Jersey Mike’s Subs, Manasquan, N.J., assigned the Grilled Portabella Mushroom and Swiss Sub the No. 64 spot on its permanent menu — and The Mushroom Council is thrilled.
The mushrooms, all grown in the U.S., are picked, transported and delivered to stores within days of coming from the growers, according to a news release.
Jersey Mike’s worked closely with mushroom growers across the country to ensure a steady supply, said Chief Operating Officer Michael Manzo, in the release.
The council is comprised of fresh market producers or importers that average more than 500,000 pounds of mushrooms produced or imported annually. The mushroom program is authorized by the Mushroom Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act of 1990 and is administered by The Mushroom Council under the supervision of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.
Learn more about portabella mushrooms.
The sub, introduced in February 2021, features fresh grilled portabella mushrooms, green peppers and onions with melted Swiss cheese. This sandwich was named best healthy fast-food sandwich in the 2022 Eat This, Not That! Food Awards.
“Our customers loved the Grilled Portabella Mushroom and Swiss Sub from day one,” Manzo said in the release. “In addition to those who craved a new savory meatless option, customers also quickly started adding portabella mushrooms to their cheesesteaks.”
That interest prompted two other new menu items: The Portabella Cheesesteak will be assigned No. 66 and the Portabella Chicken Cheesesteak will become No. 65.
For the fourth consecutive year, mushrooms have been named a top trend by food industry trend spotters, including “Ingredient of the Year” by The New York Times.
The council touts that mushrooms are one of the most sustainably produced foods in the U.S. by the way they’re grown in agricultural byproducts and several other characteristics.
The nutritional benefits are many, as well: Mushrooms support a healthy immune system with micronutrients of Vitamin D, Vitamin B and selenium.
Making Jersey Mike’s menu board is no easy task. The last sub sandwiches to receive official numbers were six chicken cheesesteaks added back in 2015, according to the release.
Originally, numbers were assigned to help customers order their favorite sub quickly without listing all the ingredients. The numbers are not chronological — and some carry secret meanings. For instance, the No. 43 is Jersey Mike’s founder’s old football jersey number and No. 56 represents the year the first store opened.
Jersey Mike’s Subs has more than 2,200 locations nationwide.
