~ Lodi Pameijer
Owner, Top of the Range Flowers
2024 Update
Since the original project, Top of the Range Flowers has installed a heat exchanger as part of the drying room system. The upgrade recovers useful heat that would otherwise be lost, supporting improved energy efficiency and reducing the energy required to maintain the controlled drying environment.
AD 2500 desiccant dehumidifier with heat recovery ductwork following the 2024 system upgrade.
Planning a commercial drying room or looking to convert an existing cold room? Talk to Humiscope about a controlled drying solution.