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merchandising review mushrooms
A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY
Although mushroom sales in total are slowly climbing, in some markets specialty and organic mushroom sales are exploding.
“The value of Shiitake, oyster, and all other exotics commercially grown specialty mushrooms sales in 2016-2017 totaled $96.2 million, up four percent from the 2015-2016 season,” according to the USDA report. “Growers produced 109 million pounds of mushrooms that were certified organic during the 2016-2017 growing season, 20 percent above 2015-2016,” according to the USDA report. “The total certified organic sales of all mushrooms represent eight percent of the 2016-2017 total mushroom sales.”
Sales of specialty mushrooms in general are increasing far faster than the category as a whole.
“Last year, at retail, value-added mush- rooms sales, which include stuffed mush- rooms, grew 19 percent year-over-year,” ac- cording to the Mushroom Council. “Pounds were up 17 percent.”
Gourmet Mushrooms has found sales in the more recent past to be growing at an even greater pace.
“Organic mushrooms are growing at 18
percent compared to last year, and specialty mushrooms, which is what we have, are grow- ing at 30 percent,” says Reyes.
Gourmet Mushrooms offers specialty va- rieties Alba and Brown Clamshells, Forest Nameko, Trumpet Royale, Velvet Pioppini, Nebrodini Bianco, Maitake Frondosa, and hopes to add a new crown jewel.
“We are growing cultivated Morel mush- rooms, which is pretty exciting,” says Reyes. “We hope to have them available for the hol- iday season.”
As another specialty SKU available during the grilling season, some shippers offer mush- room SKUs specifically tailored for kabobs.
“Kabobs are hot right now as summer grilling season is in full swing. Many retailers are creating their own value-added produce items and kabobs filled with whole Baby Bel- las and other fresh-cut vegetables fit right into that platform,” says Wilder. “When talking stuffed, things have evolved; Portabella pizzas are a perennial consumer favorite in the sum- mer, making produce seem a little indulgent.”
Background sources of information are helping to bring to the store more custom- ers who are open to persuasion on specialty mushrooms.
“Promotions and recipes get customers’ at- tention,” says Donovan of Phillips Mushroom Farms. “Recipes are becoming more import- ant to customers; it started four or five years ago and keeps growing. They are getting them from online, circulars and from dietitians in the store.”
If specialty mushrooms are to be on the menu, it makes sense to have an appealing, eye-catching display.
“Some diversity of offerings makes a good display,” says Gourmet Mushroom’s Reyes. “Our labels have different colors that stand out on the shelf.”
Retailers can get help sorting through a mountain of information to decide if a spe- cialty mushroom program would be profitable.
“The utilization of scan sales, purchases and shrink data and matching demograph- ics to your planograms [should be helpful],” says O’Brien. “Access to IRI or Nielsen data is also an important component of category management. We believe in partnering with our retail customers in collaborative category management. We offer a dedicated in-house team to work with our retail customers to help customizable planograms.”
As the category grows more complex, it
50 / AUGUST 2018 / PRODUCE BUSINESS