Six months after its debut, the Mushroom Council’s Mushroom Monday initiative is gaining momentum nationwide, according to a news release. National media events, coast-to-coast restaurant sign-ups, local market chef promotions and social influencer takeovers are all driving this growth across foodservice, retail and consumer markets, the organization said.
The Mushroom Council launched Mushroom Monday to encourage the healthy habit of adding mushrooms to weekly grocery shopping and restaurant orders. Among the campaign’s highlights to date are, according to the group:
- Restaurant participation — Since launch, dozens of restaurants nationwide ranging from quick-serve restaurants to fine dining have signed on as Mushroom Monday participants. Jersey Mike’s, Mod Pizza, Firebirds Wood Fired Grill and Hickory Tavern are a few of the restaurants found on the Mushroom Monday website showcasing mushroom dishes they have on the menu for Mondays and all days of the week.
- Social influencer promotion — Social influencers are kicking off the work week by visiting their favorite local restaurant and spotlighting their Mushroom Monday orders on Instagram and TikTok. Examples include visits to Nostrana in Portland, Ore.; Firebirds Grill with locations throughout the U.S.; and Sangam Chettinad in Austin, Texas.
- National media event— In June, the Mushroom Council formally launched the campaign to consumer media by hosting a Mushroom Monday experiential dining event for more than 85 food media and social influencers at New York City’s Sommwhere sustainable event space. The event featured James Beard Award-winning chef Kiki Aranita and James Beard Award-winning mixologist Danny Childs serving mushroom-centric dishes and cocktails while mushroom growers shared their stories and encouraged attendees to make Mushroom Monday part of their dining vernacular.
- Local market activations — Last month, more than 30 Cleveland-area restaurants that are part of the Cleveland Independents chef and restaurant collaborative joined forces for a metrowide Mushroom Monday campaign launch (#MushroomMondayCi). It features each restaurant menuing and promoting a Mushroom Monday special with an exclusive recipe book that drives shoppers to their local grocers to stock up on mushrooms and other ingredients to recreate the Mushroom Monday dishes in their home kitchens.
- Digital and social advertising — The Mushroom Council is supporting participants with national Mushroom Monday online and social advertising. To date, the ads have reached shoppers and diners more than 7.8 million times, the release said.
