While many mushrooms grower-shippers include organic mushrooms in their product lines, demand for organic product isn’t exactly off the charts.
Growers say that’s probably because many consumers consider even conventionally grown mushrooms to be safe and healthful.
In June, the Environmental Working Group, known for its controversial “Dirty Dozen” list of products with the highest amount of pesticide residue, included mushrooms on its “Clean Fifteen” list of the cleanest produce items.
“We really don’t use any pesticides,” said Fred Recchiuti, general manager for Basciani Mushroom Farms, Avondale, Pa.
Organic mushrooms aren’t much different from conventional product, and growers can’t get any more money for them, he said.
The company partners with an organic grower in order to provide organic product for customers who want it, he said.
Regular mushrooms already are perceived as being a natural product with many attributes that people assign to organic, said Gary Schroeder, director for Dole Mushrooms, Kennett Square, Pa.
The company’s volume of organic mushrooms is modest, he said.
Some years, the category sees an uptick, and in others, it doesn’t, he said.
Even conventional mushrooms are grown indoors in climate-controlled facilities, he said, which enhances the safety of the product.
Organic mushrooms also make up only a small portion of the business for To-Jo Mushrooms, Avondale, Pa., said Paul Frederic, senior vice president of sales and marketing.
“They are growing, but the base is very small,” he said.
Consumers are reluctant to pay a premium for organic mushrooms that are almost the same as conventional ones, he said.
Kitchen Pride Mushroom Farms Inc., Gonzales, Texas, isn’t into organics, said James Sweatt, director of sales.
“The payback doesn’t give you the lift you need” to make an organic deal worthwhile, he said.
Retailers don’t want to pay a 20% to 30% up-charge to offset the lower yields, Sweatt said.
“Most people view mushrooms as kind of organic anyway,” he said.
Watsonville, Calif.-based Monterey Mushrooms Inc. has two certified organic farms for growing organic white and brown mushrooms, said Joe Caldwell, vice president.
“All of our operations are certified organic handlers of organic produce,” he said.
While several specialty mushrooms are organic, the vast majority of organic mushroom sales are for the white button, portabella and baby bella varieties, he said.
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