Tasty Transition

What retailers need to know about the fetching fungus.

Few items in produce have the seasonal flexibility and culinary reach of mushrooms. "Spring is the best opportunity to shift merchandising practices with mushrooms," says Katie Preis, marketing coordinator for the Mushroom Council in San Jose, Calif. "Their versatility allows them to complement both winter comfort food and light summer cuisine."

As consumers look to shift from heartier fare to lighter spring salads and grilling, consider cross-merchandising mushrooms in the meat department, advises Preis. Portabella mushrooms are a delicious alternative to burgers, and a natural fit for "Meatless Monday" promotions, she continues.

If available, mushrooms can be a flavorful local vegetable for spring promotions, before other local produce is in season, adds Preis.

Mushrooms have seen a surge in popularity in recent years. According to the Mushroom Council, in 2012, the percentage volume of mushrooms sold at retail (1.35 percent) greatly outpaced total produce for the year, which came in at 0.60 percent.

This summer, the council will seek to boost those sales higher still by hosting its first ever consumer-oriented recipe contest, which is designed to "encourage consumers to 'top it and swap it' with mushrooms," notes Preis. "The contest will be primarily focused on our thriving and engaged social networks, calling contestants to purchase mushrooms at retail and develop original recipes."

Topline Report Highlights

Mushroom mania is sweeping the nation. According to the Mushroom Council's Topline Report detailing sales from the 52-week period ending Dec. 2, 2012, national mushroom retail dollars were up 1.7 percent, with the Northeast representing the largest share of total mushroom retail dollars, at 24 percent of the national total. The Southeast, up by 4 percent, experienced the largest retail dollar growth over the prior year.

In terms of mushroom types, browns outperformed whites, increasing 2.7 percent in retail dollars for the 52 weeks ending Dec. 2, 2012. Crimini retail dollars grew 2.5 percent, while the Portabella outpaced them all, with a 3.3 percent uptick in retail dollars.

Gone in 60 Seconds

While they're actually available for three to four weeks, to fans of fungi it'll feel like just a few precious moments. We're talking about spring's fresh morel and porcini mushroom season, which begins in May and lasts about a month for fresh morel, and a bit shorter for fresh porcinis, according to Joe Salvo, president of Ponderosa Mushroom and Specialty Foods in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia.

"It's really important to bring attention to the fact that fresh morels and porcinis are so seasonal," notes Salvo. "They need to be front and center in the produce department and tied in with other mushrooms."

Ponderosa is offering both fresh morels and fresh porcinis in 3.5-, 6- and 8-ounce packaging. This spring, the company is adding recipes and serving suggestions to the 3.5-ounce packages of both varieties of fresh mushrooms. "Recipe and serving suggestions," says Salvo, "really help to sway the customer who isn't quite sure how to prepare fresh mushrooms."