Mushrooms

5 Retail Actions for Sizzling Summer Mushroom Sales

Fri, 29 May 2026 19:07:10 GMT

Beginning this year, National Mushroom Month is moving to June to align with peak grilling season and remind shoppers that mushrooms are a versatile, year-round staple.

“Summer presents a strong opportunity for mushroom category growth, driven by grilling occasions and consumer interest in fresh, flavorful, healthy ingredients,” says Cristie Mather, vice president of marketing for the Mushroom Council. “Simple merchandising, education and meal inspiration can encourage shoppers to enjoy mushrooms in new ways and help drive incremental sales.”

The Mushroom Council recommends five actions to help retailers boost mushroom sales this season, supported by turnkey merchandising materials and promotional resources.

1. Add Seasonal Signage and Digital Assets

Use promotional signage and digital content to highlight mushrooms’ role in grilling and seasonal meal occasions. The organization offers National Mushroom Month and “It’s Not Magic. It’s Mushrooms.” themed strip signs, iron man signs and multi-use merchandising materials, along with digital assets including recipes, videos and campaign creative.

2. Spotlight Value-Added Convenience

Highlight ready-to-use and convenience-driven options that align with summer cooking habits. Products such as preseasoned or stuffed mushroom kits for the grill can reduce prep time and inspire trial, especially for shoppers looking for easy meal solutions that fit busy summertime schedules.

3. Educate Through Variety

Help shoppers navigate the expanding mushroom category by carrying a range of mushroom varieties and supporting discovery with eye-catching educational materials. Portabella sales in particular see increased summer demand driven by grilling, making them a key variety to feature during the season. Shelf cards featuring flavor profiles and ideal culinary uses can simplify decision-making and encourage trial across mushroom types.

4. Inspire with Meal Solutions

Increase basket size by merchandising mushrooms alongside complementary ingredients. Cross-promote with taco kits, proteins, burger ingredients and grilling essentials, paired with simple serving suggestions that position mushrooms as a flavorful meal upgrade.

5. Prioritize Shelf Quality

Maintaining high mushroom quality is critical to repeat purchases. Following best practices for handling, rotation and display can reduce shrink, extend shelf life and improve the shopper experience.

Download ready-to-use retail data and merchandising tips at the Mushroom Council’s website .

Canadian Mushroom Growers to Fight ‘Deeply Flawed’ U.S. Subsidy Ruling

Tue, 19 May 2026 12:25:58 GMT

Late last week, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued a preliminary affirmative ruling that Canadian mushroom producers received unfair government subsidies. As part of the ruling, the federal government announced preliminary subsidy rates ranging from 1.62% to 4.97% on fresh mushroom imports from Canada.

U.S. Case for Tariff Enforcement

“This is an important and critical first step through a rigorous investigation the U.S. [Department] of Commerce conducted,” says Mark Currie, CEO of The Giorgi Cos. “Countervailing duty actions involving Canadian industries are relatively uncommon, underscoring the significance and merit of this affirmative determination and the seriousness with which federal investigators viewed the case. And it’s only the first step.”

A separate antidumping ruling is expected later this summer.

Canadian Industry Warns of a ‘Deeply Flawed’ Precedent

However, the Canadian mushroom industry says that the Department of Commerce’s ruling sets a dangerous precedent using a standard tax treatment that both the U.S. and Canadian governments use as the basis of the antidumping claim.

Ryan Koeslag, executive vice president and CEO of Mushrooms Canada, called the preliminary conclusion “deeply flawed” in a news release.

“The overwhelming basis for the preliminary countervailing duty rate appears to be mainstream agricultural tax treatment, including provincial sales tax exemptions available to farmers generally,” Koeslag says in a statement. “Treating broad-based agricultural tax measures as unfair subsidies is contrary to common sense and unfairly penalizes Canadian mushroom growers for participating in programs available across the agricultural sector in any number of countries.”

Lewis Macleod, CEO of South Mill Champs, says the company, which has mushroom farms in both Canada and the U.S., has reached out to other U.S. produce sectors to share the potential implications of this legal precedent on other industries.

“What this ruling essentially says is that if a produce or agricultural grower buys new equipment in the year and gets a sales tax exemption, essentially, they’re opening themselves up to a successful countervailing petition from a U.S. grower,” Macleod says. “And for doing nothing more than receiving the same support which the U.S. producers benefit from.”

Currie says the case is about Canadian growers “selling mushrooms in the U.S. below actual cost of production.”

“The dangerous precedent we should all be concerned about is American farmers being undercut by private equity and unfair business practices that put American mushroom farmers out of business and further shrink a domestic supply,” Currie says.

Beyond Tariffs: The Dispute Over Farm Accounting Practices

Macleod says the Department of Commerce has also opened a new inquiry targeting mushrooms’ cash-basis taxation in Canada, which is another common tax treatment.

“The inquiry flies in the face of the long-held policy positions of U.S. farming interests that do not view cash basis taxation as some form of subsidy, but merely a method of taxation to address conditions unique to farming,” South Mill Champs says in a letter to specialty crop commodity groups. “If farmers are pushed into accrual-based taxation, they could owe taxes on crops or livestock not yet sold, creating serious, potentially existential, liquidity problems.”

Supply Chain Impacts and the Cost of Defense

Koeslag says that the countervailing duties and the pending antidumping duties likely won’t impact Canadian mushroom exports to the U.S. While Canadian growers will likely see these tariffs as frustrating, it’s not enough to disrupt mushroom sales into the U.S.

“We’re still going to see Canadian mushrooms flow south into the United States, not only because of the quality, but I think it will still be price-competitive in comparison to what they have in the states,” he says.

Macleod notes, “At this level of margin, I think the broader issue from our perspective is the frustrations that we’re now being caught in a process that just adds an awful lot of ongoing cost, with zero benefit to product quality, or for the mushroom industry as a whole,” adding, “Regardless, it’s not going to fundamentally change the supply picture as there is a demand for good mushrooms grown in new infrastructure providing better quality to consumers.”

Currie says The Giorgi Cos. has led an industrywide effort to invest dollars into marketing to the next generation of mushroom consumers.

“The future depends in part on a fair playing field in which Canadian producers are not unfairly subsidized or dumping below production costs,” he says.

A common counter-argument from Canadian producers is that this trade dispute isn’t actually about unfair subsidies but rather that the Canadian mushroom industry has aggressively invested in highly automated, modern, climate-controlled facilities, while many domestic U.S. farms have been slow to move away from older, labor-intensive production systems.

“Close if not 100% of the mushrooms exported from Canada are grown on new infrastructure. This compares with approximately only 25% of U.S. mushroom production,” Macleod says. “We have both new and old infrastructure and know firsthand the difference in quality — a difference that U.S. customers also recognize and show through their buying decisions.”

Currie refutes that claim, saying, “The issue isn’t the type of operations. The argument isn’t about infrastructure. The issue is Canada is dumping mushrooms and unfairly disrupting the marketplace.

“The U.S. mushroom industry continues investing in operations, technology, growing practices and people to meet customer demand and strengthen domestic production. Innovation in American mushroom production takes many forms, including advanced infrastructure, operational investment and generations of growing expertise,” Currie continues.

Mushrooms Canada has already invested more than $1 million to defend this suit, and Koeslag says the mandatory respondents in the case will likely pay double or triple that amount to defend the suit; this comes at a time when the industry has already struggled with increasing consumption.

“All of our farmers are having to contribute to that right now,” Koeslag says of the legal fees. “It’s unfortunate. We should be focusing on how to market these healthy mushrooms during an inflationary issue, maybe go back to the blend and extend and other ways to try and make every person’s grocery bill go further.”

Macleod says these countervailing duties will set a harmful precedent, hurt the North American mushroom industry and consumers.

“Our view is that all players in the industry should be coming together to promote the benefits of mushrooms and grow the market, rather than undertaking costly and distracting actions like these, which only serve to add costs and increase prices — neither of which are good for customers,” he says.

Koeslag says the association will continue to fight the claims and can still make arguments about this announced countervailing rate as it applies to agricultural tax exemptions.

Legal Timeline

A preliminary antidumping rate will likely be announced this summer, a timeline that Koeslag says could easily see extensions.

“We’ll still have more arguments,” he says. “There’ll still be more data collected, but it will be preliminarily set as they start collecting the tariffs from the countervail and the antidumping duties likely in August. That’s all in holding until the final determination is made.”

The Department of Commerce officially extended its deadline for the preliminary less-than-fair-value (antidumping) determination to July 13, pushing the broader tariff rollout into late summer.

Then, Koeslag says, following the preliminary rates, there will be additional investigations throughout 2026 by the U.S. International Trade Commission into whether or not Canadian mushroom growers have caused material harm to the U.S. fresh mushroom industry.

“What could happen, like the other tariffs that were placed earlier in 2025, they could be returned after finding all the information that there really has been no material damage caused whatsoever,” he says. “That will be our hope, and that will be what we think that they should find with the data that’s coming out of the mandatory respondents and the general information that we provided. It’s still ongoing, and we’re not going to see the end of this for likely, still some time.”

Macleod agrees, noting, “We know the ITC process needs to play out to where we’re confident that it’ll demonstrate that there’s no harm to the U.S. industry. We’ve done nothing wrong and abide by fair trade practices.”

Boosting Mushroom Sales Through Gen Z Marketing and Strategic Retail Pricing

Tue, 05 May 2026 21:41:52 GMT

Windmill Farms CEO Greg Ogiba says a recent trip to Mushroom Days 2026 in the Netherlands highlighted a growing global challenge: As geopolitical instability and inflation squeeze household budgets, the mushroom category is feeling the pressure of shifting consumer priorities.

While mushrooms have long been a produce aisle favorite, Ogiba notes that current market conditions have transformed them into a nice-to-have item rather than a must-have one for many shoppers. This shift, coupled with a significant generational handoff, has created a challenging environment for growers.

Bridging the Generational Gap

“The older generations that kind of grew up on mushrooms are leaving the category for various reasons, and the next generations — millennials and Gen Z — aren’t stepping in to fill the gap,” Ogiba says.

With this change and with inflation reducing consumers’ disposable income, some shoppers have begun to see mushrooms as a “staple that’s nice to have,” instead of something they need to have, he adds.

“Disposable income is lower, so they’re making cutbacks, and then you have the demographic shift,” he says. “Those two things are sort of merging and, unfortunately, creating a difficult environment for certain fresh produce categories.”

Ogiba says mushrooms’ very nature also makes it hard to find a spot in consumers’ snacking habits.

“I think mushrooms have sort of something of a natural disadvantage,” he says. “They’re super perishable. They’re not easy to throw in ... a lunch box.”

Unlocking the Breakfast Opportunity

Ogiba says the mushroom industry has a huge opportunity to win those younger generations with education and focus. He points to Australia as a success story, noting that country’s mushroom industry has stabilized consumption and added programs to bring mushrooms to the plate at breakfast.

The Mushroom Council has partnered with chef and actor Matty Matheson to help bring new energy to mushrooms; Ogiba points out that Matheson makes a mushroom breakfast burrito in a recent video.

“I’ll make the argument that it’s better for breakfast, because it just makes you so full and it has great nutrition and energy that gets you through the day,” he says. “Breakfast is the key, but how do you unlock that in North America? I think it’s an area worth investing in.”

While vegetables at breakfast might be a bit of a foreign concept for Canadian and American consumers, “it’s a brilliant life hack to that leads to a healthier physical and mental life,” he says.

And the mushroom, Ogiba says, has a serious opportunity to tap into its superfood powers to grow consumption.

“I am biased, but it’s just an incredible superfood, and that’s the main message I can get across — for people focus on it. If they’re really serious about being health-conscious, [mushrooms] should be part of the diet,” he says.

Ogiba says the Mushroom Council’s videos help highlight mushrooms’ ability to fit within different flavors — whether that’s Asian, Mexican or other cuisines — as a nutritious ingredient.

“That’s the messaging that we’re trying to get out there as an industry,” he says.

Exotic and specialty mushrooms have drawn favor at restaurants, Ogiba says, adding that the industry also needs to help the consumer understand how to better utilize these emerging mushrooms. Again, the Mushroom Council’s videos with Matheson have helped shine a light on these new trendy mushrooms.

“I think it does create a lot of buzz around the category, and there are like really wildly healthy attributes of all these specialty mushrooms and a lot of restaurateurs love it,” he says. “The harder part is, how do you educate the consumer at the retail and supermarkets? How do you educate them in terms of what it is and what you can do with it?”

Windmill Farms has hired chef Jeff Crump to promote mushrooms’ versatility.

“Even for me, being in the mushroom business, I’ve seen things that I just never would have imagined you could create with mushrooms,” he says.

Windmill Farms packing technology helps the company be more efficient and process mushrooms based on retailers specs.

(Photo: Christina Herrick)

Maximizing Visibility and Value

And then, Ogiba says, the challenge comes from taking the buzz that younger generations might have seen mushrooms on social media and carrying that process from retailer to the consumer. He explains that one way is to make sure mushrooms have a prominent and visible place in the produce department with signage touting mushrooms’ benefits.

“We’ve seen some retailers have success with point of sale,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be overly complicated, but just a simple message of how healthy and versatile mushrooms are at a fair price is enough to move the needle on consumption.”

Ogiba says the price of protein and the opportunity for vegetables and mushrooms to pair with protein for added fiber might also take a hit as prices for meats and other proteins rise.

“We’ve spoken to a lot of retailers about how to do more summer promotions with grilling season, add mushrooms to your burger,” he says. “If you want to go all in, eat a portobello burger, which has, you know, a decent amount of protein and a ton of nutrition, potassium and vitamin D.”

Ogiba sees strong opportunity to increase consumption in a crowded produce department.

“For a complete meal at the dinner table, mushrooms should really start to come back toward the center of plate, so to speak, rather than being a staple nice to have.”

The Case for the Family Pack

Ogiba says value packs offer a unique opportunity and have experienced positive growth. Traditional retailers have introduced a 24-ounce mushroom pack.

“If you have a household of three or four, you get better value. And if the household’s only purchasing mushrooms once every three or four visits to the supermarket, it makes a lot of sense to sell a family-size pack or a club pack rather than the 8-ounce, which is kind of the standard size,” he says. “You just don’t get that much for a whole family once you cook it down.”

Ogiba says consumers can also freeze half to better extend mushrooms’ life cycle.

“You throw them right into a hot pan, and once they’re out, they retain their original texture,” he says. “It doesn’t get rubbery or anything like that. So, that’s something my wife will do is buy the big pack size, because you get a better value, and she’ll freeze half.”

Windmill Farms’ mushroom harvest system tilts the beds toward a harvester on a platform to more ergonomically harvest mushrooms. The mushrooms are placed on a conveyor belt to be processed for packing.

(Photo: Greg Ogiba)

Efficiency as a Pricing Tool

But a lot of shopper behavior comes down to price, Ogiba says, which is why Windmill Farms and other mushroom growers have adopted technology to improve operations and the company’s bottom line.

“That’s why we’ve invested so much in technology to make sure we can produce the most efficient mushrooms anywhere in this region of the world,” he says. “I think that’s so important that the retailers appreciate that, and they could then be more aggressive on their retail price to make it more attractive to the consumer.”

Ogiba says it’s also important for the mushroom industry to work with retailers to find that sweet spot for pricing that is attractive to the consumer.

“I’ve seen it with other categories; there’s almost like this invisible threshold where consumers just don’t see the value, and we’re always trying to play with that price point and find out where it is,” he says. “I think a lot of the retailers are doing a really good job trying to find that optimal price point.”

He says Canadian mushroom farms are primed for efficiency. Windmill Farms has an operation in Washington state, and he says when he compares the data, the farms in Ontario outperform.

“Many Canadian farms are Dutch-style and have invested heavily in technology, which improves operational efficiency and consistency of quality,” he says. “There are some modern farms in the USA, including our Washington farm, but in general Canadian is ahead of the curve.”

Chef-Grade Fungi, Farm to Foyer: How Caputo & Guest Is Solving the Specialty Mushroom Last-Mile

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:57:21 GMT

Since 1977, Caputo & Guest says it has been the silent engine behind some of the country’s most prestigious restaurant kitchens and high-end retailers. However, as the home-chef evolution has accelerated, the limitations of the traditional grocery middleman — where delicate fungi often lose their luster in cold storage and transit — have become a barrier to quality.

To bridge this gap, the Pennsylvania-based grower has pivoted to a robust direct-to-consumer model, prioritizing a 48-hour farm-to-table window and radical transparency in its cultivation process.

The Packer sat down with Jeff Guest, Caputo & Guest general manager, to discuss the logistics of shipping fragile produce, its proprietary manure-free growing methods and why education is the secret ingredient to turning a trendy mushroom into a household staple.

The Packer: For decades, Caputo & Guest functioned as a high-end supplier for professional chefs and major retailers. What was the specific realization that signaled the home cook was finally ready to handle — and pay a premium for — delicate specialty fungi like maitake and lion’s mane?

Guest: Our realization was simple: Home cooks were no longer looking only for ingredients that were convenient — they were looking for ingredients that felt special, elevated and worth discovering. We saw growing excitement around chef-driven cooking at home, more adventurous palates and a much greater awareness of varieties like lion’s mane, maitake, shiitake and oyster mushrooms.

At the same time, consumers became more intentional about what they buy. They are willing to pay more for products that deliver on freshness, flavor and culinary experience. For us, that created the perfect moment to bring the same premium mushrooms trusted by chefs and retailers directly to consumers’ homes. We are not asking people to buy something unfamiliar just because it is trendy; we are giving them access to mushrooms that are genuinely delicious, versatile and restaurant-quality.

The Packer sat down with Jeff Guest, Caputo & Guest general manager, to discuss the logistics of shipping fragile produce, its proprietary manure-free growing methods and why education is the secret ingredient to turning a trendy mushroom into a household staple.

(Photo courtesy of Caputo & Guest)

Shipping fresh mushrooms is notoriously difficult due to their high water content and fragility. How has the DTC model allowed you to bypass the traditional middleman supply chain to ensure a two- to three-day delivery window, and what does this mean for the shelf life and quality compared to what a customer finds at a standard grocery store?

Freshness is one of the biggest advantages of our direct-to-consumer model. In a traditional supply chain, mushrooms often pass through multiple stages — harvest, packing, distribution centers, retail handling and shelf time — before they ever reach the customer. Every extra handoff adds time and puts pressure on a product that is naturally delicate.

Our DTC model shortens that journey dramatically. By shipping directly from our farm operation to the consumer, we reduce unnecessary transit and handling and can deliver within two to three days. That means customers receive mushrooms that are noticeably fresher, with better texture, appearance and culinary performance than products that may have already spent significant time moving through conventional channels.

For a product like specialty mushrooms, that difference matters. Better freshness translates into better shelf life at home, better cooking results and ultimately a better consumer experience.

Many modern consumers are concerned with transparency. How does your proprietary, manure-free cultivation process, using oak and poplar sawdust, serve as a differentiator in the DTC marketplace, and how are you communicating this “cleaner” agricultural story to a digital audience?

Transparency is incredibly important to today’s consumer, and our growing process gives us a meaningful story to tell. Caputo & Guest specialty mushrooms are grown on a proprietary blend of organic oak or poplar sawdust and grains, not on manure compost. That matters because it aligns with what many consumers are looking for: a cleaner, more intentional and more premium approach to cultivation.

“Freshness is one of the biggest advantages of our direct-to-consumer model,” says Jeff Guest, Caputo & Guest general manager.

(Photo courtesy of Caputo & Guest)

For us, this is not marketing language layered on after the fact; it is foundational to how we grow. It helps explain the quality of our mushrooms, the consistency of our production and the difference consumers can feel when they cook with them.

Digitally, we communicate that in a very visual and educational way. We focus on showing people where and how our mushrooms are grown, explaining what makes our substrate different and helping consumers understand why that translates into freshness, quality and trust. In the DTC space, transparency builds confidence, and confidence drives trial and repeat purchase.

Specialty mushrooms can be intimidating for the average cook. Beyond just selling a product, how vital is the educational pillar of your DTC platform — such as recipes and mushroom-prep guides — to building long-term customer loyalty and recurring subscriptions?

It is essential. Selling specialty mushrooms without helping consumers feel confident using them would be a missed opportunity. For many shoppers, the question is not, “Do I want to try lion’s mane or maitake?” It is, “What do I do with it when it arrives?”

That is why education is a core part of our DTC platform. Chef-inspired recipes, prep tips, storage guidance and simple cooking inspiration help remove hesitation and turn first-time buyers into repeat customers. When people realize how easy these mushrooms are to prepare — and how flavorful and versatile they are — they will come back for more.

Education also strengthens loyalty because it changes the relationship from transactional to ongoing. We are not just shipping mushrooms; we are helping customers cook more confidently, eat more creatively and get more value from every order. That is what supports repeat purchase and, over time, subscription behavior.

Mushroom Council Elects Board Members and New Officers

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 21:18:23 GMT

At its Feb. 11 meeting in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, the Mushroom Council welcomed one new board member and elected officers for 2026. The nine-member council is composed of eight domestic growers and one importer representing four regions. The program’s purpose is to maintain and expand existing mushroom markets and uses.

The newly elected board member is Ed Wuensch of Basciani Foods (Region 2), while Michael Stephan of Monterey Mushrooms (Region 1) was reappointed for a second term.

Newly elected officers include:

Chairperson — Pat Jurgensmeyer, J-M Farms.
Vice chairperson — Laura Matar, Giorgio Mushrooms.
Secretary — Jack Guan, Terra Garden/Guan’s Mushroom.
Treasurer — Ed Wuensch, Basciani Foods.

The officers’ responsibilities include supporting the council’s development and implementation of an annual research, marketing and promotions plan and ensuring the council manages and follows its annual budget.

The full board now consists of:

Region 1 (all states except California and Pennsylvania)
- Jurgensmeyer
- Stephan
- Open seat

Region 2 (Pennsylvania)

Tina Ellor, Phillips Mushroom Farms
Laura Matar, Giorgio Mushrooms
Chris Alonzo, Pietro Industries
Wuensch

Region 3 (California)

Guan

Region 4 (importers)

Open seat

Mushroom Council Calls for Nominations: 2027-29 Term

A call for nominations for three-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2027, is now open. Completed nomination forms must be emailed or postmarked no later than May 1, 2026.

The regions with positions available are:

Region 1 (all states except California and Pennsylvania) — One three-year term.
Region 2 (Pennsylvania) — One three-year term.
Region 4 (importers) — One three-year term.

All producers who produce, on average, over 500,000 pounds of mushrooms annually for fresh use and are not exempt may nominate one or more candidates, provided that they produce within the specified region.

To qualify as a candidate or to nominate a candidate, an individual must be a producer, meaning any person engaged in the production of mushrooms who owns or shares the ownership and risk of loss of such mushrooms and who produces, on average, over 500,000 pounds of mushrooms per year for the fresh market and is not exempt from paying assessments.

South Mill Champs' Lewis Macleod on Why Mushroom Automation is No Longer Optional

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 22:35:15 GMT

Mushrooms are a challenging crop to grow, doubling in size every day. There is a fine line between a mushroom that is ready to be picked and one that is past its prime, and this is where the potential for automation comes in, says Lewis Macleod, CEO of South Mill Champs.

Macleod joined “The Packer Podcast” to discuss automation in the mushroom industry.

“The challenge when it comes to picking mushrooms is making sure you pick the mushroom at the right time before it opens but also at the right time so it’s grown to be the optimum size that mushrooms are going to grow,” he says. “The challenge of growing mushrooms is every mushroom is different.”

He says it’s a fine line between the optimum time to pick a mushroom and one with gills that have opened and flattened out and has become too mature.

“Once it’s opened, the value of that crop is 20% to 25% of what it was beforehand,” he says. “The value of a product that’s become mature is below the cost to grow. So, it’s fundamental that you pick that crop at the right time. If you don’t have the labor, you’re really out of business.”

It’s this distinction between the optimum time to pick and too late that requires an incredibly skilled workforce.

“One of the challenges you have in the industry is this is not an unskilled labor job,” he says. “This is a job that requires nine, often 12, weeks of training to really require dexterity, and it’s also a repetitive job. It’s also a very difficult job.”

Labor is also a costly portion of growing mushrooms, he says, which can vary between 30% and 50%, and there’s also the ergonomics of picking, which can be harder for workers depending on the type of growing system.

While labor has been abundant in the U.S. in the last 20 to 30 years, it’s been a greater challenge in Canada and Europe, which has forced mushroom growers to modernize both infrastructure and automation.

Automation, Macleod says, increases efficiency and therefore helps reduce the overall cost of goods, which he says is critical as mushrooms compete against different commodities to fill consumers’ shopping carts.

“It’s simple math: When you’ve got labor as such a high percentage of your cost of goods and labor inflation exists, the cost of your product is increasing greater than maybe some of the competitive products that mushrooms compete against there on the shelf space,” he says. “This need to automate is really to allow it to compete against its alternative price on the shelf space.”

Macleod says the potential with artificial intelligence and machine learning with automation is high. Not only can automation allow for more fine-tuned picking of a bed more than once, but the robots will also pick continuously, which will boost quality.

“The opportunity to improve yield is really, really important when it comes to quality,” he says. “The great thing here is you can ensure the specification of what you committed to that customer is what goes into the pack.”

And coupled with cold-chain technology, the mushroom can be stored at the optimum temperature to provide the best product to the end consumer.

For the U.S. mushroom industry to reap those benefits, Macleod says, many growers need to upgrade to more modern production styles that are essentially more robot-ready. In Europe and Canada, more than 90% of growers use the Dutch production style, whereas in the U.S., that number is around 25% to 30%.

“There’s this transition that has to happen within the U.S. — to transition from old infrastructure to new infrastructure, to allow automation to happen in the U.S.,” he says.

Innovation and Convenience Drive Growth at SEPC Southern Exposure

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 01:00:41 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. — This year’s Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure event highlighted a strategic industry shift toward value-added items, such as stuffed mushrooms and snack-ready cucumbers, as brands leverage specific consumer data to boost consumption and efficiency at the retail level.

Paul Williamson, Kelsey Coon and Amy Wood are shown at the Highline Mushrooms booth at Southern Exposure.

(Photo: Christina Herrick)

Highline Mushrooms is launching a line of stuffed mushrooms with fresh, gourmet flavors without the prep for the younger generation.

“We want to keep those dollars in fresh,” says Kelsey Coon, Highline Mushrooms’ sales and marketing manager.

Coon says Highline plans to expand its value-added line, as the company has had great feedback from retailers on the products available currently.

Highline has also launched its Grillmate line to pair with grilled meats. Coon says retailers also have responded well to this line and have asked for more pairings with produce.

Rochelle Bohm and Rich Mendosa are shown at CMI Orchards’ Southern Exposure booth.

(Photo: Christina Herrick)

Rochelle Bohm, vice president of CMI Orchards, says the company is learning ways to drive consumption and using its Apple Crush tool to connect consumers to new apple varieties.

This broader campaign aims to build consumer interest in these new varieties and boost sales. With more than 78% of consumers purchasing apples, the industry just needs to drive slight upticks in consumption to reap rewards.

“All we really need to do is get consumers to pick up another extra pouch bag,” she says.

Amy Wood, Larissa Rice and Sean Steller are shown at the Phillips Mushroom Farms booth at Southern Exposure.

(Photo: Christina Herrick)

Spicing up recipes with new mushroom varieties is one of the talking points at the Phillips Mushroom Farms’ Southern Exposure booth — varieties such as chestnut, pioppino and wood ear.

Organics are also of interest with specialty mushrooms, says Sean Steller, director of business development for Phillips Mushroom Farms. He says the company plans to roll out value-added packs, including vegan Buffalo-stuffed oyster mushrooms.

Steller says he’s seeing demand for larger packs, as consumers are looking for value. They are also seeking sliced mushrooms for convenience.

Chris Jones, Mike Faul, Justin Wright, Jeff Richardson and Brigita Dimenna are shown at the Great Lakes Greenhouses’ booth at Southern Exposure.

(Photo: Christina Herrick)

Snacking is a major trend, says Jeff Richardson, vice president of sales with Great Lakes Greenhouses.

“We’re seeing explosive growth in that category,” he says.

Richardson points to Great Lakes Greenhouses’ Persian cucumbers, which continue to grow in popularity. He says this is likely due not only to consumers’ interest in eating healthy but also snacking healthy.

“It’s gotten to a place where convenience is key,” he says.

Great Lakes Greenhouses has also offered unique pack sizes to add value at retail. Foodservice has taken a keen interest in mini cucumbers, too, he says.

Organic peppers are also popular.

“There’s that segment of the population that just wants to eat healthy,” Richardson says of the growth in the organics category.

Tony Losito, Tony D’Amico, Amy Wood, Joe D’Amico and Johnny Kampes IV are shown at the To-Jo Mushrooms booth at Southern Exposure.

(Photo: Christina Herrick)

Organics was a major talking point at the To-Jo booth, says Johnny Kampes IV, director of sales.

Kampes says another thing retailers have been asking about is smaller pack sizes, which To-Jo offers in a 6-ounce pack.

To-Jo plans to tap into more value-added stuffed specialty mushrooms to appeal to the younger generation’s interest in convenience. Kampes also says To-Jo is looking at its presence on retailers’ e-commerce sites.

Tyler Schneider, Peppe Bonfiglio, Dan Natelborg and Wesley Emerson are shown at Mastronardi Produce’s Southern Exposure booth.

(Photo: Christina Herrick)

A major trend with retailer visits to Mastronardi Produce’s booth was snacking and high-flavor items, says Wesley Emerson, account manager.

Mastronardi showed off its new packaging for Pop-Its, which offer consumers a quick and healthy snack with good flavor.

“We want the consumer to be happy with what they buy,” Emerson says.

Mastronardi also showcased its berry line with blueberries and its Wow Berries Dreamberry.

David Santucci, Bryan Shelton, Mark Currie and Amy Wood are shown at the Giorgio Fresh Co. booth at Southern Exposure.

(Photo: Christina Herrick)

Health and convenience are themes that are top of mind for the Giorgio Fresh team, says Bryan Shelton, vice president of sales and marketing. He says Giorgio is looking at adding new products that can help bring consumers into the mushroom category.

Shelton says Giorgio is also looking to optimize exotics.

“We’re looking at engaging the young consumer,” he says.

Shelton says Giorgio has started to deploy data to help refresh stores’ inventories, which he says will increase efficiencies for retailers.

The Mushroom Paradox: Scaling Growth Through Logistical Precision

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 08:12:01 GMT

In the produce industry, mushrooms are a paradox. They are one of the most delicate items to manage, yet they are currently positioned for massive category growth.

To bridge this gap, industry leaders are moving away from traditional commodity selling and toward a marketing strategy rooted in logistical precision. For Highline Mushrooms, J-M Farms and Monterey Mushrooms Inc., the narrative is no longer just about the vegetable itself but also about the invisible infrastructure that guarantees its quality.

Spotlight on Logistics

The foundation of this brand promise is shelf-life management. In a category where freshness defines trust, “picking, packing and shipping daily” is a requirement, not a luxury, says McKinzie Koons, marketing and public relations manager for J-M Farms.

Koons notes that Miami, Okla.-based J-M Farms’ central location allows it to deliver products that “travel only hours, not days, from harvest to customer.” This speed allows the company to “consistently provide a fresher, higher-quality product than competitors shipping from several states away,” Koons says.

At Monterey Mushrooms, this is echoed in its Fresh, Local, Daily Harvest promise, says Lindsey Occhipinti, marketing manager for the company, which uses a vast network of farms to ensure same-day or next-day delivery, effectively “reducing retail shrink and ensuring a better consumer experience.”

Becoming More Predictable

However, scaling these operations from local farms to national retail sets requires more than just speed; it requires a shift toward radical predictability. Kelsey Coon, sales and marketing manager for Highline Mushrooms, points out that while farmers markets reward uniqueness, “retail and wholesale depend on predictability [that includes] consistent quality specs, reliable weekly volume and food safety systems.”

To address this, Highline is investing in its Farm of the Future vision, where automation and modernized systems “strengthen consistency, efficiency and quality control,” Coon says.

This technological control is mirrored at Monterey Mushrooms through genetic vertical integration, Occhipinti says. By owning the genetics and spawn production, it ensures “consistent yields and quality across all seasons,” removing the guesswork for the buyer.

Connecting With Consumers

This reliability extends into how these brands communicate sustainability. No longer a marketing add-on, sustainability is now framed as operational efficiency. Koons says J-M Farms’ local narrative allows it to “better control costs while delivering a noticeably fresher product,” which reduces price sensitivity among loyal customers. Highline reinforces this transparency through packaging evolution, specifically clear packaging formats that allow consumers, produce managers and quality-assurance teams to easily see product quality at a glance, Coon says.

The final frontier of mushroom marketing is education. The Mushroom Council’s “It’s Not Magic. It’s Mushrooms.” campaign works alongside brands to make the category feel fun, approachable and easy to use, says Cristie Mather, vice president of marketing.

Whether through Monterey’s “Upgrade Your Meal” messaging or J-M Farms’ suggestion for secondary displays near meat and pasta, the goal is to position mushrooms as an everyday staple. By combining digital storytelling with disciplined forecasting and proactive communication with retail partners, these companies are ensuring that mushrooms are not just a seasonal trend but are instead a steady, year-round performer on the retail shelf.

Mushroom Council Debuts Mushroom Marketer’s Toolkit

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 18:53:10 GMT

The Mushroom Council has introduced the Mushroom Marketer’s Toolkit , a turnkey resource designed to help grocery retail personnel from headquarters to in-store teams drive mushroom sales and shopper engagement. The kit consolidates merchandising guidance, creative assets and in-store tools retailers need to help increase sales and repeat purchases, especially among millennial and Gen Z mushroom shoppers, according to the council.

What’s Inside the Mushroom Marketer’s Toolkit

The Mushroom Council says features include:

Shopper insights — Learn the strategy driving the Mushroom Council’s bold consumer marketing approach.
Point-of-sale signage — Access ready-to-print artwork, including shelf-talkers for each mushroom variety.
Merchandising best practices — Print backroom posters with education on handling and merchandising for the optimal at-shelf experience.
Shopper-facing creative assets — Download “It’s Not Magic. It’s Mushrooms.” campaign artwork, recipe videos, social media posts and other content and customizable templates to drive engagement both in-store and online.
Campaign calendar — Learn the details of the “It’s Not Magic. It’s Mushrooms.” campaign; follow links to influencer content to make it easy to share the Mushroom Council’s star-powered campaign on channels including Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

The Mushroom Marketer’s Toolkit is designed to extend the reach of the Mushroom Council’s “It’s Not Magic. It’s Mushrooms.” star-powered campaign platform, which includes celebrity spokespersons and influential content creators promoting mushrooms across a range of platforms, including streaming TV, streaming music, podcasts and digital and social media.

Targeting millennial and Gen Z shoppers specifically, the campaign positions mushrooms as a delicious, convenient meal solution with impressive functional benefits and drives them into stores with mushrooms on their shopping lists. The toolkit provides retailers with the in-store assets and execution guidance needed to translate campaign-driven interest into the final point-of-purchase conversion, connecting shopper intent to product on shelf.

“We created the Mushroom Marketer’s Toolkit to give retailers practical, turnkey resources that make it easier to help grow mushroom sales at the store level,” says Cristie Mather, vice president of marketing for the Mushroom Council. “By aligning with the ‘It’s Not Magic. It’s Mushrooms.’ platform, this toolkit assists produce teams in converting millennial and Gen Z shopper interest into real purchase behavior through compelling merchandising, ready-to-use creative assets and frontline training.”

The Mushroom Marketer’s Toolkit is available now to produce teams and merchandising partners. Hosted online and available 24/7, it will be regularly updated with new information and assets as the “It’s Not Magic. It’s Mushrooms.” campaign continues to roll out over time, according to the Mushroom Council.

In addition, the Mushroom Council is attending the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure conference, Feb. 26 to March 1, and will be available to provide a face-to-face walk-through of the toolkit on-site.

How the Mushroom Industry is Demystifying Fungi for the Next Generation

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 21:12:57 GMT

The mushroom category is undergoing a strategic rebrand, shifting from its status as a niche ingredient to a vital, everyday staple for the wellness-focused consumer.

Industry leaders like Highline Mushrooms, Monterey Mushrooms, J-M Farms and the Mushroom Council are spearheading this evolution by prioritizing culinary utility and approachable education over mystery. By aligning the dependable, high-velocity white button with exotic specialties through sensory-led marketing and functional callouts, such as vitamin D and brain-boosting ergothioneine, suppliers are successfully meeting millennials and Gen Z where they live: online, in the kitchen and at the intersection of flavor and cognitive health.

Educating the Consumer

Highline Mushrooms thinks the fastest way to grow the mushroom category is by making standard mushrooms more fun, more approachable and more usable every day, says Kelsey Coon, sales and marketing manager.

“While specialty mushrooms play an important role in variety and trade-up, the foundation of the category is still driven by classic staples like white and mini bella mushrooms, and our focus is helping shoppers use them more often, in more meals,” Coon says.

Rather than positioning mushrooms as complicated or niche, Coon says Highline Mushrooms leads with simple education rooted in flavor cues, easy cooking methods and everyday meal inspiration. She says the goal is to help shoppers immediately understand what to buy and how to use it, whether that’s adding mushrooms to pasta, tacos, breakfast, sheet-pan dinners or quick weeknight meals.

“For specialty mushrooms, we support retailers with clear, benefit-led education that highlights how each variety delivers a different eating experience, while still keeping the messaging simple and approachable,” Coon says.

Lindsey Occhipinti, marketing manager for Monterey Mushrooms Inc., says education is handled through a “culinary utility” approach:

Standard (white, baby bella, portabella) — These are positioned as the reliable, everyday workhorses for familiar dishes like pizza, salads and burgers.
Specialty (shiitake, oyster, king trumpet, lion’s mane) — These are marketed through sensory differentiation, highlighting unique textures, shapes and umami flavor profiles. Monterey Mushrooms uses recipes and how-to guides to lower the barrier for entry, showing consumers that while they look “magical” and exotic, they are simple to incorporate into ramen, stir-fries and pasta, Occhipinti says.

Cristie Mather, vice president of marketing for Mushroom Council, says it defines standard mushrooms as the most commonly available varieties: white button, crimini and portabella. Specialty varieties would include shiitake, oyster, king trumpet, lion’s mane, beech and maitake. Each has its own unique flavor, texture, color and shape, Mather says, creating many opportunities to pique consumer curiosity.

“As the Mushroom Council is focused on cultivating the next generation of mushroom shoppers, millennials and Gen Z, this year we launched our ‘It’s Not Magic. It’s Mushrooms.’ campaign,” she says. “Its messaging centers on the flavor, everyday convenience and functional benefits of mushrooms delivered via influential celebrities in platform-native content that highlights simple cooking methods and mushrooms’ role in making meals even better.”

To meet younger consumers where they already spend time online, Mather says the Mushroom Council is partnering with A-listers such as chef Matty Matheson and Peloton’s Robin Arzón to demonstrate fun and simple mushroom recipes on YouTube and social media using a range of mushroom varieties.

“We’re also engaging podcast hosts like Alex Cooper from ‘Call Her Daddy’ and Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman (former New England Patriots players) of ‘Dudes on Dudes with Gronk and Jules’ to talk about the flavor, convenience and nutrition benefits of mushrooms,” Mather says. “The goal is to offer practical yet entertaining inspiration that makes trying new mushroom recipes approachable and memorable for non-foodie consumers.”

Mushrooms at Retail

To maximize category performance, suppliers are increasingly positioning mushrooms as a simple side dish to a high-value meat alternative that appeals to both health-conscious and budget-driven shoppers.

“We position mushrooms as a naturally functional, everyday ingredient that aligns with modern eating habits, because they deliver meaningful nutrition, versatility and flavor without requiring shoppers to change how they cook,” Coon says. “At Highline, we reinforce that message through clear nutritional callouts, variety education and consistent consumer-friendly storytelling across our packaging and social channels, helping make mushrooms easier to understand and easier to use.

“We also believe the category wins when the messaging is aligned: Mushrooms are the OG superfood, and we’re focused on making that benefit clear and memorable for shoppers,” she continues. “Through our brand platform, ‘Eat A Mushroom. Be Super,’ we encourage consumers to make ‘super’ smarter choices that help them feel better, eat better and bring more wellness into everyday meals.”

Coon adds that when it comes to meat-alternative trends, Highline never positions mushrooms against meat.

“Instead, we position them as a meal upgrade and flavor partner, bringing umami depth, texture and satisfaction that enhances both plant-forward and protein-based dishes,” she explains. “From a usage standpoint, mushrooms work seamlessly with a wide range of proteins and flavor pairings, helping shoppers build meals that feel indulgent, balanced and better-for-you — without sacrificing taste.”

J-M Farms works to portray mushrooms as a natural fit for today’s functional food and plant-based eating trends, says McKinzie Koons, marketing and public relations manager.

“Working closely to align with the Mushroom Council’s education and research efforts, we highlight mushrooms as a nutrient-rich food that adds flavor, texture and satisfaction to everyday meals,” Koons says. “Rather than claiming mushrooms as a strict meat replacement, we encourage their use alongside meat in blended dishes or as a hearty, center-of-the-plate option.

“Our goal is to shift consumer perception, encouraging mushrooms as an everyday staple, not just a special-occasion or ‘fancy’ ingredient,” she adds. “We bring this message to life through social media engagement, direct customer exposure and hands-on retail-level efforts in stores. We want to help consumers enjoy meals that feel indulgent while supporting wellness, sustainability and balanced eating without sacrificing taste or valuable food dollars.”

Justin McLean, sales manager for Farmers Fresh/Premier Mushrooms, says the company is trying to speak with foodservice on how they can expand the plate size and reduce costs by substituting mushrooms into a part of the main dish, not just as an optional topping.

“For example, not just sliced onto a steak or burger, but built into the main dish. With rising food costs, it is a great way for restaurants and people cooking at home to help spread out the meal,” he says. “Additionally, with the rise in GLP-1 medication, there is a need for protein-focused diets, but with increased protein, you need increased fiber, and mushrooms are a great source of that.”

Monterey Mushrooms positions mushrooms as a nutritionally powerful superfood, Occhipinti says, such as:

MIND diet and brain health — Focused on the high levels of ergothioneine (especially in specialties like lion’s mane and shiitake) to support cognitive health.
Vitamin D — Highlighting its unique UV-light treatment process that allows mushrooms to provide 50% of the daily value of vitamin D2 in a single serving, just three medium mushrooms.
Meat alternative — Rather than just a substitute, Occhipinti says the company promotes The Blend — mixing finely chopped mushrooms with ground meat to improve juice, flavor and nutrition while reducing calories and environmental impact.

When it comes to functional benefits, Mather says it’s known that Gen Z and millennials prioritize wellness, brain health and cognition, citing Tastewise’s Functional Nutrition in 2025 Survey.

“That’s why our ‘It’s Not Magic. It’s Mushrooms.’ campaign shines a spotlight on the role mushrooms play in the MIND diet, a plant-forward eating pattern that focuses specifically on promoting brain health,” she says. “The MIND diet encourages at least one serving a day of non-starchy vegetables like mushrooms along with green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale, plus berries, nuts, beans, fish, poultry and olive oil.”

Mushrooms provide several nutrients and bioactive compounds that may play a role in supporting brain health, with ergothioneine being the standout, Mather says.

“Ergothioneine, or ERGO, is an amino acid that is being examined for its role in brain health ,” she says. “Mushrooms are one of the top food sources of ERGO.”

The Mushroom Council is working closely with nutrition experts like registered dietitian Maggie Moon, author of “The MIND Diet: A Scientific Approach to Enhancing Brain Function and Helping Prevent Alzheimer’s and Dementia,” to help raise awareness among nutrition professionals and consumers about the functional nutrition benefits that mushrooms bring to the table.

Ultimately, by moving beyond the meat replacement narrative to embrace The Blend and functional wellness, the industry is proving that mushrooms are not just a culinary addition but also a nutritional necessity for the modern grocery basket.

Matty Matheson Brings Big Flavor to Mushroom Council’s Campaign

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 20:11:20 GMT

Chef, entrepreneur, Emmy Award-winning executive producer and television personality Matty Matheson will be the lead spokesperson for the Mushroom Council’s 2026 consumer campaign, “It’s Not Magic. It’s Mushrooms.”

Known for his boisterous style and refreshingly practical approach to cooking, Matheson brings credibility with Gen Z and millennial audiences that want food that’s easy to make, tastes great and delivers more in every bite, according to the Mushroom Council.

Launching this month, the campaign serves up high-impact ads, craveworthy recipes and influencer storytelling to inspire more frequent mushroom cooking, from quick breakfasts and snacks to comforting, flavor-packed dinners that elevate everyday staples, the organization says. Anchored by Matheson’s bold, approachable style, the effort meets younger consumers where they discover food today. According to FMI’s Power of Produce 2025, more than one-third of shoppers discover new produce online, which underscores how mushrooms and Matheson are a natural fit for millennials and Gen Z consumers seeking big flavor, convenience and functional food that does more.

“Mushrooms are one of those ingredients that add magic to every dish they’re in,” Matheson says. “They have a simple way of taking meals to the next level without asking you to learn fancy techniques. You throw them in, the dish gets better and you keep moving. There are no tricks and no fuss, just great flavor. What’s not to love?”

As part of the collaboration, Matheson has created three recipes designed to inspire everyday mushroom cooking, including:

Matty’s Crunchy Popcorn Mushrooms — Bite-sized, golden and packed with flavor, these crispy mushrooms are a snack that’s perfectly seasoned, seriously crunchy and totally addictive, according to the Mushroom Council. This launched Jan. 25.
Matty’s Spicy Mushroom Noodles — This dish is loaded with spicy, umami-rich mushrooms for heat, depth and bold flavor in every bite. It’s set to launch Feb. 22.
Matty’s Cheesy Mushroom Breakfast Burrito — Chili-spiked mushrooms bring big, savory flavor alongside cheesy beans, runny eggs and zippy green salsa. It’s set to launch March 8.

Each recipe is featured on an episode of Matheson’s YouTube show “Cookin’ Somethin’,” showing how easy it is to incorporate mushrooms into everyday cooking and elevating dishes to become more flavorful and satisfying.

“Matty doesn’t overcomplicate food, and neither do mushrooms,” says Amy Wood, president of the Mushroom Council. “His no-nonsense style mirrors the way people actually cook at home. Together, we’re showing that mushrooms aren’t a trend, but an easy, everyday ingredient that brings big flavor, fits seamlessly into real life and offers functional benefits about which people care. It’s about making meals feel satisfying, approachable and worth repeating.”

While flavor leads the way, the campaign also highlights mushrooms’ functional benefits, including their role in supporting cognitive health, helping connect flavor with feel-good nutrition in a way that resonates with the next generation of cooks.

Looking ahead, the Mushroom Council says the campaign sets the tone for how it will continue engaging the next generation of shoppers: through craveable food content, authentic voices and simple inspiration that makes mushrooms an easy, flavorful habit worth repeating.

For more information about the campaign, visit mushroomcouncil.com/itsnotmagic .

Modern Infrastructure at Heart of North American Mushroom Trade Dispute

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 22:38:02 GMT

In September, several U.S. mushroom growers filed an antidumping and countervailing duty petition with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission, alleging Canadian producers export mushrooms into the U.S. at prices below fair value.

Since then, the U.S. International Trade Commission has offered a preliminary determination of injury and the U.S. Department of Commerce initiated antidumping and countervailing duties.

A Procedural Step

A spokesperson for South Mill Champs, which is part of the respondents, says this outcome wasn’t entirely unexpected.

“The ITC preliminary ruling is a standard and very typical procedural step in a long process - over the past 15 years and hundreds of cases, there has only been one instance in which the ITC decided to terminate the case at this stage,” the spokesperson says.

The spokesperson added that South Mill Champs views the petition as lacking merit and an attempt by “certain market participants to use administrative measures to thwart healthy competition.”

“South Mill Champs’ success and increasing market share is the result of our investment in modern growing facilities that enable us to deliver the consistency and high quality that customers want,” the spokesperson says. “We are retaining and earning new customers even though our prices are not always the lowest, underscoring our position at the ITC that quality and service are principal drivers of purchasing decisions.”

The company states it remains delighted by customer support and will continue investing in facilities to meet demand.

Navigating the Levy Timeline

Ryan Koeslag, executive vice president of Mushrooms Canada, which represents Canadian growers in this case, says he expects preliminary levies to begin in May or June as the U.S. International Trade Commission and the Department of Commerce will issue preliminary determinations in February.

Koeslag says all levies collected during the investigation period will be held in a trust and returned to the Canadian growers if the Department of Commerce and ITC do not find validity to the antidumping claims.

“We’re waiting to hear,” he says. “I think they’ll use a lot of the preliminary data that’s been collected by the farms from Canada and the locations where they sold into the United States. I think that will kind of play into how they’ll calculate that. We’re hoping that it will be a number that will still allow us to do business into the United States. “

While the growers Mushrooms Canada represents are disappointed that the case moves forward, Koeslag says he feels the team representing the Canadian growers has put forth a strong case with pricing points that reinforced the message that Canadian mushrooms are priced fairly and reflect market realities.

He says, too, ITC’s preliminary findings also indicated further investigation into the difference of newer generation infrastructure of mushrooms, how phorid flies have also impacted production in Pennsylvania and the limited reach for U.S. producers in the West Coast.

Koeslag says Mushrooms Canada argued phorid flies have impacted production in Pennsylvania and end producers sought Canadian imports to offset the reduced production in the U.S., not Canadian producers displacing U.S. growers.

“Part of the argument that our economists identified was that if production had remained consistent with the previous years, there could be an argument there that the Canadian exports to the United States could have either stagnated or declined,” he says. “But because there was a very visible reduction in production during that period of time, as we see as a result of that fly infestation, that impacted some of the purchasing habits and some of the outcome of the last little while too.”

Investing in Shelf Life

Koeslag says Mushrooms Canada and the growers his team represents feel as though the ITC heard the points brought forward during the initial parts of the case.

“It seems as though they heard our message,” he says. “Knowing that the threshold for them to move forward with wanting to have this investigation being very low, we realized that that was going to happen, and so they had enough for that to proceed, but they’ve identified already that there’s some things that they want to investigate with the full-fledged study over the next year, and it is including what we brought forward during our hearing.”

And he says this case is not about how Canadian mushrooms are of a superior quality than U.S.-grown mushrooms, but that the infrastructure of Canadian growers is modern and has allowed for a higher-quality mushroom with better shelf life.

“If you have a higher infrastructure farm in the United States, you would also find those same benefits,” he says. “In Canada, however, we’re looking at nearly 90%, if not higher, of the operations being of new infrastructure. They’ve made those investments, and they have the technology from Holland. That’s been a result of also in having reduced fly infestations.”

Koeslag says these modern growing operations have rooms with proper sealing, use aluminum trays and plastic and modern sanitation techniques. He says older growing systems that use wood have conditions that favor the reproduction of the phorid flies.

“The new infrastructure is reducing the possibility of those flies to reproduce and become a problem,” he says.

Koeslag says it’s been an unusual case as the filing happened before a government shutdown. He says his team used that time to pull together a positive and well-positioned case using data. As for now, he says growers await the initial tariff percentage to come out.

“We’re nervous to see how that comes through,” Koeslag says. “I think we’ve done as much as we possibly could, considering we’ve had some additional time to do this.”

New Leadership at Monterey Holdings

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 21:46:21 GMT

Monterey Holdings, the umbrella brand for Monterey Mushrooms, Amycel/Spawn Mate, and Monterey Nutra, announced changes to its leadership team Jan. 27. These include George Haggar returning as CEO of Monterey Holdings, Chris Abbott being appointed chief financial officer and president of Monterey Mushrooms and Harry Beukelman being named president of biotech.

As a current board member and former president of Monterey Mushrooms since November 2023, Haggar possesses a deep, decades-long connection to Monterey dating back to his days as chief operating officer of Costa Group in Australia, the company says, adding that his experience in fresh produce supply chains and operational excellence makes him the ideal leader to build upon the legacy of Monterey’s founder, Shah Kazemi.

Abbott joined the company in November 2024, bringing a background in food and agricultural operations and having held executive roles at Organic Valley Fresh, Revolution Foods and Dairy Farmers of America. He will oversee the fresh division while managing the financial health of the overall enterprise.

Beukelman’s position encompasses Amycel/Spawn Mate and Monterey Nutra divisions. With more than 25 years of experience in agriculture and biotechnology, he joined the company last month following a successful tenure at US Agriseeds and nearly a decade at Monsanto. The company says his expertise in proprietary IP and global commercial strategy will be instrumental in scaling its genetics and nutraceutical divisions.

The company describes the new leadership team as representing over half a century of combined experience in the food and agriculture sectors.

East Coast Produce Expo 2026 Rocks Hot Trends, Cool Produce and Olympic Gold

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 21:34:58 GMT

AVENTURA, Fla. — From mushrooms to Persian limes to murasaki sweetpotatoes to microgreens and more, exhibitors at East Coast Produce Expo 2026 showcased some of the hottest trends in produce at the JW Marriott Turnberry Resort and Spa, Jan. 12-13.

Highline Mushroom’s Janis Deschenes and Sabrina Pokomandy pose with colorful and whimsical signage at ECPE 2026.

(Photo: Jennifer Strailey)

Canada’s first certified mushroom company, Highline Mushrooms, invited attendees to “Eat Super. Feel Super.” It’s colorful and creative campaign featuring mushroom-headed people in fun poses continues to capture attention.

Robin Narron of Nash Produce says the new crop of sweetpotatoes “looks very good.”

(Photo: Jennifer Strailey)

Nash Produce shared the good news about this year’s sweetpotato crop.

“It looks very good,” says Robin Narron. “This is the best our potatoes have looked in a while.”

She also points to the increasing popularity of murasaki sweetpotatoes, a Japanese variety celebrated for its distinctive purple skin and creamy white flesh that offers a sweet, nutty flavor with a drier, starchier texture than orange sweetpotatoes.

Narron says Nash aims to meet increased demand and is planting additional murasaki acreage this spring.

Topline Farms’ Nick DiCarlo and Brian DiCarlo shared what it means to be Canadian greenhouse grown.

(Photo: Jennifer Strailey)

Topline has added 40 acres to its Canadian greenhouse-grown roma tomatoes farm in the past two years, says Brian DiCarlo.

“With greenhouses, you get quality and consistency,” he says, adding that Topline has steadily grown its retail and foodservice business.

From left, Eric Rosales, Jorge Aguirre and Juan Baechli of D Produce showcased the company’s year-round supply of limes from Mexico.

(Photo: Jennifer Strailey)

Growers and packers of Persian limes from Mexico, D Produce has packing facilities in three regions along the Gulf Coast. The company says packing in Veracruz, Oaxaca and Tabasco, allows it to produce the best quality organic and conventional limes and offer year-round availability to its retail and foodservice customers.

The Packer’s Denise Sundvold and Wada Farms Vice President Joe Esta strike a pose and chat potatoes.

(Photo: Jennifer Strailey)

“Wada Farms sweetpotato crop is right where it needs to be to be a good year for the grower,” says Vice President Joe Esta.

Russets are long this season, he adds.

Thankfully, a solid customer base and strong retail partnerships with grocers including Walmart and Kroger, will move crop along to the consumer, Esta says.

“During COVID people learned to cook, which has been great for potatoes,” he says. “Unlike other commodities, we thrived. I hope the interest in cooking continues because it’s been good for the industry.”

Sunswell Green’s John Halle and Daniela Alvarez say their greens are sold through 85% of Publix stores in Florida.

(Photo: Action Event Photography)

All of Sunswell’s greens are grown hydroponically indoors and reach retail shelves within 24 to 48 hours of harvest, says John Halle.

The Florida-based company with two facilities in Lake Worth and the Fort Myers area started growing nutrient-dense microgreens late last year, says Halle, who adds the interest in microgreens is being spurred by chefs using them in dishes.

Debbie Roger and Therese Mauch of Zespri Kiwifruit showcased RubyRed Kiwifruit, known for its vibrant color and high vitamin C content.

(Photo: Jennifer Strailey)

Zespri’s Debbie Roger says she’s excited for RubyRed kiwifruit season. RubyRed kiwifruit from New Zealand will be available nationwide beginning in mid- to late April, she says.

A naturally sweet, red-fleshed kiwi with a distinct berry-like flavor, Zespri RubyRed kiwifruit offers a colorful alternative to green or gold kiwis.

Roger says last season’s West Coast trial of RubyRed was a success with all incremental sales.

Misionero’s Hana Mohsin featured the company’s Garden Life washed and trimmed, field grown conventional lettuce.

(Photo: Jennifer Strailey)

The line, which recently received a brand refresh, includes lettuce wraps, romaine, green leaf, red leaf and deli leaf.

Commodity-Specific Trade War Battles to Watch for in 2026

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 20:12:01 GMT

While larger-scale trade battles dominated national headlines, different fresh produce commodities had their own trade fights to pick. The Packer covered these in detail in 2025, and it is almost certain that the ongoing issues will hit headlines in 2026 as well.

For example, The Tomato Suspension Agreement was one of the biggest examples of a commodity-specific trade fight to grace the headlines. In late November, a source told The Packer’s Christina Herrick that U.S. tomato growers might not see the impact of the termination of the Tomato Suspension Agreement until the January 2026 crop and beyond into spring.

Coverage of the tumultuous trade fight in 2025 started in summer when Herrick sat down with Robert Guenther , executive vice president for the Florida Tomato Exchange, as the agreement neared the end of its 90-day implementation period.

“For decades, Mexican exporters have dumped tomatoes into the U.S. market below their cost of production, by margins as high as 273%, which are injuring American tomato farmers,” Guenther said.

“The 2019 Suspension Agreement and the previous four suspension agreements were supposed to stop this,” he continued. “Instead, it became a shield for repeated violations. It failed in its basic purposes: to shield U.S. tomato producers from dumped Mexican tomatoes and to ensure fair trade as required by U.S. law.”

Later, in mid-July, when the U.S. Department of Commerce ended the Tomato Suspension Agreement and imposed a 17% tariff on most imports of Mexican tomatoes, the reaction from the fresh produce industry was pronounced and deeply divided. Herrick and The Packer’s Jennifer Strailey covered the controversy’s sides .

On the one hand, Florida claimed victory. The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association and the Florida Tomato Exchange called the end of the agreement a victory for U.S. tomato growers and a positive movement “toward fairer competition, not only for tomato growers but for all specialty crop producers nationwide.”

On the other hand, the controlled-environment agriculture industry was “deeply disappointed,” by the move.

“Because most high-value greenhouse growers farm in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, the termination of this agreement will cause significant damage to these growers, serving as a financial barrier to new investment in U.S. greenhouses,” the CEA Alliance said.

But the situation with tomato prices, tomato trade, and prices is a nuanced one. Because they are such a staple to U.S. consumers, and supplies are dependent on Mexican-grown tomatoes, the situation begged the question: Are tomatoes poised for an eggs moment?

Other commodities faced trade threats and dumping issues

Tomatoes weren’t the only commodity to see trade war battles in 2025 that will likely continue in 2026.

For example, in mid-September, Herrick covered the growing fight over mushrooms . A group of U.S. mushroom growers accused Canadian growers of dumping mushrooms in the U.S. market below the price of production.

“These practices have resulted in significant negative impacts on U.S. mushroom growers and packers, including lost sales, depressed prices and declining profitability,” they said.

Herrick reported the trade situation between the two countries is more than a symbiotic relationship, however. Canada supplies almost all of the peat moss substrate for U.S. growers, and the U.S. supplies most of Canadian growers’ mushroom spawn, for instance.

According to the U.S. International Trade Commission , the case will extend into 2026 due in part to the government shutdown’s impact on its operation late in the year.

California’s citrus industry also found itself at the center of a pitched trade battle in 2025 as well. As Strailey reported in early October , the Golden State’s citrus growers found themselves pressured by imports exceeding exports, pest and disease threats, and tariff pains from China.

Long a desired destination for California citrus exports, China answered President Donald Trump’s first term tariff threats seriously.

“China took retaliatory measures and increased tariffs substantially,” said California Citrus Quality Council President Jim Cranney. “And since then, we’ve been operating with tariffs that are in a neighborhood of about 46%.”

The tariff fight with China looks like it will be an on-going issue in 2026. As will the question of Argentinian dumping of lemons and limes with the shifts in reciprocal tariffs on the country, among others.

Giorgi Invests in Modern Soils to Accelerate Regenerative Agriculture

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:52:55 GMT

Giorgi Mushroom Company is investing in Modern Soils, a regenerative agriculture company pioneering sustainable soil solutions.

This strategic investment reinforces Giorgi’s commitment to restoring the planet’s natural balance through smarter, circular agriculture, according to a news release.

Modern Soils transforms mushroom compost, an abundant byproduct of mushroom cultivation, into high-performance, eco-friendly products, including premium potting soils, land remediation blends, sustainable crop substrates and peat-free casing for mushroom farms. By replacing traditional peat, Modern Soils is reshaping the soil industry and setting a new benchmark for low-impact growth, the company says.

“This isn’t just an investment, it’s a responsibility,” says Mark Currie, CEO of Giorgi Mushroom Company. “For nearly a century, Giorgi has fed communities across the nation. Now, we’re feeding the very foundation of life itself: the soil. Partnering with Modern Soils allows us to drive real, measurable change in how agriculture gives back to the planet.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Giorgi Mushroom Company as a strategic partner,” says Chuck Ciarrocchi, CEO and president of Modern Mushroom Farms and Modern Soils. “Their unwavering commitment to regenerative agriculture and sustainable innovation aligns perfectly with our vision for a healthier planet.”

For generations, Giorgi Mushroom Company says it has combined responsible farming with technological progress to deliver sustainable, high-quality produce. The partnership with Modern Soils expands Giorgi’s regenerative agriculture portfolio, offering both consumers and commercial growers regenerative products that enhance biodiversity, improve soil health and reduce carbon footprints.

“Sustainability isn’t a buzzword, it’s a mandate,” Currie says. “The health of our soil determines the health of our future. By investing in regenerative systems like Modern Soils, we’re ensuring that growth doesn’t come at the planet’s expense but in its service.”

Giorgio’s Grill Packs Win 2025 Joe Nucci Award for Product Innovation

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 21:46:32 GMT

Giorgio’s Grill Packs have been named the winner of the 2025 Joe Nucci Award for Product Innovation. The award was presented during the Thought Leaders Keynote Breakfast at the New York Produce Show.

Competition was strong, according to a news release, with the Grill Packs standing out among 10 innovative produce products selected by an esteemed panel of judges from produce business, leaders who have been recognized for their expertise in the produce industry.

“It’s an honor to receive such an achievement,” says Bryan Shelton, vice president of sales and marketing for Giorgio. “Across all our value-added products, innovation is at the forefront. Our goal is to connect consumers with healthy, quick meal solutions that deliver both nutritional benefits and craveable flavor.”

Giorgio’s Grill Packs feature fresh, sliced mushrooms in three flavor varieties: Steak Seasoning, Smokey Honey Habanero or Brown Sugar Bourbon. Each pack offers a unique flavor experience that complements a wide range of meals or can be enjoyed on its own. Designed with convenience in mind, the packs can be cooked directly on the grill or in the oven using the included aluminum tray.

“From concept to design marketing, our goal with the Grill Packs has been to highlight convenience and accessibility,” says Naba Bakar, vice president of marketing for GoldenSun Insights. “Consumers can enjoy a healthy, flavorful plate of vegetables without spending hours in the kitchen or a fortune on takeout. We want to show that everyone, from home cooks experimenting in the kitchen to foodservice professionals, can use our products to elevate everyday meals.”

Looking ahead, Giorgio says it remains committed to driving innovation in the produce aisle and delivering products that make healthy eating easier and more enjoyable. Giorgio will continue expanding its value-added offerings, empowering consumers to incorporate fresh, flavorful mushrooms into everyday meals with ease.

Don Listwin Joins 4AG Robotics’ Board of Directors

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 16:20:33 GMT

British Columbia, Canada-based automated mushroom harvesting company 4AG Robotics announced Oct. 15 that Don Listwin joined the company’s board of directors. The company describes Listwin as a longtime technology executive and philanthropist, known for senior leadership roles at Cisco, service as CEO of Openwave Systems, CEO of med-tech company RapidAI, board member of Carbon Robotics, and as the founder of the Canary Foundation.

“Don has spent his career turning ambitious technology into commercially successful global businesses,” says Sean O’Connor, CEO of 4AG Robotics. “It’s the perfect fit for where we are right now: Scaling manufacturing, deepening our AI capabilities and expanding deployments around the world. We’re thrilled to welcome him to the board, and I’m excited to learn from him.”

Chris Payne, chief operations officer of 4AG added: “Don’s pattern recognition at scale, how to operationalize excellence and build resilient companies, will be a formidable addition to the company”

Listwin has advised and led multiple growth-stage companies across networking, telecom and healthcare innovation, and brings extensive experience in go-to-market, international scaling and board governance. He is also widely recognized for his philanthropy in early cancer detection and mission-driven innovation.

“What 4AG has accomplished is rare: They’re not just proving a breakthrough; they’ve commercialized it” Listwin says. “Automation in hand-harvested crops is one of the most important productivity shifts of the next decade. 4AG’s combination of real-world performance, customer traction and relentless work ethic puts them in a category of their own. I’m thrilled to join their journey and help the team build a world leading agriculture robotics business.”

Star-Powered Produce Shines at IFPA Global Show

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 04:43:13 GMT

ANAHEIM, Calif. — From an early ’90s TV star to a former Marine turned celebrity comedian to famous football players past and present to a social influencer extraordinaire, this year’s International Fresh Produce Association Global Produce and Floral Show featured a number of star-backed produce collaborations designed to increase consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Fresh Express featured its collaboration with Tiffani Thiessen at its International Fresh Produce Association Global Show booth.

(Photo: Jennifer Strailey)

Fresh Express Partners with Tiffani Thiessen

Fresh Express is partnering with cookbook author, mother and actor Tiffani Thiessen of “Saved by the Bell” and “Beverly Hills, 90210” fame to spotlight the nutrition, flavor, freshness and versatility of its salad offerings.

The Packer sat down with Thiessen during the IFPA show to learn more about the collaboration.

“I’ve always loved to cook, [and] we were definitely big Fresh Express fans in our house — my husband and I for many, many years even before children,” Thiessen said. “So, it was kind of a perfect partnership because we were already fans — already using the product. And I think they saw how I could be creative with their product and get kids to eat vegetables by developing really creative recipes that are specific to kids as well.

“I think people see me as someone they’re familiar with. I’m sort of nostalgic because I’ve been in the industry for a long time and grew up with people in their houses with the popular TV shows that I’ve been on,” she added. “I think maybe they see me as someone who’s trustworthy in the food area too, so both sides of my career are kind of perfect for a partnership like this.”

While Thiessen and her family’s favorite Fresh Express salad is the Farmhouse Ranch Chopped Salad Kit, she says the creative possibilities are nearly endless with the company’s full range of salads.

“The thing about their salads is that whether you go with some of their simple lettuces or you go with their mixed salads, you can elevate them in many different ways,” she says.

Thiessen has brought a creative approach to her Fresh Express meal-making from adding a protein to turning the salads into a tostada to making them into a wrap or topping a hot pizza with Caesar salad.

When it comes to getting kids to eat their veggies, Thiessen says don’t forget to make it fun.

“I think it starts with teaching kids good values at a young age and getting them to understand that you don’t have to just have raw carrots. You can make it fun,” she said. “And I think that’s what’s so great about Fresh Express is that there are ways that you can actually make eating vegetables fun, delicious and easy.”

Matty Matheson, Emmy-winning actor/producer of “The Bear” is Mushroom Council’s lead ambassador for its new campaign designed to reach the next-gen mushroom shopper.

(Photo courtesy of Mushroom Council)

Mushroom Council Brings “The Bear” Celeb to IFPA

Mushroom Council has tapped Matty Matheson, chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and Emmy-winning producer and actor on “The Bear,” to serve as its lead mushroom ambassador for its new “It’s Not Magic. It’s Mushrooms.” campaign aimed at cultivating the next generation of mushroom shoppers — namely Gen Z and millennials.

Matheson attended the IFPA Global Show, Oct. 17, where he posed for pictures with fans at the Mushroom Council booth outside and then on the show floor, where he toured mushroom growers’ booths and posed for more pics.

Matty Matheson toured the show floor at IFPA, visiting various mushroom booths.

(Photo courtesy of Mushroom Council)

“We were pleased to have him join us as we revealed campaign details at the IFPA Global Show,” said Cristie Mather, vice president of marketing for Mushroom Council.

The Wonderful Company’s Diana Salsa and Bryan Hansen talked pistachio partnerships and promotions.

(Photo: Jennifer Strailey)

Wonderful Pistachios and Josh Allen Not Holding Back

“Don’t hold back” on healthy snacking was a key message at The Wonderful Company’s booth, where Wonderful Pistachios showcased its latest no-shells variety — Dill Pickle — and its partnership with Buffalo Bills quarterback and pistachio farmer Josh Allen.

“Our ‘Don’t Hold Back Snack’ campaign is a big platform for good-for-you eating, and it will flow through all of our marketing for the foreseeable future,” says Wonderful Pistachio’s Diana Salsa, who adds that the company hasn’t abandoned its “Get Crackin’’’ campaign.

Wonderful Pistachios has partnered with professional football player Josh Allen.

(Photo courtesy of Wonderful Pistachios)

The Wonderful Company says “Don’t Hold Back Snack” includes a national advertising campaign that puts Allen’s NFL stardom center stage. It also follows the launch of the Josh Allen Scholarship and a multilevel marketing campaign.

The Josh Allen Scholarship aims to support first-generation college students in California’s Central Valley, where Allen’s family farm produces pistachios for the Wonderful Pistachios brand.

It’s a great partnership for The Wonderful Company for which “philanthropy is also part of our DNA,” saus Salsa, adding the campaign spotlights an authentic connection of family farming tradition with professional football excellence.

An Avocados From Mexico in-store promotional bin features Rob Riggle.

(Photo courtesy of Avocados From Mexico)

AFM Names Rob Riggle ‘The Guac Guru’

This year Avocados From Mexico has tapped comedic actor Rob Riggle to help deliver the message that football and guac are the ultimate game day duo.

AFM says 84% of professional American football fans say food is as important as the game itself. With this in mind, when fans purchase an Avocados From Mexico-themed bag of avocados featuring the Guac Guru, they’ll be able to scan the QR code, snap a photo of their receipt and receive $1.50 cash back via Venmo or PayPal. The promotion runs from Jan. 19 to Feb. 8. With 81% of fans indicating they’ll watch the Super Bowl at home, AFM says guac is expected to play a key role in game-time entertaining.

“Our big focus this year is football. We are really leaning into football as a platform to drive consumption,” says Stephanie Bazan, senior vice president of commercial strategy and execution.

Bazan says promotions during football season are also perfectly aligned with the Mexican avocado season from October to December.

AFM is not only leaning into professional football but college as well, and it is a sponsor of the ESPN noon halftime show for college football.

“It’s been successful, and consumption did increase as a result,” says Bazan.

AFM is also eyeing snacking to drive avocado sales.

“There’s a huge connection between snacks and avocados in the basket,” Bazan says. “Consumers make 1.6 billion trips down the snack aisle between October and February.”

To engage snack seekers in center store, AFM is running a promotion in the snack aisle that offers $2 off the purchase of four avocados. Supported by in-store signage that allows shoppers to scan a QR code that offers an instant discount, the promotion is set to run Nov. 3 to Jan. 19.

“It’s creating disruption in-store with behavior that already exists,” she says. “It also shows that you can go outside produce and capture more sales.”

Canadian greenhouse grower Del Fresco Pure has partnered with social media influencer Logan Moffitt.

(Photo: Jennifer Strailey)

Cucumber Social Media Sensation

At the Del Fresco Pure booth it was lights, camera, action, as TikTok star Logan Moffitt grabbed his mandoline, began slicing greenhouse-grown cucumbers and shook up one of his signature salads for fans.

While Moffitt doesn’t have professional culinary training, he told The Packer he started meal planning and preparing the nightly dinner for his family at the age of 12.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time,” he said.

Moffitt says the cucumber concept came to him at a time when he was feeling uninspired about his food-focused social posts.

But the social slump didn’t last long. Moffitt’s TikTok take on cukes caught fire, taking him from 3.3 million TikTok followers to 7.2 million followers.

“It took my career to the next level,” said Moffit, adding that his videos make cucumber salad making “more fun and so easy.”

Andre Reed and The Packer’s Christina Herrick take a bit out of apple snacking.

(Photo courtesy of Crunch Time Apple Growers)

Crunch Time Apple Growers’ Hall of Famer

Hall of Famer Andre Reed signed photos and promoted the Crunch Time Apple Growers’ SnapDragon contest at the IFPA Global Show. The contest offers consumers a chance to win a trip to the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony and more.

Reed played 16 seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver, mainly with the Buffalo Bills. And of course, SnapDragon, the official apple of the Buffalo Bills, is his snack of choice.

Jessica Wells, executive director of Crunch Time Apple Growers, says the goal is to promote SnapDragon to football fans of other teams as the variety has had a great start to the season.

“It’s our best start to the season yet,” she says. “We’re super grateful to the retailers that have given us a shot.”

Phillips Mushroom Farms Partners With Bandit To Launch Vegan Stuffed Mushroom

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 12:25:22 GMT

Phillips Mushroom Farms is partnering with Philadelphia-based plant-based cheese innovator Bandit to release its first vegan stuffed mushroom.

For decades, stuffed mushrooms have been a staple at gatherings, most often filled with a cream cheese or cheese blend, the company says. Mushrooms and cheese naturally complement one another — savory umami paired with rich, gooey cheese — but Phillips and Bandit say they are taking this classic to the next level with a bold, plant-based twist.

The new Buffalo Dip Baby Bella Stuffed Mushrooms feature Bandit’s clean-label, cashew-based cheese blended with buffalo sauce and an unexpected ingredient: oyster mushrooms. That’s right, mushrooms stuffed with more mushrooms, creating a unique umami-packed “buffalo chicken” flavor and texture without any dairy or meat, the company says.

“True innovation means moving beyond the old playbook,” says Sean Steller, director of business development for Phillips Mushroom Farms. “For many years, cheese-stuffed mushrooms with crab, garlic and even bacon bits were the go-to. Today’s consumer is looking for bold flavor, clean ingredients and plant-based options that don’t compromise on taste. This product delivers all three. We are very excited to launch this collaboration.”

Bandit, founded by Bo Babaki, has quickly become a leader in the next wave of plant-based dairy alternatives, the company says. Its cashew-based cheeses have earned national attention for their short ingredient lists, bold flavors and artisanal approach. Through this partnership, Phillips Mushroom Farms and Bandit are bringing together the best of two local Pennsylvania food innovators, heritage mushroom farming and plant-based cheese-making.

“We’re excited to partner with Phillips Mushroom Farms, a company that shares our commitment to quality and innovation,” Babaki says. “This collab is about showing people that plant-based food can be seamlessly fun, delicious and nostalgic all at once.”

The product launch reflects Phillips Mushroom Farms’ ongoing mission to bring mushrooms to the center of the plate through fresh, sustainable and creative applications, the company says.

The Buffalo Dip Baby Bella Stuffed Mushrooms will be available at retailers in 2026. Visitors can stop by booth No. 4152 at the International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce and Floral Show, Oct 17-18, for a sneak peek.

How AI is Revolutionizing Mushroom Harvesting

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:27:08 GMT

4AG Robotics CEO Sean O’Connor says he founded the autonomous harvesting company with mushrooms in mind because he saw an opportunity to address labor shortages in agriculture.

“We thought through where is the largest issues when it comes to access to labor, the mushroom industry was clear No. 1,” he says. “Largely just because of the way the crop growth goes. The crop doubles in size every day. So, it grows by 4% an hour. It grows in a fairly chaotic manner, and so you have to be able to stay on top of the beds when they’re in that harvesting cycle. And because of that, there’s no seasonality to mushroom harvesting.”

And the 365-day nature of mushroom cultivation presented a unique opportunity and challenge, something he says fascinated the 4AG Robotics team.

“It’s also the most difficult crop to automate harvesting for,” he says. “It’s more delicate than a strawberry, more delicate than a tomato. It bruises easily. It splits easily. How you pick the mushrooms has a massive impact on the yield that a farm can produce.”

O’Connor also says he saw an opportunity to use data to help mushroom growers better understand the best time to harvest the mushrooms to maximize revenue.

“If you pick a mushroom at four o’clock in the afternoon, but the right time to pick is four o’clock the next morning, that’s 12 hours more growth,” he says. “That’s 48% more growth or revenue that you’re able to derive from that mushroom if you’re able to pick it at the exact time it should be fixed.”

He says that while it wasn’t exactly quick to develop the autonomous solution, he says it works on Dutch track growing systems, with no need to modify production systems to make it work. And he says customers wanting to add more harvesters helped push the company to this next funding round.

“That was really the catalyst for this financing, is that we’ve got robots that work,” he says. “We’ve got customers that want a lot more of them. And now we need to figure out how do we scale our manufacturing and scale the business?”

Riding the Mushroom Waves

He says the company has been riding the mushroom wave of growing interest among consumers, seeking out new flavors and eating experiences.

“You have this wonderful crop that’s literally growing at an extraordinary rate, and people are being able to scoop up more of it,” he says. “I think for us, we always knew that it was going to be a stable crop, one that was going to be a part of people’s diets.”

But O’Connor acknowledges automating mushroom harvest, or really harvest in general, has been a challenge for agtech companies. He says he and the 4AG Robotics team believed that with a specific approach, they could provide a solution. And artificial intelligence (AI) has really helped bring more actionable information to growers to make better harvesting decisions, he adds.

“The industry itself has gotten us to a place where we can make decisions with variable information that we couldn’t do when we had to build software or use heuristic methodology to make decisions,” O’Connor says. “That’s really powerful when you’re talking about optimizing when to pick each specific object that’s growing at such a quick rate.”

Future Goals

And as for the future? O’Connor says he expects to see some big changes in the mushroom industry quickly. While many farms converted to the Dutch track growing system in the late 1980s, he sees a similar precipice in the mushroom industry, where farms will decide on whether or not automation is a fit in the future.

“If they’re right, and they commit, they’re going to have a cost to them of being able to produce mushrooms at 60%, 70%, 80% of their competition, because you have a crop that turns over every week into revenue,” he says. “You’re effectively going to be seeing the farms that automate, scale and consolidate the industry, and those who don’t see financial woes and end up having to either be consolidated or go out of business.”

This summer, 4AG Robotics’ Series B funding round closed at 40 million Canadian dollars. Cibus Capital, an investment firm focused on sustainable food and agriculture, was the co-lead for this round. O’Connor says this funding will help the company get its technology into the hands of more growers and also help existing customers add more harvesters.

While his technology might seem like it could work in different commodities, as of now, O’Connor says the 4AG Robotics team doesn’t plan to expand into other crops in the foreseeable future. He says 4AG Robotics’ focus is on maximizing revenue for mushroom growers.

“We’re already seeing this now on one of our farms that we’ve gone from being a labor replacement solution into a yield generating solution that we’re no longer just giving you the same amount of mushrooms, but without the labor costs, but we can provide an increase in your yield every week, because our robots can pick for 24 hours a day and pick a mushroom exactly and should be picked,” he says.

O’Connor sees AI playing a greater role in the future of the company, where a grower can understand the quality of the clusters and weight as well as looking to yield forecasting and communicating that to customers.

“It won’t take us long to be able to say at the start of the week, if we see what the bed is looking like, we can communicate to the farm what they have to sell to their customers in advance of actually being able to pick it, in advance and starting its process of expiration,” he says. “All these little things where we can just give a slightly better logistics engine to these farms to become the operating system allows them to be most efficient using the artificial intelligence that we create or adding more automation into the packing room of these farms as well, or other opportunities like that.”

Giorgio Fresh Taps Influencers to Bring the Brand to a New Generation

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 14:58:48 GMT

Giorgio Fresh is expanding its digital presence with a targeted influencer strategy aimed at connecting with younger consumers.

By partnering with food creators and content-driven chefs, Giorgio says in a news release that it is delivering its message of real food, bold flavors and everyday versatility directly to millennial and Gen Z audiences.

“We’re not just putting mushrooms on shelves, we’re putting them in people’s daily routines,” says Bryan Shelton, vice president of sales and marketing for Giorgio Fresh. “Influencers allow us to bring the Giorgio story to life in a modern, authentic way that resonates with how people actually cook, eat and share.”

As part of this initiative, Giorgio is collaborating with content creators who align with the brand’s core values, freshness, simplicity and culinary creativity. These partnerships showcase Giorgio mushrooms across platforms like Instagram and Facebook in ways that feel accessible and inspirational.

With young shoppers increasingly drawn to plant-forward eating, cooking at home and ingredient transparency, Giorgio’s influencer strategy helps elevate mushrooms from a side dish to a staple. By meeting consumers on social media and in their home kitchens, Giorgio says it is driving new levels of brand relevance and category engagement.

“Our goal is to make mushrooms feel exciting and easy to use, whether you’re a foodie, a new cook or just looking for better meal options,” Shelton says. “We want Giorgio to be the brand people think of when they reach for fresh, flavorful ingredients.”

While interest in mushrooms continues to grow, Giorgio says many consumers are still unsure how to cook them properly or explore beyond basic uses. Giorgio’s influencer partners help close this gap by showcasing different mushroom varieties, new innovations and easy prep techniques. From recipe inspiration to kitchen tips, this content empowers more shoppers to confidently cook with mushrooms, making Giorgio not only approachable but essential, the release says.

Giorgio is also looking beyond traditional food creators to explore fresh, unexpected perspectives through influencer partnerships. The brand is actively seeking to collaborate with voices across wellness, sustainability and lifestyle, showcasing the versatility of mushrooms not just in the kitchen but in broader conversations around mindful living and modern culture.

Monterey Mushrooms Awards $110,000 in Scholarships

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 15:22:36 GMT

Monterey Mushrooms says it is awarding $110,000 in scholarships to 36 children of its teammates for the 2025-26 academic year, part of a 34-year tradition of supporting employees’ families in pursuing higher education.

Since 1992, the scholarship program has provided dependent children of full-time employees with the opportunity to receive up to $5,000 annually for four years, the company says. The initiative has supported families across all company locations, including California, Texas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Mexico. Since its inception, the program has awarded 2,633 grants, totaling $4.1 million, in support of higher learning.

This year, the program was renamed the Shah Kazemi Scholarship Foundation, honoring Monterey Mushrooms’ founder and former CEO and his efforts to invest in the next generation.

“At Monterey, our people are the heart of our company. It’s a privilege to celebrate the accomplishments of our teammates’ children and help open doors to their future success,” says Paul Hardy, CEO of Monterey Mushrooms. “We believe in the ability of education to transform lives — not only for these students, but for the families and communities they serve.”

Scholarships are awarded to students attending accredited colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools. Applicants are evaluated based on their academic record, aspirations, extracurricular involvement, work experience, and personal achievements, the company says.

Sarah Alvarado, a junior at the University of Pennsylvania from Morgan Hill, is a recipient of the Shah Kazemi Scholarship, which is helping ease the financial burden on her family — particularly her father, who has worked over 20 years in agriculture at Monterey Mushrooms.

Raised among the produce fields of her hometown, Sarah was deeply affected by the 2019 Gilroy Garlic Festival tragedy, fueling her passion for criminology and justice reform. With this scholarship, she is empowered to pursue her goal of graduating debt-free, attending law school, and ultimately serving as an FBI special agent, the company says, adding that Sarah is determined to carry forward a legacy of hard work and service, using her education to uplift both herself and the communities she represents.

Mushroom Council Targets Next Gen Consumer in New Campaign, Eyes $100M Sales Boost

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 12:19:03 GMT

In what it says is a “bold move” to attract the next generation of mushroom shoppers and drive long-term category growth, the Mushroom Council has launched a new marketing platform and tagline: “It’s Not Magic. It’s Mushrooms.”

Developed with direct input from a marketing task force made up of mushroom industry leaders, the platform addresses a new target audience of emerging consumers: current light and medium mushroom shoppers whose profiles skew younger to millennial and Gen Z. The goal is to move these consumers up the purchase-frequency ladder toward heavy mushroom shoppers.

Mushroom Council has debuted a new tagline aimed at younger consumers.

(Photo courtesy of Mushroom Council)

“This campaign is laser-focused on cultivating the next generation of loyal mushroom shoppers,” says Cristie Mather, vice president of marketing. “The current heavy-frequency mushroom shoppers continue to do their part in keeping mushrooms an everyday essential. However, our research shows that our medium and light shoppers are seeing mushrooms more as a special occasion ingredient and are purchasing less for everyday usage.

“This audience is made up of millennial and Gen Z shoppers, and with a change in target audiences comes a change in marketing tactics,” she continues. “We are making bold moves to grab the attention of this important audience which means how and what we communicate about mushrooms and their functional benefits has changed.”

The strategy behind the campaign reflects fresh mushroom industry alignment and an elevated investment in consumer marketing, says the council. Following an assessment increase that took effect Oct, 1, 2025, the Mushroom Council and its grower and handler members will deploy more consumer ad dollars than ever before across digital, social and streaming channels to drive trial, repeat purchase and long-term category growth.

“The task force brought real-world retail and marketing leadership together to define where the category grows fastest,” says Amy Wood, president of the Mushroom Council. “Targeting millennial and Gen Z light and medium shoppers gives us the best opportunity to build long-term loyalty and lift overall category demand.”

How does the Mushroom Council expect this campaign will move the needle on consumption?

“We’ve done the math,” says Mather. “If we can inspire just half of today’s mushroom shoppers to add one extra purchase in a year, the category would see a $100 million boost in year over year sales,” she says, pointing to a Circana Integrated Fresh Household Panel, all outlets, for the 52-week period ending June 29, 2025. “We aim to move light and medium shoppers up the ladder to reflect the behavior of heavy mushroom shoppers and build habits that support long-term growth for the category.”

“‘It’s Not Magic. It’s Mushrooms.’ grew from a simple insight: Younger shoppers don’t want gimmicks,” says Mathers. “They want flavorful, convenient, and functional foods that fit their fast-paced, purpose-driven lives. This campaign platform is designed to be bold, authentic and attention-grabbing with a tagline that lands perfectly in short-form video, influencer voices and recipe-driven content.”

Mather says by spotlighting delicious taste, everyday convenience and the functional benefits mushrooms deliver, the platform speaks to busy millennials and Gen Z.

Key elements of the new campaign include:

New target audience focus — Prioritize light and medium mushroom shoppers, predominantly millennial and Gen Z, to increase purchase frequency and lifetime value.
Creative content and channels — Produce culturally relevant creative content that raises awareness of mushroom benefits, optimized for streaming and social channels.
Influencer partnerships — Engage high-profile influencers and creators, including an Emmy-winning celebrity, to capture attention, inspire trial and build mushroom habits across meals and occasions.
Increased marketing investment — Leverage the recent assessment increase to expand paid media and promotional support in ways that attract this busy target audience’s attention.

Visit at IFPA Show

The Mushroom Council says more than a dozen mushroom companies will be attending and exhibiting at the International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce and Floral Show in October. Attendees can visit the Mushroom Council in the Grand Plaza outside the Anaheim Convention Center (booth No. GP8) to get a first look at “It’s Not Magic. It’s Mushrooms.” They can also explore what’s ahead for 2026 and see how the council is ready to support at retail.

Growers, Organizations Call Mushroom Antidumping Petition Claims ‘Baseless’

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 11:23:05 GMT

On Sept. 16, members from Giorgio Fresh Co., J-M Farms, Kennett Square Mushroom Operation, Modern Mushroom Farms, Needham’s Mushroom Farms and Sher-Rockee Mushroom Farms filed an antidumping and countervailing duty petition with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission under the Fresh Mushrooms Fair Trade Coalition .

The growers allege that Canadian producers export mushrooms into the U.S. at prices below fair value and benefit from countervailable subsidies provided by the Canadian government.

“These practices have resulted in significant negative impacts on U.S. mushroom growers and packers, including lost sales, depressed prices, and declining profitability,” the petitioners allege.

While the petitioners did not respond to opportunities to comment, Amy Wood, president of the Mushroom Council, says the North American mushroom industry is entering an exciting chapter of growth and opportunity.

“The Mushroom Council represents all North American mushroom growers with a focus on expanding consumer demand for fresh mushrooms,” she says. “Though trade issues are complex, our industry is aligned on a vision for reaching new consumers and expanding fresh mushroom consumption.”

A Symbiotic Relationship

Ryan Koeslag, executive vice president of the Canadian Mushroom Growers’ Association, says the relationship between the Canadian and the U.S. mushroom industries is much more symbiotic than just imports and exports.

The Canadian Mushroom Growers’ Association represents more than 90% of the commercial growers in the country, primarily in Ontario, with growers in British Columbia as well as Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec. The industry exports about 40% of its mushrooms to the U.S.

Koeslag says Canada supplies about 100% of the peat moss used by mushroom growers in the U.S., and the U.S. predominantly supplies the North American mushroom industry with mushroom spawn. Ontario exports sugar beets to Michigan to become sugar beet lime, which is used in production.

“This is an industry that has been a prime example of awesome and amazing trade, and it’s unfortunate that people aren’t seeing that,” he says. “Instead of focusing on how to try and expand the market and find more consumers of mushrooms, we’re in a situation where we might be squabbling amongst each other.”

Koeslag says the Canadian and U.S. mushroom industries have worked together for about 50 years to grow consumption, research the best growing techniques and more.

“It’s really been this great relationship that, you know, we have been privileged to walk into from past generations of seeing that foresight and seeing the benefits of cooperating together,” he says. “So, it’s quite unfortunate that there is this coalition trying to deteriorate some of that relationship and partnership building.”

Koeslag adds that’s because Canadian growers directly support the U.S. mushroom industry.

“Every time a Canadian mushroom crosses the border, there is a levy that goes to the American Mushroom Council in order to help promote the consumption of mushrooms and help to encourage increased consumption of mushrooms,” he says.

Grower Response

A spokesperson for Kennett Square, Pa.-based South Mill Champs, which has production in British Columbia and Manitoba as well as in the U.S., says “the allegations against our company are baseless, and the petitions themselves lack merit,” adding that the petition will cause prices to go up, reduce quality and slow the modernization of the U.S. mushroom industry.

The spokesperson told The Packer that many Canadian and U.S. growers have adopted modern European mushroom growing techniques, which have helped produce consistent products that consumers and retailers have come to expect. And as far as the notion that there is an unfair playing field, the spokesperson told The Packer that it is untrue.

“The mushroom market is currently a fair and level playing field. Producers of better products are winning customers in an open and competitive market,” the spokesperson said. “This has nothing at all to do with pricing strategy. Producing from older-generation infrastructure simply does not enable a grower to deliver the best quality and most consistent product. And customers recognize the difference.”

What’s Next

U.S. and Canadian producers must submit an antidumping and countervailing duty investigation questionnaire, which is due Sept. 30. A hearing will be held on Oct. 7. Following the hearing, the parties will submit briefs due on Oct. 10. The International Trade Administration will vote on the case on Oct. 31.

“We are managing everything we can in order to make sure that we can continue to manage and sell into the United States, providing as much information as possible and cooperating as much as we can,” Roeslag says. “We’ve been actively engaging our membership. We’ve been organized and had our legal team engaged. We’re very much engaged in this process and hope to represent Canada well in every stage.”

Koeslag says the Canadian Mushroom Growers Association has already provided input to the investigation questionnaire and examination of the products. He says tariffs, duties or anything else that could raise the cost of mushrooms and drive consumers away would harm the mushroom industry in North America.

“We continue to recognize that the biggest issue we have with expanding our market is inflation and increased costs,” he says. “So, I don’t believe it’s in the best interest of farmers in Canada or farmers in the United States to have the price of food increase at all.”

And the spokesperson for South Mill Champs echoes that sentiment, noting that customers have expressed concern at the potential price hike if the antidumping duties were to be imposed.

“What is more worrying are the long-term consequences for the mushroom industry, as a whole,” the spokesperson told The Packer. “Simple economics would tell us that higher prices lead to reduced consumption of a fabulous product, with less presence on menus and in stores. This petition also serves as a disincentive for older operators to modernize, resulting in less reliable supply, more issues with insects, and lower overall quality.”

Monterey Mushrooms Unveils Specialty Mushrooms

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 18:00:17 GMT

Monterey Mushrooms announced the launch of its new nationwide specialty mushroom line on Sept. 22. The new line features a selection of lion’s mane, king trumpet, maitake, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms. It also includes a combination offering that includes sliced baby bellas, sliced shiitake, and oyster petals, designed to cater to the growing demand for gourmet and health-conscious culinary options.

“Our new specialty mushroom line is a testament to our dedication to providing high-quality, flavorful, and nutritious products while prioritizing sustainability,” says Mike Stephan, vice president of sales and business development at Monterey Mushrooms. “We are excited to offer mushrooms that not only enhance culinary experiences but also support a healthier planet.”

These specialty mushrooms are celebrated for their rich flavors and textures, making them a favorite among chefs and home cooks alike, the company says, adding that lion’s mane is known for its unique, seafood-like taste, while king trumpet offers a savory, umami-rich profile, and Maitake, shiitake and oyster mushrooms bring their own distinct flavors and health benefits.

Monterey Mushrooms says it is introducing this line with top seal packaging made from rPET tills, crafted entirely from 100% post-consumer materials. The use of NIR colorant ensures these packages are fully recyclable, and top-seal packaging provides added protection to mushrooms throughout the supply chain, the company says.

Consumers Expect More From the Mushroom Aisle: Are You Delivering?

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 20:30:24 GMT

While still relished as side dishes and pizza toppings, mushrooms are stepping even further into the spotlight with a powerful combination of nutrition, flavor and versatility.

Growers, suppliers and retailers are creating campaigns that appeal to today’s health-conscious, plant-forward consumer; whether it’s promoting emerging varieties or leveraging influencer partnerships and functional food trends, the mushroom category continues to grow in more ways than one.

Changes in Consumer Perception

Consumer perception of mushrooms has hit a turning point, says Kelsey Coon, sales and marketing manager for Highline Mushrooms.

“Once considered a side ingredient, mushrooms are now recognized as a functional food, a plant-based staple and a fresh produce powerhouse,” Coon says. “Today’s shopper is informed, visual and values both nutrition and transparency — and they expect more from the mushroom aisle.”

Highline has also built a full ecosystem around its consumer: a new website, social campaigns, influencer content and retailer-ready digital assets that help get mushrooms in the cart more often, Coon says.

Amy Wood, president of the Mushroom Council, says consumer interest in mushrooms continues to grow, especially around their emerging cognitive health benefits.

“The Mushroom Council is building a new campaign that introduces younger consumers to mushrooms in an engaging way, connecting the dots between brain health, bold flavor and modern food culture,” Wood says. “You’ll also see us amplifying partnerships with influencers and content creators who can speak about mushrooms in fun, credible ways that resonate with today’s shoppers.”

Though interest in mushrooms remains strong, J-M Farms has noticed a slight dip in overall sales.

“That said, one trend that really stands out is a growing demand for larger pack sizes,” says McKinzie Koons, marketing and sales manager for J-M Farms. “It seems like shoppers are looking for better value and are using mushrooms more regularly in their cooking or wellness routines. We’re leaning into that by adjusting our product lineup and messaging to focus more on value, convenience and everyday use. The goal is to make mushrooms feel less like a specialty item and more like a kitchen staple.”

Consumer perception is complicated and is determined by a few factors, says Justin McLean, sales manager for Farmers Fresh.

“On one hand, mushroom consumption as a whole has declined since COVID, with rising overall food costs really impacting consumer purchasing. However, I believe over the last year we are starting to see that trend turn around with increased awareness of benefits from mushrooms, rising social media trends focusing on clean eating, dietary trend now as well with Ozempic needing high-protein and high-fiber diets, etc.,” McLean says. “Additionally, we as an industry are pushing for more awareness with consumers through social media partnerships and partnerships in the food service sector to have mushrooms moved more to center-of-plate.

The beginning of the year as a whole was slower than expected, but it wasn’t only for mushrooms, says McLean, adding that the broader impact was caused by concerns with tariffs and the subsequent fallout.

“Politics aside, consumer confidence and the uncertainty of everything are really affecting consumer purchasing habits in all areas. Tourism is down, people are making tighter decisions on their overall spending, etc.,” McLean says. “With the start of summer now and the “tariff situation” for North American trade somewhat sorted, it seems things have started to pick up again for some segments; retail and foodservice, however, some geographic areas are still not seeing the bounce back (like Las Vegas).”

Emerging Trends

Coon says demand for organic mushrooms is booming, especially in the Plains and Midwest, and the company is seeing a surge in interest for crimini mushrooms as home cooks get more adventurous and nutrition-conscious.

“Perhaps one of the biggest emerging trends is the intersection of mushrooms and GLP-1 medications like Ozempic,” Coon says. “As millions of consumers shift their eating habits toward low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods, mushrooms are uniquely positioned to deliver. We’re launching a dedicated campaign: ‘Highline Mushrooms: Your GLP-1 Sidekick’ to spotlight mushrooms as the perfect food ally. The campaign includes a digital landing page, recipe content, blogs, influencer partnerships and turnkey POS kits for retailers to bring it to life in-store.”

Wood says the Mushroom Council is seeing a growing population of consumers who are reaching for mushrooms to plus-up their convenient everyday meals.

“They’re making a simple mushroom sauté and adding it to instant ramen, frozen pizza and more. This ‘homemade-ish’ approach is popular among younger consumers who are more likely to assemble meals than cook from scratch,” Wood says. “The Mushroom Council will be tapping the power of influencers and social media to help provide more meal assembly inspiration where mushrooms can shine.”

Shoppers are growing a special appreciation for the brain health and cognitive benefits of consuming mushrooms, she adds.

“One way the Mushroom Council is fueling this momentum is by raising awareness about their prominent role in the MIND Diet, a hybrid of the Mediterranean Diet and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets,” Wood says. “It is an eating pattern that focuses specifically on promoting brain health and reducing the risk of age-related cognitive decline.”

Mushrooms are naturally a go-to ingredient for plant-based eating and recognized for their position as one of the most sustainably produced foods, says Wood, adding that the Mushroom Council continues to promote mushrooms within these trends through influencer marketing, PR and social media.

Organic is having a moment, Koons says, and mushrooms are right in the mix.

“Lots of growers are making the shift to fully organic crops as consumers look for ‘cleaner,’ more natural options,” Koons says. “People want to know where their food comes from, how it’s grown and what goes into it. The industry has always done a great job of being transparent about the ingredients/process, but labeling products organic adds to that.”

McLean says Farmers Fresh is seeing white and brown, whole and sliced in 8-ounce still in the top spots for all mushroom retail sales, but from a foodservice perspective, “we are seeing more interest in exotic and specialty mushrooms as restaurants are pushing for more unique and elevated dining experiences for their guests.”

What’s New

This year has been transformational for Highline Mushrooms.

“We overhauled our packaging to use clear, recyclable rPET tills across the board — giving consumers total confidence in freshness and quality,” Coon says. “We also introduced bold, color-coded label designs that use proven psychology to boost visual impact and guide shopper decisions.”

But innovation didn’t stop at packaging, Coon says. “We’ve also introduced campaign-ready POS kits that give our retail partners everything they need to execute in-store. Whether it’s National Mushroom Month, grilling season or GLP-1 education, we deliver shelf-ready displays, signage and cross-promotional materials to create impact at every touchpoint.”

Behind the scenes, Coon says Highline has invested in automation and Dutch-style growing technology, with construction underway on its organic-certified farm of the future.

“It’s a full-circle innovation story — from farm to shelf,” Coon says.

J-M Farms is seeing a big push toward ready-made or easy-to-assemble side dishes.

“This summer, the focus has really been on grill packs,” Koons says. “Consumers want convenience, and prepped mushroom sides and grill packs make an easy addition to dinner without all the prep work.”

Koons add that the Mushroom Council has done a great job of promoting the health and sustainability benefits of mushrooms for years.

“One big push for the wellness/plant-based trend has been ‘The Blend,’ which encourages consumers to blend portions of mushrooms with the protein of their choice,” Koons says. “Typically, 30/70 or 40/60, but really, it’s all about preference. This cuts cost, cuts calories, stretches meals further and incorporates additional nutrition into meals.”

J-M says it has the unique advantage of being right in the heart of things.

“Most mushrooms in the U.S. come from Pennsylvania, so we love reminding our customers that we’re the local option here. We’re proud to be part of the Made in Oklahoma Coalition and work hard to keep J-M a name people know and trust. Being local isn’t just about location, it’s also about community, and over the last 45 years, we’ve built a pretty special one,” Koons says.

Farmers Fresh has expanded its packaging options for customers looking for clear plastic trays over the more traditional black, in addition to its more recyclable and sustainable options like paper/cardboard trays. McLean says it’s also expanding into the top-seal format offerings.

“For us, the ‘What’s New’ is the exciting times we are in as an industry, as noted with the decline over the years in consumption, this year marks an initiative to drive consumers to increase buying of mushrooms as an industry together. All growers are collectively trying to push the idea of more mushrooms, while striving to produce a better product for the end consumer,” McLean says. “With retail chains reducing labor, product is sitting on shelves longer and not being rotated as much as it should be, so we as an industry have to strive for a better quality, fresher longer longer-lasting item that will still look good on the shelf for the end consumer.”

Mushrooms

5 Retail Actions for Sizzling Summer Mushroom Sales

1. Add Seasonal Signage and Digital Assets

2. Spotlight Value-Added Convenience

3. Educate Through Variety

4. Inspire with Meal Solutions

5. Prioritize Shelf Quality

Canadian Mushroom Growers to Fight ‘Deeply Flawed’ U.S. Subsidy Ruling

U.S. Case for Tariff Enforcement

Canadian Industry Warns of a ‘Deeply Flawed’ Precedent

Beyond Tariffs: The Dispute Over Farm Accounting Practices

Supply Chain Impacts and the Cost of Defense

Legal Timeline

Read more on this case:

Boosting Mushroom Sales Through Gen Z Marketing and Strategic Retail Pricing

Bridging the Generational Gap

Unlocking the Breakfast Opportunity

Maximizing Visibility and Value

The Case for the Family Pack

Efficiency as a Pricing Tool

Chef-Grade Fungi, Farm to Foyer: How Caputo & Guest Is Solving the Specialty Mushroom Last-Mile

Mushroom Council Elects Board Members and New Officers

Mushroom Council Calls for Nominations: 2027-29 Term

South Mill Champs' Lewis Macleod on Why Mushroom Automation is No Longer Optional

Innovation and Convenience Drive Growth at SEPC Southern Exposure

The Mushroom Paradox: Scaling Growth Through Logistical Precision

Spotlight on Logistics

Becoming More Predictable

Connecting With Consumers

Mushroom Council Debuts Mushroom Marketer’s Toolkit

What’s Inside the Mushroom Marketer’s Toolkit

How the Mushroom Industry is Demystifying Fungi for the Next Generation

Educating the Consumer

Mushrooms at Retail

Matty Matheson Brings Big Flavor to Mushroom Council’s Campaign

Modern Infrastructure at Heart of North American Mushroom Trade Dispute

A Procedural Step

Navigating the Levy Timeline

Investing in Shelf Life

New Leadership at Monterey Holdings

East Coast Produce Expo 2026 Rocks Hot Trends, Cool Produce and Olympic Gold

Commodity-Specific Trade War Battles to Watch for in 2026

Other commodities faced trade threats and dumping issues

Giorgi Invests in Modern Soils to Accelerate Regenerative Agriculture

Giorgio’s Grill Packs Win 2025 Joe Nucci Award for Product Innovation

Don Listwin Joins 4AG Robotics’ Board of Directors

Star-Powered Produce Shines at IFPA Global Show

Fresh Express Partners with Tiffani Thiessen

Mushroom Council Brings “The Bear” Celeb to IFPA

Wonderful Pistachios and Josh Allen Not Holding Back

AFM Names Rob Riggle ‘The Guac Guru’

Cucumber Social Media Sensation

Crunch Time Apple Growers’ Hall of Famer

Phillips Mushroom Farms Partners With Bandit To Launch Vegan Stuffed Mushroom

How AI is Revolutionizing Mushroom Harvesting

Riding the Mushroom Waves

Future Goals

Giorgio Fresh Taps Influencers to Bring the Brand to a New Generation

Monterey Mushrooms Awards $110,000 in Scholarships

Mushroom Council Targets Next Gen Consumer in New Campaign, Eyes $100M Sales Boost

Key elements of the new campaign include:

Visit at IFPA Show

Growers, Organizations Call Mushroom Antidumping Petition Claims ‘Baseless’

A Symbiotic Relationship

Grower Response

What’s Next

Monterey Mushrooms Unveils Specialty Mushrooms

Consumers Expect More From the Mushroom Aisle: Are You Delivering?

Changes in Consumer Perception

Emerging Trends

What’s New