There are hundreds of cultivated varieties of lotus. Different climates and environments give rise to various features and qualities. All these mean that the search for the best combination of seed varieties for the paste takes a lot of time and effort. Maxim’s Group had dedicated years on research and product development. Among all the candidates, lotus seeds from Hunan province emerged as the finest.

Hunan lotus seeds are round and full in shape, outshining the ones from Fujian and Zhejiang provinces. Its glorious past as a royal tribute dates back to as early as Song dynasty. How to identify the best seeds among tens of thousands of Hunan lotus flowers, then? There’s a tip. Pippo Au, Head of Supply Chain, explained, “The way to measure is to line up three uniform sized seeds, and see if the length is exactly one inch. Anything too big or too small for that is not preferred. That’s why we also call the perfect ones ‘three-inch lotus seeds’.”

Apart from choosing the right ingredient, food safety and quality are also not to be compromised.

The Maxim factory, supply chain and Hunan lotus seeds planting bases collaborate closely to produce the lotus seed paste used in mooncakes, all the while complying to food safety requirements set out in the most detailed manner. 

Mr Eddie Wu, Director of Factories, said, “The seeds are screened based on their shape, color and smell. We also pay attention to shipment conditions, such as if there's any foreign substances, the level of dryness and damage. Every link matters!” Because of how much attention is paid to details, the preparation for every batch of lotus seed paste that’s enjoyed during mid-autumn festival takes well over a year––planning work with the planting bases starts at around New Years’ time in the year before. “Extreme climate, high temperature and the pandemic posed a lot of challenges to harvesting and logistics. We have to start prep work even earlier,” said Eddie.

Sensible use of land and scientific farming methods are indispensable to the protection of natural resources and the environment. In light of this, Maxim works proactively with upstream suppliers and farms with an aim to build a system that is not only sustainable but also conducive to soil health and higher biodiversity.