Page 36 - January_2019

Mushrooms Still Growing
Consumers are experimenting beyond traditional white and brown staples and spreading their dollars across all varieties, from big to small.
BY DOUG OHLEMEIER
During the winter months, mushrooms are one of the go-to items for shoppers. On retail shelves, sales increase. As more people prepare home meals, shoppers look for wintertime meals that usually include mushrooms.
Mushrooms are topping food trends lists, thanks to their functional properties. Noting how nutrient-packed mushrooms are springing up everywhere — with consumer searches for mush- room recipes up 64 percent over the previous year — Pinterest named mushrooms one of 2019’s most trendy foods.
Mushrooms are experiencing increasing demand. According to e Mushroom Council, Redwood Shores, CA, for the week ending Nov. 4, 2018, mushrooms were up 6 percent over the prior 52 weeks, outpacing total produce, which increased 3.3 percent over the prior 52 weeks.
“Mushrooms continue to be a major consumer trend,” says Heather Harter, who heads the council’s industry communications. “Clearly, mushrooms are a growing category that have become a household staple. Retailers should be thinking about mushrooms year-round because their shoppers already are.”
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To capture sales, retailers and others recommend proper merchan- dising strategies. “It’s important to commit to the mushroom cate- gory because it enhances your overall image,” says Mike O’Brien, vice president of sales and marketing for Monterey Mushrooms, Inc., in Watsonville, CA. “ e savvy consumer will shop or eat at establish- ments that provide a full assortment of mushrooms that will ful ll their recipes or their culinary desires.”
PROFIT GENERATOR
Mushrooms don’t follow seasonal patterns. “Unlike many produce items, every season is mushroom season,” O’Brien says. “We must not forget the mushroom category is also a pro t-generator. As the mainstream consumer market embraces fresh mushrooms as a new household staple, category demand over the past several years has been increasing steadily across all categories, including restaurants, schools and retailers,” says O’Brien.
Ideal for entertaining and gatherings such as Super Bowl parties, mushrooms are a highly versatile item that can be incorporated into many recipes, says Greg Sagan, executive vice president of sales and