AMGA Journal Issue 4 | Summer 2023

Journal ISSUE 4/2022
SUMMER

THE BLEND AMGA
CONFERENCE
Summer Mushrooms + Mince 2022Growing the Future Together

AMGA attracted more than 150 delegates

CONFERENCE
2024

ANNOUNCED

#Mymushroomtoast

Cairns Café Crowned Winner

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CONTENTS

AMGA UPDATE 5
Message from the AMGA Chairman
AMGA Relationship and General 6
Managers report 8
The Blend

INDUSTRY

AMGA Conference 2022 + double page

image gallery and breakout stories 12

My Mushroom Toast 21

National Mushroom Day 30

MUSHROOM INDUSTRY EVENTS 35
AMGA MANAGED PROJECT UPDATES 36

EDITOR
Jacqueleen Brown [email protected]

ADVERTISING
Leah Bramich [email protected]

DESIGN
Jihee Park [email protected]
COPYRIGHT: All material is copyright to the AMGA

your blend “With our peat fields in northern Germany,
for life we are in control of an important part of
our production process. It provides more
certainty to our clients who we can deli-
ver our Topterra casing soils at any time.
Besides, our raw materials are directly
stored inside our location in Cuijk, which
ensures a consistent product.’’

Phil Badgery

Sales Manager Australia & New Zealand
+61 (0) 3 95555267
[email protected]

www.legrogroup.com

MESSAGE FROM THE
AMGA CHAIR

My past couple of months as Chair of the Australian ensured the conference was a success. I would also like
Mushroom Growers Association has been very busy. to advise that we have commenced planning for the
next conference to be held in 2024, so stay tuned.
It began with the finalisation and delivery of the 2022
AMGA Conference, which took place in my hometown of I look forward to continuing to work with the AMGA
Adelaide. The event featured an outstanding program board over the next two years, to continue to provide
with world class speakers and three well attended and strong advocacy for the best interest of our members
celebrated social events. It was fantastic to host one of on important issues from government, statutory levy
the farm walks and welcome the industry to the tour. and the broader supply chain. Together with your AMGA
board, we promise to keep improving the Marketing &
I was delighted that after four years we were finally able Promotions and Research & Development projects.
to bring our industry together for important updates and
networking. The theme of the Conference was Growing As always, I welcome a call from AMGA members at any
the Future Together, and I saw that come to fruition time, to speak about the issues that are important to
throughout the conference and believe this will continue you, your business, and our industry.
in working together to build our industry for the benefit
of all. Heading into the festive season and the new year,
it gives me great pleasure, on behalf of the AMGA
To reiterate my opening remarks on day 1 of the Board, to wish everyone a happy, healthy, and peaceful
conference, “we are not competitors, we are all in the Christmas and a prosperous New Year. I look forward to
same boat and should be trying our absolute best to seeing you all in 2023!
grow the world’s best mushrooms to compete with our
real competitors, onions, potatoes and every product in
the fruit and vegetable section, even corn flakes are our
competitor”.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all NICK FEMIA
our sponsors, supporters, speakers, delegates and
especially the conference organising committee that Chair, Australian Mushroom Growers
Association.

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Leah Bramich Compost, for allowing delegates uncensored access to
their operations.

AMGA Relationship & General Manager The conference also offered the opportunity for the
[email protected] | 0457 440 298 industry to hear directly from Hort Innovation CEO, Brett
Fifield, who opened the final day of the conference.
Can you believe it’s summer already? This has been an Brett informed delegates of the current changes within
extremely busy quarter for the AMGA staff and board, Hort Innovation, and the marketing team delivered the
and from all reports from members, the workload latest consumer insights and Australian Mushrooms
craziness seems to be relentless throughout all sectors marketing plan for the remainder of FY23 and proposed
of the industry. plan up to FY26.

After our annual membership renewals mid this year, I The AMGA have wrapped up the levy-funded
am sad to report our membership numbers have fallen, #MyMushroomToast foodservice campaign, which ran
due to a few farms falling under the pressure of supply from May to July this year. The multi-faceted campaign
chain issues and rising farm inputs. With the closure of was designed to encourage café’s to ‘add the mighty
Scato Plus, many smaller farms in Victoria, who were mushie’ to their menu offerings, as a delicious, profitable
reliant on compost blocks, have had to diversify, or and plant-forward alternative to the smashed avo. You
close entirely. There are a few farms listed for sale in can read more on the results of the campaign on page
other states, which is a sad aftermath of the relentless 22.
pandemic.
Mushrooms + Mince = The Blend is the next marketing
For some good news, Matt and Kylie O’Reilly from focus for the AMGA, which you can read about on
Richmond Mushrooms, who lost their farm due to the page 9. After the success of last year’s launch, AMGA
Lismore floods have started to re-build, beginning with has allocated $100,000 to this years campaign, with
their family home. Matt and Kylie were successful in a further $80,000 support via the Hort Innovation
securing flood assistance, for a small amount of funding, marketing fund, which is the first time HIA have co-
which Matt is currently using to re-build the home invested in an AMGA initiative.
himself. You can read the whole story in the previous
Issue 2/2022 – Winter edition of the AMGA Journal. I’ll The AMGA are pleased to announce that we are project
keep you updated on their progress. leaders for two new levy funded R&D projects, MU22001
which will build a scientific basis for a mushroom
It’s safe to say that the AMGA Conference in October food group in the Australian Dietary Guidelines, and
was a huge success. Thank you to all who attended, MU22009 – which will provide a review of research on
presented, exhibited, and sponsored. A final wrap up casing substrate alternatives, and a possible symposium
and photo gallery is included on page 13. I’d like to mid-2023. The AMGA now manages five R&D projects
personally thank the conference organising committee, for Hort Innovation, with two others completed in 2022.
AMGA Conference chair Nick Femia (SA Mushrooms), I hope we can announce more projects in the next
Brian Backhouse (Costa), Geoff Martin (Dr Mush edition.
Advisory) and Carmine and Michael Callisto (Global Axis
Import Solutions) for their time. These gentlemen are After such a busy quarter, the AMGA board, along with
extremely busy people in their own businesses, and their Jacquie and I are looking forward to a small break over
volunteer efforts are much appreciated. Christmas. We hope you and your teams can manage a
well earned rest, spend time with family… and have one
The AMGA Conference wouldn’t be the same without too many beers. I know I will.
the farm walks, which are only possible by generous
owners opening their doors. Thank you to the Femia As always, feel free to contact me at any time (yes, even
family at SA Mushrooms, and the Rogers family at Pure over Christmas!) if you need further information on the
AMGA's activities, or if you need assistance, advice or
connection on any topic.

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THE BLEND SUMMER
ENTERTAINING HAS
LAUNCHED!

BY JACQUIE BROWN, AMGA MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

The 2022 iteration of the AMGA funded consumer meat they eat. It’s no surprise that 57% of vegans
marketing campaign, Mince + Mushrooms = The Blend and 61% of vegetarians are millennials, but perhaps
has launched with a bang! a more interesting statistic is that 43% of Australian
meat-reducers are baby-boomers, with their primary
This year, the AMGA have allocated $100,000 to motivation for diet change being for better health.
the campaign, with a further $80,000 from Hort
Innovation to provide PR support. The campaign is all Recommendations from health authorities including The
about summer entertaining and adding mushrooms Australian Heart Foundation and the Cancer Council
minced meat BBQ meals. The primary aim is to Australia state that we should reduce our weekly intakes
educate consumers of the taste and health benefits to 350g, served up in 90-120g portions spread out
of substituting mince for finely diced mushrooms. The across the week, as studies show that eating too much
shift towards blended summer entertaining and BBQ red meat is linked to health risks including heart disease,
recipes positions mushrooms as the staple ingredient cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
for all minced meat meals and the ‘go-to’ for all home
entertaining menus. So, in a nation used to serving meals where meat is
the focus, the blend of mushrooms + mince ticks all the
The campaign also builds on recent research conducted boxes to help people reduce the amount of meat they
by Food Frontier that revealed one in three Australians eat while providing budget friendly, plant forward meals
are consciously trying to limit the amount of red that the whole family will enjoy.

RUNNING FROM DECEMBER 2022 UNTIL
MARCH 2023, THE CAMPAIGN AIMS TO:

Build On The Encourage Increase Sell More Encourage
Blend 2021 People To ‘Join Awareness Mushrooms Consumers To
Campaign The Movement’ Of The Blend During Summer Add Mushrooms
Technique To Their Summer
Entertaining And
BBQ Menus

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Again, targeting Australian home-cooks with average Competition #1 - Join The Blend Movement
to high income, families (mum and dad being the
meal providers) and seniors who place importance on • Awareness drive: consumers sign up to go in the
providing healthier meals for their families, the summer chance to win one of four Weber BBQ’s worth $949
mushroom + mince blend campaign will further educate each
them to increase their purchase intent for mushrooms.
This year the campaign audience has been broadened • Competition runs 1 Dec 2022 – 26 Jan 2023
with a stronger focus on the influential millennial
segment. Competition #2 – Get Blending

Millennials are considered a coveted demographic • Call to action: make one Blended dish, post to your
as largely, they are highly engaged, collaborative, Instagram or Facebook and #JoinTheBlend to win a
partnership-seeking individuals motivated by major prize
sustainability, world issues and causes and who are
pretty much, all on social media. They can influence • Competition runs 1 Feb 2023 – 15 March 2023
behaviours and trends and it is tipped that meat plant-
based alternatives are forecast to grow over the next Our beloved Mushroom Lovers Club subscribers who
few years, driven almost entirely by Millennials and Gen opted-in to receive recipes and health information from
Zers. According to a recent report by The NPD Group, the AMGA will also be contacted to spark their interest
these plant-based consumers seek a variety of protein in The Blend and to on share with their family and
analogues, flavour profiles, and formats. friends. They’ll receive new mushroom recipes and the
opportunity to enter the competitions.
THE BLEND CAMPAIGN ELEMENTS
A social media advertising spend has been allocated to
Aiming to steer the meat-eater who wishes to boost promote the competition, encouraging email sign ups
nutritional value of meals, those who are seeking ways and to further promote the cooking concept, educate
to reduce the amount of meat they consume and those the benefits and inspire people with recipes. There are
looking for plant-based alternatives towards the Blend also easy to make mushrooms plus mince recipes people
movement, the campaign features a heavy social media can make with their children.
and public relations focus. To influence on a national
scale within a small budget, the marketing strategy is To help promote the concept of blending mushrooms
solely PR and digital marketing with two competitions and mince, celebrity chef Adrian Richardson will return
aimed to build awareness and encourage people to as an ambassador with an updated blended recipe
‘Blend’. Consumers that sign up to the competition eBook featuring a suite of 20 new scrumptious summer
will be taken on an educational journey with email entertaining meals to make.
marketing and retargeting through social media as they
look to win: Adrian is a TV cooking personality and star of Good
Chef, Bad Chef and former cooking shows Secret Meat
Business and Boys Weekend, he is the owner of La
Luna Restaurant in Melbourne and author of MEAT.

Adrian has built his career by cooking
great meaty dishes, and his role as
ambassador is to reassure audiences
that cooking with a mushroom and
mince blend enhances the meaty
flavour, while adding juiciness to
minced meat dishes.

Adrian will be featured throughout the
campaign within our website, social
media and we will use his celebrity to
unlock media PR opportunities.

9

Other ambassadors such as AMGA Dietitian, Jane The campaign includes a Public Relations focus, with a
Freeman, will be engaged to connect with the food media launch event for key media slated to occur early
and health industry to deliver health and nutritional 2023 and will involve an interactive workshop with the
education throughout The Blend campaign. We are media guests and a market tour. Other public relations
aiming for article inclusions in major news outlets, as tactics will span paid media partnerships and influencer
well as in senior newspapers, parental magazines, and collaborations.
health professional media.
If you would like to access assets in your own marketing
Millennial consumers will be targeted via engagement initiatives, on mushroom packs, on mushroom-based
of online/social media influencers to assist in generating product packaging, please give me a call. We would like
awareness and encourage joining the Blend movement to see growers promote the concept of ‘The Blend’ and
across younger audiences and families. Their online assist to create this new ‘movement’.
endorsement of the Blend through authentic carefully
curated images and social media posts will provide Members can also access social media assets to co-
authenticity and user generated content that the AMGA promote the campaign and the two competitions on
can reshare. their own social media channels.

A Better Choice, the independent retailer division of It’s as simple as CHOP, BLEND, COOK!
Fresh Markets Australia, is delivering a double page
spread in the December edition of their magazine and
retailer activations.

The Blend 2022-23

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April

STRATEGY & PLANNING JOIN THE BLEND WEBER GIVEAWAY MAKE A BLENDED DISH COMP FINAL
WINNER WINNER SURVEY
CAMPAIGN WINNER

PRE-PITCHING MEDIA EVENT PITCH
WINNER
PR ORGANIC & PAID MEDIA
FINAL
EDMS AQUSITION & EDUCATION SURVEY REPORTING

SOCIAL BACK END ADS & SPONSORED POSTS
COMPETITION & INFLUENCER REPOSTS
WINNER
ANNOUNCEMENT

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WIN ONE OF FOUR
WEBER FAMILY QS
WORTH $949 RRP EACH!
Simply scan the QR code below to enter!

MAKE ROOM FOR MUSHROOMS THIS SUMMER

Summer

MMAUDSEHWROITOHM2S5!%

LEARN TO BLEND WITH ADRIAN RICHARDSON & GO IN THE DRAW!

TO ENTER
Scan the QR code or visit our website & download Richo’s
Summer Mushrooms + Mince Blended Recipe e-book for a

chance to win one of four Weber Family Qs.

BLENDITARIAN.COM.AU

Competition period 1 December 2022 to 26 January 2023. Australian residents only. Full competition rules and conditions are available on our website.
The Blend and Blenditarian are initiatives of the Australian Mushroom Growers Association, the national peak industry body for mushroom farmers.

AMGA
CONFERENCE

2022

BY JACQUIE BROWN, AMGA MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

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The 44th AMGA conference presented a fantastic Showcasing 20 speakers, the conference brought
program, with farm tours, international guest together the best minds and innovators, and an
speakers, Australian research providers, an exhibition, impressive up of national and international presenters
and two exciting networking events. The national to present information and updates on issues crucial
industry conference provided a key mechanism to to the industry. The design of the conference program
transfer technical information to the industry through specifically enabled:
international and domestic keynote speakers, exhibitors,
and sponsors. With over 150 delegates hailing from • Professional development and learning.
nine countries (New Zealand, Ukraine, Netherlands,
UK, Germany, Spain, Poland, Sri Lanka, Australia) • Networking with speakers, sponsors/exhibitors, and
attendees representing growers, suppliers, research and other delegates
development agencies met in Adelaide for the three-
day event from Wednesday 26 to Friday 28 October • Farm visits for firsthand learning opportunities.
2022.
With the theme of the Conference being Growing
The jam-packed program including three sponsored the Future Together, there was emphasis on working
social events provided valuable opportunities to together to build the industry for the benefit of all.
showcase the research capability of the industry, build
relationships and discover new ideas and practices. Positive and constructive feedback has been received
from delegates, sponsors and exhibitors. This invaluable
feedback is being used as the basis to inform the next
AMGA conference to be held October 2024.

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THE CONFERENCE • presentations from selected RD&E providers into
their research efforts aimed to improve productivity
The Honourable Minister for Small and Family Business, and safeguard our industry.
Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs and Minister
for Arts, The Honourable Andrea Michaels MP, officially This year the conference approached some aspects of
opened the AMGA Conference on 26 October 2022, the program differently and instead of providing gifts
which was a great opportunity to demonstrate high to speakers, the AMGA Conference donated $5,000 to
level government support for the sector. worthy charity, Rare Cancers Australia (RCA). RCA is a
is a charity whose mission is to improve the lives and
Around 157 people attended the daily conference health outcomes of Australians living with rare, less
sessions on both Thursday and Friday 27-28 October, common, and complex cancers.
lured by the exciting prospect of hearing from an
impressive array of national and international
presenters. Over the two days, growth was looked at in
its broadest sense, not just industry and technological
growth but also political and economic with experts
addressing current industry issues, new ideas, trends
and success stories.

The program included presentations on:

• efficient harvesting systems, including advances in
robotic picking,

• issues surrounding the sustainability of European
Casing and possible adjuncts to this vital
commodity,

• insights into marketing to stimulate increased
demand,

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THE FARM TOURS

The conference was kick started with the Farm Tour
event on Wednesday 26th October. Around 150
delegates visited two of South Australia’s state-of-the-
art facilities, Pure Compost in Port Wakefield and SA
Mushrooms in Virginia providing a fantastic educational
and networking opportunity. The BBQ lunch was
sponsored by the Commonwealth Bank.

Pure Compost

SA Mushrooms
Commonwealth Bank
Luncheon

15

THE COSTA NETWORKING DINNER

Situated on the rooftop of one of Adelaide’s most
historically significant buildings, 2KW Bar + Restaurant
was the venue for the COSTA networking dinner
providing ample opportunity for people to make new
and re-establish old connections. This provided a great
opportunity for the 156 attendees to connect prior to
the start of the official conference program which was
welcomed by all attendees.

Brian Backhouse, Costa Group

THE SYLVAN GALLERY GARDEN
GALA

The Sylvan Gallery Garden Gala sponsored by Sylvan
Australia saw 165 guests taken on a guided tour of the
gallery, through to the garden, where they dined under
a clear marquee with elegantly decorated long tables
as a jazz band entertained. Semi-formal in nature, the
event was conducted in an informal style to allow a free
flow of networking.

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THE SPONSORS AND EXHIBITION Thank you to all our speakers, sponsors, exhibitors,
supporters, session chairs and the organising committee
Numerous sponsorship and exhibition packages for their work in compiling an outstanding program.
were developed to deliver a variety of interactive
opportunities to profile organisations, products and
equipment to the Australian mushroom industry. Those
talking up the packages were:

• Event Partner - Hort Innovation

• Platinum Sponsor - Sylvan

• Gold Sponsors - Costa Group and Commonwealth
Bank

• Silver Sponsors - Christiaens Group, Alpen
Enterprises, Legro Australia, GTL Europe, Global
Axis Import Solutions, Amycel Spawn, Redox, Argo
Projects

• Bronze - Dynamic Electrical Systems Australia,
Hoving Holland, Harte Peat, Kekkila BVB, Growtime

• Supporters – Vierribi, Dr Mush Advisory, Ronic
International, Alpie

The exhibition, open Thursday 27th and Friday 28th
October, was an essential part of the conference
offering a platform for sponsors to meet directly with
owners, managers and key farm personnel of the
Australian Mushroom industry, the exhibition space
provided 21 key industry suppliers with the opportunity
to meet one-on-one with decision makers. We greatly
appreciate the support from the AMGA Conference
2022 sponsors, which allowed AMGA to provide an
outstanding program at a reasonable registration fee.

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“It was our pleasure to host the mushroom farm walk as part of the 2022 Australian Mushroom Growers

Association here in Adelaide. In order to bring our fantastic industry family together we strongly feel that

being open and transparent and discussing all the challenges that all mushroom farms face is the only way

forward. WE ALL must strive to have the world’s best mushrooms available to our customers, so they are

encouraged to give mushrooms more space on their shelves and have more delicious mushrooms on their

menu “ - Nick Femia, SA Mushrooms

“Costa was proud to support one of the industries in which we play such a big part. It was great to see so

many friends and colleagues from around the country and the world coming together to celebrate the mighty

mushroom! The cocktail evening was hosted at an amazing venue with fabulous views of Adelaide! It is hoped

that the AMGA and wider industry can deliver the necessary change over the coming years to make our

industry stronger and more sustainable for all participants!” - Brian Backhouse, COSTA Group

“On behalf of the Sylvan Australia Team, I would like to extend our gratitude and thanks for your participation
at the Adelaide Mushroom Conference. It was an amazing 3 days and a successful event. Thanks to all
speakers for being part of our conference and sharing your knowledge with us.
It was a great opportunity to see people who have been in the mushroom industry for a long time and meet
new faces who are just starting their adventure in the mushroom business.
Many thanks to Pure Compost and SA Mushroom teams for the excellent organization of “farm walks” and
hospitality at their facilities.
Thanks to AMGA for the fantastic work in organizing this event. Your efforts to every little detail have greatly
contributed to the success of this event. Thank you for being so helpful in organizing the Sylvan Gallery
Garden Gala. Great Job, everyone! See you in two years!”
- Tomasz Kuczmaszewski, Sylvan

“Hosting an AMGA event such as a farm tour gives you the opportunity to showcase what it is that you do
and how you do it. It gives other members of the industry an opportunity to view how compost is made or
mushrooms are grown on other facilities which promotes fresh ideas for those attending. The biggest benefit
of opening your doors for a farm tour is the appreciation that you receive from the attendees for allowing
them into your business. This appreciation is often shown by them offering to open their doors for you to visit
their facilities which is always a nice gesture.”
- Jaylon Rogers, Pure Compost

Mushroom emptying unit with Compact+ Picking lorry
casing separator Due to the good results, we delivered a lot of picking lorries to our satisfied customers.
The emptying unit with casing separator This picking lorry is going up and down automatically and the big advantage of this lorry is
is an emptying conveyor, winch and that the picker can handle this lorry completely by herself. Scan the QR code to see the
casing Separator combined as one movie of our picking lorry!
hydraulic driven unit for emptying
growing rooms. It also enables www.mushcomb.com
separating compost and casing.

To view the AMGA
Conference 2022
highlights reel, scan
the QR Code

RARE CANCERS – OUR AMGA SAVE THE DATE
CONFERENCE 2022 CHARITY
45th AMGA Conference will be held in
For the last 10 years, RCA has supported those with no
straightforward path through their cancer journey, and October 2024
worked to drive change in access, affordability, and
quality of care for the patients of today and tomorrow.

That might look like working with patients and their
oncologists to help them access the latest treatment
options or connecting them with specialists who have
a particular interest in their rare type of cancer. It also
involves just being there for people, to listen and to
understand. Every person is different, and every cancer
is unique, so whatever matters to each patient is what
matters to RCA.

A key achievement of the charity is the launch of a All donations received from AMGA will go towards the
patient fundraising platform, which has helped people important work of the RCA Patient Support Team. From
raise over $4 million in donations to help afford non- helping patients to access specialists and treatments,
subsidised therapies and out of pocket costs, to help through to delivering support groups, connecting
soften the financial free-fall that a rare cancer diagnosis people with services, and providing financial assistance
can bring. RCA has also helped to influence the listing of particularly in times of crisis, the Patient Support team is
over 100 urgent, lifesaving or life-extending medications at the heart of what RCA does.
on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in
collaboration with patients.

With one too many of our industry’s own being touched
by cancer, the AMGA hopes that no one should have
to go through their cancer journey alone. Thanks to the
AMGA Conference donation, many Australian families
facing a rare cancer diagnosis won’t have to.

Acknowledgment and thanks also goes to ACFS (a key
industry transport partner) who also, as a show of good
faith, donated an additional $5,000 to Rare Cancers
Australia.

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#MY MUSHROOM
TOAST CAMPAIGN

is a Hit with Cairns taking
out the Crown!

BY JACQUIE BROWN, AMGA MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

The #MyMushroomToast campaign has delivered The My Mushroom Toast program culminated with
fantastic results in its mission to encourage cafes across a regional winner hailing from Cairns selected from
Australia to adopt a Mushrooms on Toast menu staple around 770 entries.
as a delicious, trendy and profitable alternative.
Guyala Café in Cairns was awarded the winner of the
Encouraging Australian Café owners to adopt #MyMushroomToast competition, which saw it beat 16
Mushrooms on Toast as a permanent menu item while other finalists for the crowning glory of Australia’s best
also educating owners about the benefits of the dish mushrooms on toast dish and a $10,000 cash prize. The
including mushrooms offer great profit margins, the winner was selected by the Project Reference Group
campaign spanned social media, public relations, a members comprised of highly experience food industry
chef influencer, Bondi-based Chef Jason Roberts and a professionals and café owners who were engaged in
campaign around National Mushroom Day! the campaign for their extensive industry experience.

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The masterclass clip
can be viewed by
scanning the QR Code

The winning dish, which is now a permanent addition to to their café menus, as an alternative to the smashed
the café’s menu, is made up of a delicious combination avo. Noting research revealed that 43% of Aussies who
of Australian Mushrooms, truffle and cashew pate dine out for breakfast believe that their café’s menu
layers on toast, dressed with goat’s cheese and pickled does not offer enough variety and they find themselves
red onion. Coverage appeared across multiple media bored and that 60% of Aussies who dine out for
outlets including Channel 7 Cairns on 14 November 2022 breakfast often state that new flavour combinations
with a national audience reach of 24,494.To further and taste sensations inspire them, the campaign was
explore and understand the Foodservice industries born to influence the opportunity for mushrooms to
approach to having a permanent mushroom on toast leverage this research and current diet trends in the
menu item, we developed a survey to gain valuable vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, meat-reducing, plant-
insights and encouraged participation through a forward, superfood and sustainability spaces. The goal
second chance draw for five lucky winners to win a $100 - MUSHROOMS to become a hero and staple ingredient
gift cards. for breakfast, brunch, and lunch within café menus.

#MyMushroomToast cafe beginnings Aligned with the overarching Café Culture campaign,
the #MyMushroom Toast approach included a broad
The #MyMushroomToast initiative was designed to sweep three-pronged strategy to attract various target
inspire café owners to add a mushroom on toast dish

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markets, increase awareness of National Mushroom Feta and Basil Oil. The event was attended by several
Day, boost consumer consumption of Mushroom Toast foodie influencers, with a combined following of 258.1k+,
dishes, amplify the My Mushroom Toast Foodservice and top-tier media outlets including Delicious, Taste and
competition and drive people to the Australian Eativity.
Mushrooms website.

The program highlighted the simplicity of using
mushrooms and inspired cafes to get creative.
Communication was focused on the mushroom offering
not only a quick and easy to cook, meat-free menu
option for diners, but also the great ‘value add’ options
for cafés to increase their profit margins and ultimately
encourage cafés to place more Australian Mushrooms
on menus.

The consumer integration complimented the foodservice
campaign to further grow awareness, reach and
support for the My Mushroom Toast campaign and
was delivered by a simple consumer competition
asking consumers to share a photo to social media
of their favourite Mushrooms on Toast dish at their
local cafe. This also helped to encourage Aussie cafés
to hero mushrooms in more dishes, with the incentive
of a national competition to determine the best
#MyMushroomToast.

To celebrate the launch of the #MyMushroomToast
campaign, media and foodie influencers were invited
to a #MyMushroomToast cooking masterclass hosted
by internationally renowned chef Jason Roberts. Café
ambassador, Jason Roberts was chosen by the Project
Reference group to present the educational resources
and attend PR events given his strong following, industry
connections and experience. His role, to help inspire
Aussie cafés to change it up
and encourage Aussies to order
a fresh spin on a classic menu
item when dining out and opt for
Mushrooms on Toast.

Across 90 minutes, attendees
learnt how to cook, prep and
experiment with the Mighty
Mushie. Plus, they cooked two
delicious #MyMushroomToast
dishes - Miso Butter Mushrooms
and Cavolo Nero on Toasted
Ciabatta and Balsamic
Mushrooms on Sourdough Toast
with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes,

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As well as learning new Australian Mushroom recipes, • My Mushroom Toast Recipe Cards with around
Jason Roberts and AMGA’s Leah Bramich ran a Q&A 125,000 recipe cards being distributed.
with attendees. They answered questions and gave
insight around the numerous nutritional benefits of • My Mushroom Toast Educational Videos on the
mushrooms, the distinct umami flavour profile, and new food service section of the website to assist
interesting facts around how mushrooms grow in Café owners with recipes, menu versatility ideas,
a sustainable way. By working through the recipes profitability tips and more.
together, the attendees learnt how quick and easy it
is to prep and cook with mushrooms. The event, which The competition kicked off with a heavy focus on
was hosted at Sydney Seafood Cooking School, received
some excellent feedback: a social media strategy to engage entrants in the

“That was such a fun event, thank you” #MyMushroomToast campaign including the tag and

“I’ve been prepping my Mushrooms wrong this whole win competition, resulting in over 1million impressions
time - thank you so much for educating me!”
and reaching around
“What an excellent morning. I loved putting my personal
touch to my Mushroom on Toast.” 285,000 people which

Key marketing collateral was developed to support the delivered over 750 entries
campaign and distributed throughout the foodservice
network offering a great opportunity for cafes to get to the competition. Social
creative with mushrooms and have the chance to win
$10,000 for their cafe. The aim was to deliver resources media influencers also
to help cafés easily incorporate mushrooms into their
regular menu: picked up and ran with

My Mushroom Toast Masters Cafe Edition Booklet the #MyMushroomToast
- filled with menu engineering tips, cost on a plate
information, dish inspiration and more. Around 20,000 initiative promoting their
booklets were distributed to key cafes and food service
providers. recipes on their channels. Do you have a great Mushrooms on Toast i
Using a strong acquisition dish on your menu? Well… share it! b
• My Mushroom Toast Cafe Competition flyer -
explaining how cafes can win $10,000 for their cafe, You could win $10,000 to spend in your café,
just by cooking with mushrooms for the Café to thanks to Australian Mushrooms!
spend within their business.
and education

strategy with

amplification across

the consumer

competition, social

outreach and the

integration of

National Mushroom

Day, the campaign

delivered strong results.

METRIC ACTUAL

Impressions 1,032,356
Reach 289,024
Links Clicks 3,633
CTR (link clicks) 0.35%
CPC (links) $4.96
Cost per lead form $38.40 (overall average)
Form Submissions Total 745
Entry rate % 19.1%
No. Comp Entries 142
Email – Open Rate 34.19% (overall average)
Email – Click Through 9.8% (overall average)
Rate

24



The approach was to avoid long ad copy and include Industry was further reached via:
the key competition elements to the creative and link
ads to the website landing page creating a more • Collaboration with UniLever including information
seamless journey for the audience. and links to the booklet and competition in their
Breakfast-themed eDMs distributed to chefs with
ANALYTICS an audience of 10,331. Total opens 2,381.

1,930,914 TOTAL AD IMPRESSIONS • Retail partnership through A Better Choice
inspiring retailers to develop a mushroom display
1723 AD REACTIONS that included consumer targeted recipe cards
(provided by AMGA) and inviting any retailers that
433 COMMENTS ON ADS incorporated a café instore to participate in the
#MyMushroomToast competition. Over 50 entries
261 USERS SAVED ADS were received.

386 AD SHARES The evaluation stage including an industry survey post
program to show the effectiveness of the campaign is
25,000 LINK CLICKS almost complete. Plans for extension strategies for 2023
are being explored as we nudge closer to taking the
crown from the smashed avo.

196,846 CLICKS TO AUSTRALIAN

MUSHROOMS WEBSITE

FROM ADS

Media stories focused on mushrooms on toast as
the new go-to for brekkie were pitched to trade and
consumer media with the Smart Daily (Herald Sun, Daily
Telegraph, Courier Mail) printing an article that reached
over 2.4million people. Banner ads and editorial across
other mediums including Broadsheet and Urban List
linked back to the Foodservice Competition landing
page driving people to the website and generating
further awareness of the campaign.

The promotion of the campaign at the Queensland
Food Service Expo to help launch it to the industry
provided a bespoke platform to directly engage with
industry and give them firsthand knowledge of the My
Mushroom Toast program and the dedicated Food
Service section of the Australian Mushrooms Website.

Delivering face-to-face engagement with cafe owners,
chefs and cooks and enabling cooking demonstrations,
mushroom education and product sampling, the ‘Food
and Hospitality Queensland’ expo held at the Brisbane
Convention Centre, aligned perfectly with the project
campaign period. Participation included branding on
promotional materials, promotion on social media and
via Email newsletters (over 45,000 subscribers) and
an exhibition stand for product demonstrations and
sampling.

26

BRIEF Page 2

Australian mushrooms promoted
across a range of media

ice
ooms

AUSTRALIAN MUSHROOM
GROWERS ASSOCIATION

Mushrooms on toast
- a better choice

27

28

Global Axis Import Solutions is Global Axis understands the significance
a proud family owned Australian of providing valued products on time,
business ‘making it happen’ since every time. This has been our strength
1988. We offer a comprehensive range consistently over the last 30 years, and will
of high-quality products and services, continue to be our focus.
predominantly the distribution Get in touch,
of growing substrates for the Carmine Callisto
mushroom, berry, and horticultural Managing Director
industries. This includes the supply of: Global Axis Import Solutions

• Mushroom casing
• Sphagnum peat moss
• Specialised peat-based growing

mixes
• Coir peat
• Mushroom growing supplements
• Mushroom spawn
• Fungicides, larvicides, &

disinfectants.

(08) 8277 1040 Stay updated
[email protected] Connect with us today!
www.globalaxis.com.au

NATIONAL
MUSHROOM DAY

BY JACQUIE BROWN, AMGA MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Saturday, October 15, 2022, saw National In the lead up to National Mushroom Day, the Australian
Mushroom Day celebrated across various mediums Mushroom Growers Association, White Prince Group,
in Australia with the #NationalMushroomDay and Nutrition Research Australia, Venessa Barnes and Adam
#AustralianMushrooms hashtags inviting people to Moore hosted a fantastic and informative mushroom
join the conversation. Reminding us to honour the farm and compost farm tour, finished off with an eight-
mighty mushroom, the campaign shouted out the health course lunch extravaganza at the Australian Hotel and
benefits and fabulous taste of the mushroom inspiring Brewery featuring mushrooms in each dish.
and encouraging people to create and share their own
mushroom on toast dish along with any cooking tips Taking a broad approach to reach as many people
and plans they had for the big day. as possible, the strategy included a paid partnership
with Broadsheet and Urban List to celebrate National
We utilised National Mushroom Day to increase general Mushroom Day. The publications posted articles
awareness and increase consumer consumption of detailing the ‘Five Best Mushrooms on Toast Cafe
Mushroom Toast dishes and amplify the My Mushroom Dishes’ and a ‘Guide to Mushrooms on Toast in Your City’
Toast Foodservice Competition. articles across their national publications with recipes
from the Australian Mushrooms website to generate
consumer demand and get the buzz happening

30

National Mushroom Day date triggered EDMs with
targeted and relevant content to two distinct audience
segments, foodservice and consumer.

Leveraging the opportunity to engage people via an
influencer campaign, numerous social media influencers
shared and posted their favourite mushroom recipes
with instructions and images to show how easy it is
to add mushrooms to your day. The food influencers
from different states around Australia were shortlisted
according to their previous posts (foodie based), family
focused, or whether they were home cooks/chefs.

about the day. By hyping their audiences with articles A levy funded cooking spot with Studio 10 aired on
filling them in on everything they need to know about 13 October featuring celebrity chef and Australian
celebrating this monumental and delicious day, the Mushrooms ambassador, Jason Roberts cooking his
publications also promoted the Mushroom on Toast signature #MyMushroomToast dish live in the studio,
competition to encourage reader’s local cafes to create with AMGA Deputy Chair board member, Georgia
a signature mushroom dish using white Agaricus cup Beattie, sharing how mushrooms grow. They talked all
mushrooms. They also encouraged readers to share things Australian Mushrooms and prepared a delicious
the mushroom love on socials by using the hashtags miso butter mushrooms and cavelo nero recipe on
#NationalMushroomDay #MyMushroomToast toasted ciabatta. The segment reached over 57,000
#AustralianMushrooms. people on Network 10 and was reshared across various
social platforms including Jason Roberts own channels
including his Instagram channel where he has around
72,000 followers.

#NATIONALMUSHROOMDAY2022

31

Scan the QR Code to
watch

A further partnership (levy funded) with the A Better • Hahndorf Fruit and Veg Market (SA)
Choice engaged a network of over 600 independent
retailers to promote National Mushroom Day including • Tony & Marks (SA)
social media coverage, mushroom recipes via email
and a retailer engagement competition to award prizes • Adelaide Fresh Fruiterers (SA)
to the best National Mushroom Day display in store.
Stores received #MyMushroomToast recipe cards to • Fruits of Envy (VIC)
give away during October to assist with the promotion
and encourage sales. The A Better Choice partnership • Queen’s Harvest (VIC)
competition for participating retailers delivering an
instore display saw just under 60 retailers enter. Retailer To announce National Mushroom Day to A Better Choice
communications were sent out to all states in the week audiences, a consumer EDM campaign was executed
prior to and leading up to National Mushroom Day with to over 180k+ subscribers. The campaign highlighted
information on the competition as well as reinforced recipes from the Australian Mushrooms site and
with SMS messages. Five winners were selected to delivered good results including 59,402 opens and 2,092
receive a $200 hamper each: link clicks with the best performing recipe being Creamy
Mushroom Toast.

Several events took place in South Australia, including
radio features and an event in the market. A live
interview ran on Radio Italiano to feature Mushrooms
and promote National Mushroom Day. This also
included a giveaway of a tray of Mushrooms to one

59k+ 180K 608

EDM OPENS CONSUMER RETAILERS
EDM REACHED
51k
03
IMPRESSIONS
MEDIA EVENTS

32

lucky listener. This segment was recorded live and The final component in the National Mushroom
streamed to Facebook. Day campaign was a Hort Innovation funded radio
campaign in the week leading up to National Mushroom
An in-market event occurred on Friday 14th of Day. Radio ads played across the SCA Network with the
October promoting National Mushroom Day at the tag “This Saturday is National Mushroom Day Add the
South Australian Produce Market. We also secured a Mighty Mushie” reaching 2.9million people. This saw
10-minute interview on ABC Breakfast radio. mushrooms and National Mushroom Day promoted on
2DayFM, Triple M Sydney, FoxFM, Triple M Melbourne,
To celebrate National Mushroom Day social media B105 Brisbane, Triple M Brisbane, SAFM Adelaide,
channels (Facebook/Instagram) were leveraged for Mix94.5 Perth and Triple M Perth.
the week leading up to the 15th October as well as a
reflective on the 16th October. Content included posts Have ideas for National Mushroom Day 2023? Send
featuring Mushroom recipes, promoting our audience them through!
to celebrate National Mushroom Day by purchasing
Mushrooms from their local Fruit and Veg store to cook
on national mushroom day at home.

2DayFM Over 2 million
Triple M Sydney people reached
via the radio
waves

B105 Triple M Melbourne Mix94.5
Brisbane Perth
SAFM
Triple M Adelaide
Brisbane
Triple M Perth
Triple M
Brisbane FoxFM

33

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COVERAGE

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34

INDUSTRY EVENTS

10th International Conference On worldwide, with usually some 100 20TH ISMS and 26TH NAMC
Mushroom Biology And Mushroom exhibitors and 3000 visitors from 80 CONFERENCE
PRODUCTS (ICMBMP) – countries. 26 – 29 Feb 2024
15 to 18 March 2023 JW Marriott Resort & Spa, Las Vegas
University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 16th European Conference on Nevada, USA.
Malaysia Fungal Genetics https://www.isms.biz/ More details
Info: [email protected] Tel: Sunday 05 March to Wednesday 08 coming soon.
+603-79676703 March 2023
Innsbruck, Austria
Dutch Mushroom Days https://www.ecfg16.org/
10 to 12 May 2023
Brabanthallen Den Bosch
The Dutch (International) Mushroom
The Dutch Mushroom Days is the
biggest and most spectacular
international tradeshow for
the edible mushroom industry

Adv. Christiaens_7.25"wide x 4.75"high-ENGELS-DEF.pdf 1 09-06-2022 14:41

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35

AMGA MANAGED,
LEVY-FUNDED
PROJECT UPDATE

MU22001 – Scientific basis for a mushroom food MU20000 – Food Safety
group in the Australian Dietary Guidelines • New AMGA Testing program has been launched
• Project will begin January 2023
to Industry, funding one full suite of tests per
MU21008 – Australian Mushroom Industry mushroom business, per year.
Conference
• Final weeks of ticket sales • The Mushrooms Safe education program is
• International and local speakers confirmed and developed and will be released to industry soon.

ready MU20006 – Crisis and Reputation Management
• Sponsorships finalised • 3 Podcasts have been recorded, which will be
• Social events finalised
available on the Mushroom Link website
MU20003 – Educating the food industry about
Australian Mushrooms • Industry media training complete: Leah Bramich
• Food Industry Insights Report Compete – Available (RGM), Nick Femia (AMGA Chair) and Clare
Hamilton Bates (AMSAFE committee and Food
via the AMGA Document Library Safety)
• Case-study interventions to be completed by
MU20501 – Grassroots Product Demonstrations and
January Events (Marketing)
• Lesson plans for TAFE Curriculum being discussed • 20 on the ground events compete
• Farm tour resources are being developed
• 100,000 fold out recipe cards distributed

• Project now complete

• due for re-launch in March to May 2023

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36

MU20502 – Infiltrating Café Culture  (Marketing) • Competition Win $10k for your Café awarded
• Foodservice program developed • PR component complete
• Over 680 entries received
• Food Service Expo QLD Complete • Due for re-launch in March to May 2023

• Educational resources and Training Videos
completed

40 Australian Mushrooms Journal | 2019 (3) 37

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