Journal WOMEN OUT WEST THE TREND IS TO BLEND ISSUE 5/2023 AUTUMN Breaking Grass Ceilings Summer Blend Campaign Update WELCOME TO THE SHROOM BOOM
2
CONTENTS EDITOR Kura Antonello [email protected] ADVERTISING Leah Bramich [email protected] DESIGN Jihee Park [email protected] COPYRIGHT: All material is copyright to the AMGA AMGA UPDATE Message from the AMGA Chairman 5 AMGA Relationship and General Managers report 7 Introducing Kura Antonello 8 AMGA MARKETING UPDATE The Trend was to Blend this Summer 10 – The Blend Campaign update INDUSTRY Women breaking the ‘Grass’ ceiling out west 18 We Need To Put Our Oxygen Mask On First 22 Welcome to the Shroom Boom 24 Mushroom Industry Events 26 LEVY FUNDED AMGA MANAGED 28 PROJECT UPDATE
your blend for life At Legro, we think it’s important to listen to our clients. It all starts with a conversation to find out what a customer needs, followed by the right advise and aftercare. Haven’t you found the right solution yet? We are happy to think along with you. Contact me or one of my colleagues. Phil Badgery Sales Manager Australia & New Zealand +61 (0) 3 95555267 [email protected] www.legrogroup.com
I trust that all our members had a great start to 2023. My past couple of months as Chair of the AMGA have been very busy indeed. INDUSTRY INSIGHTS From an industry perspective, growers continue to feel the pressure from the current operating climate and persistent bad weather. Mushroom prices have been jumping around since last December. There was the usual oversupply after Christmas with pricing increasing through January and just starting to soften in February. The industry continues to suffer from labor shortages, but I am hopeful this issue will continue to improve month by month. Heavy rain in some states is causing a shortage of straw resulting in huge price increases. This will all have direct implications to our growing costs which will need to be passed on to our customers. A new exotic mushroom farm has opened in SA, reported to have an annual production forecast of 20,000 tonnes. The company is reported to be growing shiitake, oyster, enoki, king oyster and lions mane, and well as processing and cooking in pre-packed mushroom burgers, mushroom balls and sausages. Combined with the exotic grower in FNQ who is due to start production next month, the AMGA will need to consider the impact to the A.Bisporus market, and the reputational risk to the industry, should a problem occur. Delays for inspections of casing and supplement imports at Port Botany continue to cause challenges for the industry. The department has promised the recruitment and training of more inspectors this month. HORT INNOVATION UPDATE In early December last year, the Strategic Industry Advisory Panel (SIAP) and Marsh Lawson Research Committee members attended an in person ‘ideation workshop’ at the Hort Innovation head office in Sydney, to begin the Mushroom industry Annual Investment Plan FY23/24. The 5hr meeting included a review if the R&D financial forecast and Strategic Investment Plan MESSAGE FROM THE AMGA CHAIR NICK FEMIA Chair, Australian Mushroom Growers Association. 2022/26 gap analysis. The group discussed current challenges and opportunities for the industry, and top-level ideas for industry investments. In May this year, SIAP will meet to endorse R&D programs deemed valuable to industry. We are still in negotiations with Hort Innovation regarding our preferred Industry Advice Mechanism. Our focus continues to apply pressure to Hort Innovation to improve collaboration with industry. Late February, Hort Innovation CEO, Brett Fifield, and members of the HIAL board attended the EvokeAG event in Adelaide and while they were in town, they requested a tour of SA Mushrooms. The tour was informal with the intent to familiarize the Hort Innovation executives and directors with the mushroom growing process, to further highlight the unique challenges the mushroom industry face. Brett Fifield and I have set up quarterly meetings with our RGM Leah Bramich and the Hort Innovation team in an effort to keep communications open. AMGA MATTERS The AMGA recently appointed Kura Antonello, who has taken over the Marketing and Communications role. Kura comes from an agricultural background, with strong experience in marketing, public relations and digital media. She is also the daughter of a secondgeneration vegetable grower from Werribee South, the salad bowl of Victoria. Kura commenced in midFebruary, in encourage all members to make contact with Kura directly for all marketing related matters. As always, I welcome a call from AMGA members at any time, to speak about the issues that are important to you, your business and our industry. 5
sylvaninc.com Better Colonised Better Results SPRINT™ A Combination of High Yields, Excellent Quality, Piece Weight & Shelf Life TUSCAN™ 820 Patent Pending Helping Growers Maximise the Value of Their Crops
… and in the blink of an eye, Autumn is upon us. This has been a very busy few months for the AMGA. December being particularly busy due to Hort Innovation new project releases and project reporting, along with the launch of the AMGA funded ‘Blenditarian’ campaign, of which we are excited to share the results. Some good news for 2023, after a recruitment process over the Christmas/New Year break, the AMGA has appointed a new Marketing and Communications Manager who started in mid-February. Apart from Kura’s multiple university degrees and impressive marketing career, as you will see in Kura’s column, she is an exceptional storyteller. Combined with experience in journalism, a family history of growing, and a love of mushrooms, Kura is well placed to lead the AMGA Marketing and Communications for the association, to ensure we leverage every possibility to promote mushrooms to the masses. We are very lucky to have found Kura. I encourage you to reach out to her directly with any questions or suggestions for our marketing moving forward. As Nick mentioned, the ‘brains trust’ of the industry were assembled last December for a face-to-face ‘Mushroom Fund Ideation Workshop’ in Sydney, with most AMGA Directors, the Strategic Industry Advisory Panel (SIAP), Marsh Lawson Research Committee representatives, key researchers and levy payers in attendance. Within the ideation workshop, the panel reviewed the R&D finances and the Mushroom Strategic Industry Plan (SIP), and together, we explored the SIP gaps and the emerging risks and opportunities for the industry, to help form R&D investment recommendations. The ‘Ideation workshops’ are a step forward for Hort Innovation’s efforts to consult and collaborate with industry, however as attendees, SIAP and AMGA Directors will likely attest, there are more improvements needed in the process. Hort Innovations R&D team will present the investment recommendations for SIAP endorsement before May 30, who will review and endorse the new investment recommendations. If you have any questions regarding this process, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Inspection issues at Port Botany continued over the Christmas period, with lengthy delays causing great Leah Bramich AMGA Relationship & General Manager [email protected] | 0457 440 298 stress on supply and increased demurrage fees. The department have advised that 17 new staff commenced in January and a similar number to start in February. The effects of the new workforce are yet to be experienced. Imported enoki mushrooms are back in the food safety spotlight in the US, promoting FSANZ to contact the AMGA to gain an understanding of the exotic market and associated risks here in Australia. In 2020, the US experienced an outbreak of listeria due to imported enoki from China and Korea, which resulted in 36 reported illnesses and 4 deaths. In November 2022, another outbreak occurred, causing nationwide product recalls. Imported Enoki products remain the most recalled product in the USA. The AMGA are pleased that FSANZ are looking into the safety of imported fresh mushrooms, as from a consumer perspective, ‘mushrooms are mushrooms’ with no differentiation between species or origin. If a food safety incident of this magnitude were to unfold here in Australia, it would cause significant reputational damage to our entire industry, resulting in loss of consumer confidence and significant loss in sales. As mentioned in Nicks column, a large-scale exotic mushroom farm has opened its doors in SA, forecasting it will produce 20,000 tonnes/pa and employing 350 people. Epicurean Food Group https://www.efgroup. au/ also specialise in producing gluten free, dairy free vegan foods, and plan to manufacture mushroom meat products (patties and sausages) as well as mushroom powders and mushroom jerky, for domestic and international markets. EFG appear to have partnered with Capenghil mushrooms. With whispers of more significantly large mushroom farms opening in the next few months, it seems like the time to bring exotic growers into the fold, and in particular, into the statutory levy. The AMGA have made it a priority to explore this, and I am interested in hearing members opinions. Read more about the epic rise in exotic mushroom popularity in the Welcome to the ‘Shroom Boom article. Let’s hope the next quarter is filled with sunny days, the appropriate amount of rain, and steady prices. As always, feel free to contact me at any time if you need further information on the AMGAs activities, or if you need assistance, advice or connection on any topic. 7
The last time I addressed an assemble of growers I was six years old. It was 3am, the week before Christmas and I was standing on a pallet jack at the old Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Marketing in Footscray, mustering up the courage to sing “We Wish you a Merry Christmas” to the passing merchants, forklift drivers and bleary eyed customers as they buzzed around my families stall. I wasn’t in it for the fame. After years of attending the market with my dad, I realised that farmers were quite generous in the early hours of the morning after selling out, or making lucrative deals with a new retailer. I took advantage of that sparkle. I could spot a cashedup grower from miles away. They were always whistling, with an espresso in hand and pockets full of notes head tightly together with thick rubber bands. I bet you remember the type? Sometimes I sang, sometimes MEET KURA 1 2 3 4 1. My sister and I testing out the 4-Wheeler. 2. Packing Cauli’s on the farm. 3. With dad on the forklift at 2 years old 4. I used to love planting seedling with the old rotaryhoe. 5. During my time as Digital Marketing Manager for the Teenage Mutant Ninga Turtles 6. Winning a Good Design Award for a marketing campaign on Safety Kura Antonello AMGA Marketing & Communications Manager [email protected] | 0419 650 778 8
I danced, and sometimes I practised my Italian in order to impress, but whatever the endeavour I was always rewarded for my effort. Now, some 30 yeas later, I feel as I though I have returned home, joining the AMGA as the new Marketing Communication Manager a role that I honestly believe was made for me. My name is Kura Antonello, and I am thrilled to be penning my first AMGA Update for you all. I am the daughter of a second-generation market gardening family and an esteemed Marketing Manager with over 15 years of experience growing some of the world's most popular brands and properties. I have extensive experience representing global brands across TV, radio, digital & live events, and experiences within the Australian market, I promise you that while I won't subject you to my singing, I will unleash the same entrepreneurial spirit and "let's just get sh*t done" attitude that I believed is needed to be successful in this role. My experience has seen me work in PR teams for ANZ and Cadbury, to winning a Good Design Award, and spearheading digital campaigns for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at Nickelodeon. I was the speech writer for my local mayor, Marketing Manager for the global brand Little Tikes, and lead the crisis management effort for a reputable children's car seat manufacturer whose seat belts came undone when driving (yes, that was fun). Five years ago I also built my own career mentoring business that saw me brave the stage at 87 high schools and Universities across Australia, teaching young people the importance of personal branding and networking when starting out. I have a Degree in Public Relations and a Masters in Digital Marketing, and apart from my serious love affair with mushrooms, I am most excited about combining my strengths as a digital marketer and storyteller, to create multi-channel campaigns so juicy and compelling that Australians won't be able to ignore their rightful place on the dinner table in every home across Australia. Since commencing this position in the middle of February I have been immersed in the latest consumer data and I have attended the launch of the FY21/22 Hort Innovation Statistics Handbook to ensure I am up to speed with the latest industry insights. I have taken over the management of the Blenditarian campaign and have Mushrooms in Schools firmly in my sights (what a great program!). In early March, Leah and I had a two-hour meeting with Bart Minor, President of the Mushroom Council and their Marketing Manager Lindsay Evans, with multiple ideas for international collaborations. I have been working hard to quickly get up to speed and understand the many and varied projects funded by the AMGA and those of Hort Innovation. My first priorities include, enhancing member communications and reviving the regular ‘Mushrooms for Health’ media communications with our AMGA Dietitian. As a former journalist, I see great opportunity for our industry to continue to secure media to promote the unique health, nutritional and culinary benefits of mushrooms, with an ‘always on’ approach to reach the masses. My mind has been flooding with ideas, campaigns, events, taglines, collaborations and PR opportunities that I would love to execute to further build a robust industry. I welcome your ideas too if you would like to share them. I am so excited and proud to be part of the growers community again. To swap my heels for Blunstones and get my hands dirty for this incredible industry. I believe this is only just the beginning, and I look forward to meeting with you as the year progresses. Thank you for the warm welcome. 5 6 9
The AMGA’s Summer marketing campaign Mushroom + Mince = The Blend launched in December 2022 and its core focus is promoting mushroom and mince blended recipes for Australian summer entertaining. The meaty three-month campaign concludes on 15 March. Due to the delay in the journals’ print and distribution, this report is written on March 1, in the campaign’s final weeks, a full wrap-up report will be provided in the Winter edition. Despite not being over at the time of publishing, we can already see that the campaign has enabled us to acquire new ‘Blenditarians’ and re-engage our exiting mushroom lovers to educate them on the benefits of cooking with Mushroom + Mince = The Blend. The $180,000 campaign is separate from the marketing initiatives of Hort Innovation and has been funded by the AMGA ($100,000) with support from Hort Innovation ($80,000). ABOUT THE BLEND After almost a decade of success by the Mushroom Council in the US, The Blend launched in Australia in THE TREND WAS TO BLEND THIS SUMMER 2021. The Blenditarian website www.blenditarian.com. au promotes the 5 key benefits of using a mushroom and mince blend, explains how easy it is to ‘chop, blend and cook’, and inspires consumers to Add the Mighty Mushie to everyday meaty meals, with over 50 delicious mushroom + mince = The Blend recipes. The Blend is designed to make mushrooms a staple in every home-cooked minced meat recipe. No matter what you are cooking - spaghetti Bolognese, tacos, meatloaf, or burgers, substituting some mince for mushrooms is an easy way for the home cook to achieve their nutritional goals, just by substituting a portion of mince for finely diced mushrooms. The campaign seeks to engage existing mushroom lovers to provide a new way for them to use mushrooms on one more meal occasion each week, and to encourage our low mushroom users, families with small kids, to use The Blend as a ‘stealth health’ way of providing more delicious and nutritious meals for their families. BY KURA ANTONELLO, AMGA MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER 6 Benefits of Mushrooms + Mince = The Blend 10
2022-23 BLENDITARIAN CAMPAIGN FEATURES This year’s campaign continues to build momentum from the 21-22 Blenditarian launch, with a focus on reengaging and inspiring our previous campaign entrants, our mushroom lover subscribers, and acquiring new ‘Blenditarians’ to teach them how easy it is to chop, blend and cook. It’s one thing to promote the concept of mushrooms and mince and inspire with recipes, but will our Aussie consumers adopt the cooking technique? With the support of celebrity chef Adrian Richardson to reassure audiences that the meaty taste remains, and AMGA Dietitian, Jane Freeman providing nutritional advice, this year’s campaign focused on acquisition, education, and ACTIVATION through two consumer competitions, a PR outreach, retailer involvement, and food service activation. Competition 1 – Download Richo’s Summer Blended Recipe e-book, for your chance to win one of four Weber Family Q’s! Through a hefty paid social media (Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok), social retargeting, and email marketing campaign, consumers were invited to enter the draw to win one of four Weber Family Q’s ($949rrp), just by signing up to download Adrian Richardson’s NEW Summer Blended Recipe E-book. The recipe book features 20 new blended recipes for summer entertaining, the benefits of the blend, and how-to instructions. After signing up, entrants embarked on an automated digital remarketing journey for constant messaging to ensure the cooking concept is understood. This was achieved through an educational retargeting campaign through Facebook, Instagram, and email, with each entrant receiving videos and recipes via social media. The frequency was eight emails sent throughout six weeks. Just add mushrooms! More healthy, tasty and juicy recipes at www.blenditarian.com.au Summer MAKE ROOM FOR MUSHROOMS THIS SUMMER 20 BLENDED RECIPES INSIDE MADE WITH 25% MUSHROOMS! RECIPE E-BOOK 11
Competition 2: Blend, Snap, and Share – Show us your favourite #BlenditarianRecipe for your chance to win $10,000 Cash! After re-engaging last year’s entrants - our Mushroom Lovers and finding new ‘Blenditarians’ through competition 1, we now had a collective database of 54,279 to engage with and a strong call to action to inspire their Blended dish creation. Through a substantial paid social media advertising and retargeting campaign, and email campaign, both existing and new Blenditarians were provided the chance to win $10,000 just by sharing their mushroom and mince blended recipes on social media. The entry mechanic was simple: • BLEND – your favourite Mushroom and Mince recipes • SNAP – a photo of it • SHARE - on your own social media channels for your chance to win. Entrants are required to explain the ratio of mushrooms to mince used and use the hashtag #BlenditarianRecipe and tag @AustralianMushroomGrowers for a valid entry. The competition is designed to prove that Aussies will embrace the Blenditarian concept, but also taps into the collective network of personal social users. A viral wordof-mouth recommendation from a friend, that The Blend is both nutritious and delicious. With the results of the competition on track to achieve our set KPIs, the competition is proof that Aussies are embracing the concept of Mushroom + Mince = The Blend. Interestingly, our best-performing social ads for this campaign have come from TikTok, which has generated over 195,000 page views and 87,000 unique page views of the competition page. It is not surprising to see that TikTok performs so well, as we predicted that this competition would attract a younger audience and the results have proven so. 12
ALDI STICKERS ON MUSHROOM PUNNETS A true highlight of this campaign was the execution of the exclusive on-pack promotion with Aldi. Orange Blend, Snap & Win stickers were applied to all mushroom punnets that were delivered to Aldi stores nationwide, for the entire month of February. Traditionally Aldi stores are difficult to engage with in a promotional activity, due to the lack of point-of-sale and display opportunities in-store. They are therefore rarely engaged for produce promotions, so Aldi were especially keen to be involved in this promotion. So much so, they allowed stickers on their white label packs without charge to the AMGA. A very special thank you to growers who applied these stickers also without charge. The total cost of the Aldi sticker promotion was under $5,000 – no bad for a nationwide, month-long activation of over half a million punnets. Sticker artwork, with dynamic QR Code Stickers on Swiss Brown Punnets Blended Recipe Competition Entries 13
THE BLEND CHEFS EXPERIENCE - FOOD SERVICE ACTIVATION In early February, Venessa Barnes of FoodLogic (on behalf of the AMGA) hosted a food service activation ‘The Blend Chefs Experience’ at Le Culinaire Hospitality Institute in Sydney, inviting a diverse group of 25 attendees from the food service sector, including highcalibre executive chefs, food service educators, and commercial cookery students. The impressive guest list included Tim Wesley, Suman Maharjan and Glenn Tabudlo (ALH Group), Anthony Flowers (ACCOR), Amanda Fuller (Sam Prince Group), Bernice and Simone Stubbings (The Star Entertainment Group), Karen Doyle (ACF), Edwardo Espinel (Australian Turf Club), Clare Van Vurren (Bloodwood Newtown), Kit and Ashraf (Coya restaurant), Steven Biviano (Select Providores) along with the course directors and students from Le Cullinaire. Venessa provided an overview of the culinary benefits of using a mushroom and mince blend, Chris Tolson from White Prince explained how mushrooms grow, and AMGA Nutritionist Jane Freeman explained the health benefits of mushrooms and a mushroom + mince blend. The group cooked a variety of blended dishes and enjoyed a networking lunch on the rooftop. The event received coverage in the trade publication, FoodProcessing.com.au https://www.foodprocessing. com.au/content/food-design-research/news/makingroom-for-mushrooms-1086889437 Post event, a trade release which was published on What’s New in Food Technology and Manufacturing. Left to right: Clare Van Vuuren (Bloodwood Newtwon), Le Culinaire Student, Steven Biviano (Select Fresh) Left to Right: Kavi Harrydoss (Hurricanes), France Rechichi (Buvetti), Chris Tolson (White Prince), Simone Stubbings and Bernice Colcomb (The Star Entertainment Group) Tim Archibald, Chris Tolson, Loreli Franchesco and Matthew Fensom of White Prince, showing the process of how mushrooms grow. WATCH A VIDEO OF THE EVENT 14
PR ACTIVATIONS Food Media Cook-along with Adrian Richardson With celebrity chef Adrian Richardson continuing as an ambassador for The Blend this year, the AMGA held a virtual cooking class for influential personnel from foody media. Each media attendee received a delivery of fresh mushrooms and other ingredients, a Blenditarian apron, and a mushroom brush, everything they needed for Adrian’s signature blended recipe, ‘Nonna’s Mushroom and Beed Blended Spaghetti and Meatballs”. Cooking live from his home kitchen in Victoria, Adrian hosted an hour-long cook-along class, taking attendees step-by-step, explaining how to finely dice the mushrooms, the benefits of cooking with a mushroom and mince blend, and sharing a lovely story about the spaghetti and meatball recipe that was handed down by his Nonna. “Even though we have substituted some mince for mushrooms to make it healthier, it still tastes like Nonna used to make.” Eight media titles attended the event, including representatives from Better Homes and Gardens, 7News.com.au, Kidspot, The F, Prevention Magazine and Australian Healthy Food Guide and we saw some great social coverage go live on their social media accounts, as well as an article and recipe in Kidspot and an upcoming piece in Women’s Day (on sale April 24). PR Next steps PR will continue after competition 2 closes, with a focus on obtaining chef Adrian Richardson, and Nutritionist, Jane Freeman, new media opportunities. PAID MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS Paid partnerships with online news giants Mamamia, Broadsheet, and Pedestrian went live on February 1 and beyond. Each of the outlets was required to write an article about the benefits of being a Blenditarian and share a blended recipe. These were shared on their popular social media channels. Each outlet included display advertising to promote the Win $10,000 cash Blenditarian promotion, for the duration of the competition period. Mamamia Article shown during the campaign period with the competition display. Mamamia Article shown during the campaign period with the competition display. 15
A Better Choice were engaged as media partners again this year. ABC are the independent retailer marketing group, who form part of Fresh Markets Australia. The paid media partnership includes extensive social media posts on the ABC channels, and via their email database, which shared both of the competitions as well as blended recipes. With the launch of the new A Better Choice Magazine, The Blend was featured across six pages, sharing the competition, Mushroom + Mince = The Blend editorial, and recipes. This beautiful magazine is a keepsake, as it is filled to the brim with delicious recipes. It’s distributed for free online and as a hardcopy, with 150,000 magazines distributed across 750+ independent retailers, nationwide. As a result of the ad, the QR code was scanned 2,134 times, to download Richo’s summer Blended recipe RECIPE E-BOOK A reminder that The Blend™ and Blenditarian® words and logos are registered trademarks of the AMGA, and are available for members to use in your own marketing initiatives, along with the recipes and website. The purpose of the trademark is simply to block other veggies (like carrot and zucchini) from using The Blend words. All Blenditarian assets are available for Australian mushroom growers to use on your own website, recipe cards, social media or product development - with prior permission from the AMGA. To find out more, or if you need a copy of the logos or high-resolution recipe images, please reach out to Kura Antonello, AMGA Marketing and Communications Manager via [email protected] 40 Australian Mushrooms Journal | 2019 (3) BLENDITARIAN TRADEMARK & RECIPE USE FOR GROWERS 16
40 Australian Mushrooms Journal | 2019 (3) 17
WOMEN BREAKING THE ‘GRASS’ CEILING OUT WEST BY PAULETTE BAUMGARTL (AHR) It is exactly under these challenging conditions that a mushroom operation in Perth’s Casuarina is flourishing. Costa Group’s WA mushroom farm in Perth’s urban fringe is possibly one of the most women-forward horticultural businesses in Australia, with 76% of its 270 workforce women. As the world unites to celebrate international women’s day (IWD) 2023, it is refreshing to see an example of this once male-dominated sector embracing diversity while continuously putting steps in place to stamp out inequality. The women at this particular mushroom farm are flourishing and playing a vital role in meeting demand under sometimes unique and challenging conditions, including during COVID when the state was isolated and ‘imports’ of people and product were all but impossible. Most levels of the operations are led by women, including Jessica Toth, WA’s State Manager and Deniz Kansak, HR Manager. Out in the compost yard, women are equally represented, with Elizabeth Byleveld supervising compost production at Costa’s Nambeelup yard (the only female yard supervisor in Australia) and women dominating the forklift crew. Liz was hired as a Costa Cadet in 2017 and has worked across four main areas, including phases 1, 2, and 3 compost, pre-production, growing, and harvesting before transitioning full time as Compost Yard Supervisor - a highly specialised and critical role in the mushroom growing facility here in WA. Liz is just one example of women not only entering the industry, but staying, learning, and thriving. HORTICULTURAL INDUSTRIES ARE FAST PACED WITH DEMANDS ON BUSINESS OWNERS AND WORKERS EVER CHANGING. THE SECTOR DEMANDS AGILITY AND RESILIENCE OF ITS LEADERS AND A ‘THINK ON YOUR FEET’ APPROACH OF ITS WORKERS. FACING THE IMPACTS OF GLOBAL EVENTS AND SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES IN EQUAL MEASURE, THE ONE CONSTANT IS THAT THE DYNAMICS ARE EVER CHANGING. Jessica herself is a testament to the opportunities available to young women, having grown up in the industry, worked in the growing rooms, and supervised pickers to her current role as State Manager, WA. Likewise, Deniz began her journey in horticulture as a pre-pack operator before commencing her university degree, moving into a junior HR role during her studies, which led to her promotion and relocation to lead HR for the state. These women are examples of a successful grassroots program, demonstrating the endless opportunities within this sector, especially when programs to address diversity and inequity continue beyond the initial recruitment. Deniz Kansak, Costa Group HR Manager and Jessica Toth, Costa Group WA State Manager SEE LIZ IN ACTION 18
Both Deniz and Jessica are quick to note the importance of a positive workplace culture for their team and have well and truly ‘sent the ladder back down’ to encourage and foster growth for young women. Both women strive to be collaborative and fair leaders, empowering their junior staff. “Our goal has always been harnessing the skill set and ambition to bring people up regardless of gender,” Jessica said. Although she is quick to note that women are indeed great at multitasking, gentle on the equipment, and willing to give everything a go. As HR manager, Deniz is committed to creating a workplace culture where all this ambition feels possible in reality, not just in theory. “Our goal is to create an inclusive work environment that has no barriers or limits to what is possible,” Deniz said While neither necessarily set out to create a womendominant workplace, the strong female representation across the roles illustrates women are capable in a diversity of jobs. “We can cast our net wide when recruiting, which is particularly useful in the current environment with major staff shortages impacting the industry. In most cases we know we can accommodate various needs in terms of day and hours worked because we are doing it already,” Deniz said. As for advice for young women considering a career in the mushroom industry, both agree that the opportunities are endless. “The industry is unique and will require many skilled workers as the world scrambles to feed more people with less resources,” Jessica said. But it’s not just in the growing room or compost yard. In finance, HR, management, quality, and safety roles, the work is important and rewarding”. THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY AND WORKPLACE CULTURE If COVID brought anything positive to this WA operation, it was an improved workplace culture as the team were forced to look inwards for support and recruit within their teams. This has created a group of flexible workers, some of whom are equally at home picking mushrooms, as they are driving a forklift, or in the office “This flexibility enables women to work and balance families as well as carry out roles that are traditionally male dominated. We look to promote within, creating a safe learning environment to thrive and opportunities for promotion,” Deniz explained. 19
“Knowing a little about your co-workers’ roles also fosters empathy within the team.” In the spirit of building a workplace community, the team run monthly events, including cultural events, which recognise the diversity of the workforce, for example showcasing culture through cuisine. The site also operates the ‘Casuarina Wellness Centre’ a monthly event to improve vibe, mental health and for enjoyment in the workplace. “We have very high participation in events, illustrating that our workplace is a safe space for everyone, regardless of gender, background, or role within the organisation,” Deniz said. MUSHROOMS AND THE COMMUNITY The good news stories from the Casuarina site do not stop at the workplace, with this dynamic team recognising the importance of the local community. Seeing a disconnect between school-aged children and healthy eating habits, the farm opens its doors to school groups, where they learn about how mushrooms grow, nutritional benefits and what it’s like to be a mushroom grower. “We also sponsor the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation together with Coles, to support the foundation to teach children to not only understand where food comes from and how it grows but also help form healthy food habits from a young age. We have supported the foundation for three years with tomatoes and this will be our second year for mushrooms,” Jessica said. Further to this, the team invite year 9 students into the farm, as part of a collaboration with the state’s Department of Education, to illustrate the science of mushroom growing, as well as highlight careers in horticulture. From inspiring young women to be part of the future workforce, to encouraging and nurturing current staff, the team at Costa’s WA mushroom facility have created a workplace that is efficient, well-staffed, and happy. Jessica believes their secret is not necessarily about being female led, but rather a team that is balanced and well-harmonised. “Our women don’t always fit the traditional mould, but are intuitive, unique and bring their own perspective and drive to our workforce”. For Deniz, the satisfaction comes from observing the unspoken appreciation that is apparent within the team. As for #embraceequity, the theme for IWD 2023, both women believe that when it comes to equality it’s everyone’s responsibility to teach our children and future generations that gender doesn’t define the role you choose to play in life. ABOUT COSTA WA MUSHROOMS Costa WA produces over 80 tonnes of mushrooms per week. The mushrooms are grown, handpicked, and graded for quality, then packed and delivered daily, all within 24 hours of harvest, supplying both loose mushrooms for self-select, and prepackaged mushrooms in whole or pre-sliced punnets for quality and convenience. 270 76% 24% TOTAL EMPLOYEES FEMALE MALE 67% ESL 80t/week TOTAL PRODUCTION 20
Global Axis understands the significance of providing valued products on time, every time. This has been our strength consistently over the last 30 years, and will continue to be our focus. Get in touch, Carmine Callisto Managing Director Global Axis Import Solutions Global Axis Import Solutions is a proud family owned Australian business ‘making it happen’ since 1988. We offer a comprehensive range of high-quality products and services, predominantly the distribution of growing substrates for the mushroom, berry, and horticultural industries. This includes the supply of: • Mushroom casing • Sphagnum peat moss • Specialised peat-based growing mixes • Coir peat • Mushroom growing supplements • Mushroom spawn • Fungicides, larvicides, & disinfectants. (08) 8277 1040 [email protected] www.globalaxis.com.au Stay updated Connect with us today! 21
I want to tackle the ‘P’ word. As the chairman of the AMGA but also as a grower, husband, dad, and business owner, I am concerned. When I joined the AMGA 25 years ago there were 150 farms, and now there are less than 50. The word profit has become a dirty word, but it’s actually the oxygen that keeps us going. The purpose of business is to make a decent profit decently. As growers, it is our responsibility to talk about profit. Profit is a good thing for business, without it we are in deficit. It drives our economy and keeps people employed, it allows us to invest in our staff, so they can put their children through school, pay for that wedding, and contribute to keeping Australians fed and healthy. Let me ask you this. Why did you get into this business in the first place if it wasn’t for profit? If being profitable is so bloody important, why do we dare say it in front of our staff, suppliers, or customers? Aren’t they the ones we need to be profitable for? PUT YOUR OXYGEN MASK ON FIRST BY NICK FEMIA – SA MUSHROOMS My thoughts can be summarised as: • We have a responsibility to our customers; that they can make a profit on our product. • We have a responsibility to our suppliers; they can’t serve us if they don’t make a profit. • We have a responsibility to our customers; we can’t serve them if we don’t make a profit. • We have a responsibility to our banks; we can’t expand if we don’t pay our bills. • We have a responsibility to our staff; they have children to feed and educate. • We have a responsibility to our families; it’s our job to provide them with the life they deserve and become accustomed to. • We have a responsibility to our consumers; we can’t grow one of the healthiest foods on the planet if we are not making a profit. As growers in a $434.2M a year industry that employs 1,500+ people, our collective livelihood is at stake, and we must put our oxygen mask on first. We have a responsibility to remain profitable and to do that we must at the very least keep up with inflation. 22
While we still need to grow a healthy, stable, and reliable product, our cost of casing has increased 80% due to freight and this year’s straw supply is costing us 30% more due to floods, as well as many wage increases. It’s our job to educate our wholesalers and retailers about the rapid and severe cost increases that our industry is facing. The price only reduces because we let it. Look at the cost of mushrooms at your local grocer. If retail mushroom prices are at $14,99 or $16.99 a kilo, why is the wholesale price varying so much, again because we let it happen. The only people who can make a change is us. Our responsibility We are an island where fresh Agaricus mushrooms are not imported. We are not Europe, where mushrooms are sold from country to country and the cheapest price gets the deal. If we oversupply product and undersell (price), we only have ourselves to blame. Retail pricing We shouldn’t be worried that raising prices will slow down growth. Cast your mind back a few years when mushrooms were retailing for $4.99kg. Never in our wildest dreams would we have thought that the retail price would easily get to $14.99kg or more, but here we are. Point of sale Wouldn’t our retailers sell more if loose mushrooms were sold by the 100 grams, not by the kilo? Wouldn’t it make sense for the price ticket to read $1.49 per 100g (or 14.99kg) like cheeses and other items in the supermarket aisle? I mean, when was the last time you saw anyone buy a kilo of mushrooms? Maintaining price and profitability is not a luxury, it’s our responsibility. It’s the quality of the mushrooms that determine the number of sales, not the price. Horst - The Netherlands • +31(0)77 399 95 00 • [email protected] • www.christiaensgroup.com • Increases picking effi ciency • Facilitates ergonomic working • Suitable for existing and new farms • Expandable with (semi) automation solutions at the packing area MORE INFO SCAN QR THE POWER OF COMBINED EXPERIENCE YOUR PARTNER FOR ADVANCED PICKING TECHNOLOGIES THE DRAWER SYSTEM THE TILTING SHELVES • Maximise your harvesting performance • Minimise your maintenance • Safety & ergonomics • Sustainable & future proof • Expandable with (semi) automation solutions at the packing area • Big data & robotisation
There is no doubting that the ‘Shoom Boom'w is here. Mushroom popularity has exploded in recent years, not just here in Australia, but on a global scale. Named by The New York Times as ‘ingredient of the year’ for 2022, edible fungi have had a significant rise in fame, particularly it seems, post pandemic. A recent report by US business consulting firm Grand View Research predicts that the value of the global mushroom market will jump from $55 billion to $116 billion by 2030. It seems the whole world is finally waking up to the wonders of fungi, and we are experiencing a kind of ‘mushroom renaissance’, with brand new interest from a new generation of young mushroom lovers. There’s no surprise that these newfound fungi obsessions are driven by the health and wellness movement, and a desire for more sustainable food sources. It’s almost as though mushrooms are being discovered for the first time - while being celebrated for their unique ‘tribal’ nutritional properties and ‘antient’ medicinal powers. Mushroom products, like extracts and powders are taking the world by storm, with a promise of delivering more powerful mushroom nutrients in a more convenient way and for a lower cost. TikTok has gone mad with people adding all manner of exotic mushroom powders in their coffee, tea and after gym protein smoothies, often not stopping at just one powder, but adding a concoction of lion’s mane, turkey tail, reishi and cordyceps. This mushroom powder cult following is driven by the belief that these powdered ancient WELCOME TO THE ‘SHROOM BOOM' BY LEAH BRAMICH – AMGA RELATIONSHIP AND GENERAL MANAGER The Shroom Boom is here. So, how do we harness the shroom boom trend, and what potential risks does it pose? 24
superfoods will give them immunity, eternal health, and even ward off the odd evil spirit or two. (OK, that’s a total exaggeration, but you get my point!) Of course, there’s also psilocybin, which has now been approved for clinical trials in Australia, which is to be used in conjunction with psychological therapy in an effort to treat depression. The first legal crop has been approved to grow in Western Australia, which has nabbed global media attention. For more proof of the ‘Shroom Boom, fungi related documentaries have become extremely popular, particularly on Netflix. Let’s not take into account that unflattering mini-series about the mushroom maneating zombie apocalypse, however. As more and more media outlets jump on the mushroom trend bandwagon, all this media attention (good and bad) further perpetuates the worlds fascination with fungi, not only from an edible perspective, but medicinal as well. SO, WHAT ABOUT FRESH MUSHROOMS? This epic rise of mushroom culture can arguably be attributed to the newer generations (Millennials and Gen Ys) who aren’t afraid to try new things. For us older folk, there’s no doubt that over the past few years our acceptance of new fungi varieties has opened up. Home cooks are more adventurous, and our recipe repertoires have changed. Exotics have become extremely popular in cafés and restaurants too, and not the exclusive highend ones. It was only five or so years ago that consumers had to actively seek exotic mushrooms by visiting ‘super fancy’ greengrocers. But now, exotic varieties like oyster, king trumpet, shiitake and wood ear are mainstream and stocked in all major retailers. If you’re lucky, your corner store will stock them, usually in multi-variety packs for your convenience. Consumer demand meets market growth, which is evident in the rise of the number of A.Bisporus growers diversifying into exotics, and more recently the grand opening of one massive farm in Adelaide’s old Holden factory. This particular grower promising to spend $110M on the farm fit out, employ hundreds of people and produce in excess of 20,000 tonnes of mushrooms a year. All this, with whispers of more big exotic farms on the horizon. THE EXOTIC OPPORTUNITY FOR THE HUMBLE AUSSIE WHITE MUSHROOM. With the world going crazy over exotic mushroom varieties, each being heralded for their unique healing powers, where does that leave the humble Aussie white mushroom? The boring old white mushroom cups seem to be forgotten by this wave of ‘new’ fungi fanatics. There is a real opportunity for fresh A.Bisporus to harness this ‘Shroom Boom, and position the humble Aussie white mushroom right along beside the fancier ones, for the nutritional powerhouse that it is. While perhaps seen as the exotics less exciting cousin, they have their own unique set of ancient superpowers, they are more versatile … and let’s not forget, they are cheaper! THE DANGER OF IGNORANCE: Every week, the AMGA receives four or five emails from mushroom enthusiasts wanting to start growing mushrooms. Alarmingly, many of these have set up growing rooms in their garages or sheds and have no idea of their food safety or permit responsibilities, hence their reason for reaching out to our association. From a food safety and potentially biosecurity perspective, these enthusiastic but uneducated start up growers pose a great risk to our industry. From a reputational perspective, ‘mushrooms are mushrooms’ in consumers eyes. If a food safety incident were to occur, it would affect the whole industry with a loss of consumer confidence and loss of sales. SO, WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT? With AMGA membership available to existing growers, who must be nominated by existing members; for new exotic growers, applying for membership to seek AMGA guidance is difficult if not completely impossible. Furthermore, with the statutory levy is collected exclusively on Agaricus spawn, there is no levy collected from exotic growers, therefore there are no industry funds to support them. We need to ask ourselves as an industry, with this media groundswell and cult following for exotic mushrooms, which is only going to get bigger, and more complicated… is it time to embrace exotics into the fold? I welcome your thoughts. 25
INDUSTRY EVENTS 40 Australian Mushrooms Journal | 2019 (3) Dutch Mushroom Days The Dutch (International) Mushroom Days will be organized in the Brabanthallen in Den Bosch, on Wednesday 10, Thursday 11 and Friday 12 May, 2023. The Dutch Mushroom Days is the biggest and most spectacular international tradeshow for the edible mushroom industry worldwide, with usually some 100 exhibitors and 3000 visitors from 80 countries. May 10-12 2023 Brabanthallen ‘s-Hertogenbosh, Netherlands https://champignondagen.nl/home-eng/ 20th ISMN and 26th NAMC conference The 20th International Congress on the Science and Cultivation of Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms (Live 20th ISMS Congress) will be held in conjunction with the 26th North American Mushroom Conference. Full details to be confirmed. https://www.isms.biz/ More details coming soon. February 26-29, 2024 JW Marriott Resort & Spa, Las Vegas, NV https://www.isms.biz/ 2024 International Botanical Congress The IBC takes place every six years under the supervision of the International Association for Botanical and Mycological Societies (IABMS). Rooted in the tradition of Systematic Botany, the IBCs have enlarged their scope over more than a century to become an integrated forum for knowledge on a broad scope of topics in the plant and mycological world. Nomenclature Section, 15–19 July 2024. Congress, 21–27 July 2024. Madrid, Spain https://ibcmadrid2024.com/ 75th Annual Conference of the Bund Deutscher The 75th annual conference of the Bund Deutscher Champignon- und Kulturpilzbauern e. V. (BDC), is a three-day event at the Parkhotel in Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg. The Federal Garden Show (BUGA) held on the same dates provides a mushroom exhibition specially organized by the BDC to show how mushrooms grow, how they can be prepared and what valuable ingredients they contain. 28th to 30th September 2023 Germany https://der-champignon.de/ and https://www.buga23.de/englisch 26
DISCLAIMER: ^The interest rate offered to you at this time may differ from other interest rates offered from time to time. For example, it may differ from the interest rate for any Secured Income Notes previously or subsequently offered and issued. The interest rate for each Secured Income Note will be the rate notified in writing when offered to you as an investor prior to your investment. The Secured Income Notes detailed in this communication are issued by Capital Prudential Diversified Development Fund Pty Ltd (ACN636 283 219) (CPDDF) as trustee of the Capital Prudential Diversified Development Fund (the Fund). CPDDF is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Capital Prudential Funds Management Pty Ltd (ACN 636 279 082, AFSL 524725) (CPFM). Capital Prudential Pty Ltd (ACN 634 875 273) (Capital Prudential) is the unitholder and Trust Manager of the Fund and is a Corporate Authorised Representative of CPFM. Capital Prudential is authorised by CPFM to provide advisory and dealing services in connection with the Fund to wholesale clients only. The information has been only prepared for wholesale clients pursuant to section 761G of the Corporations Act (Cth) 2001 to provide general information only and does not take into account the investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any person. It is not intended to take the place of professional advice and you should, before acting on this information, consider the appropriateness of this information having regard to your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Neither Capital Prudential, CPDDF or CPFM or any of their related parties, their employees or directors, provide any warranty of accuracy, completeness or reliability in relation to such information contained within this communication or accept any liability to any person who relies on it. Neither Capital Prudential, CPDDF or CPFM guarantees repayment of capital or any particular rate of return from the investment. All opinions and estimates included in this communication constitute judgements of Capital Prudential as at the date of the communication and are subject to change without notice. Economic and outlook forecasts are not guaranteed to occur and past performance should not be taken as an indicator of future performance. This communication contains an incomplete description of features of the Fund and Secured Income Notes and should be considered in conjunction with the Information Memorandum and other transaction documents (which are available upon request). Investment in the Secured Income Notes is subject to risks including delays in repayment and loss of income and capital invested and is suitable only for potential investors who do not require liquidity for their investments. Please contact Michael Fazzini, Sales Executive, on 0412 997 393 to receive information on this attractive investment opportunity. capitalprudential.com.au If you are looking to extract more value from any surplus cash and are looking to lock in predictable attractive rates of regular income, please contact Capital Prudential. The attractive profits contained within Capital Prudential’s real estate-backed Diversified Development Fund secure investors' capital and income payments. Investors can select which Secured Income Note to invest in from the following: • 1 Year term paying 8 %^ p.a. • 2 Year term paying 9 %^ p.a. • 3 Year term paying 10 %^ p.a. Interest is paid quarterly, and the investor's initial capital remains unchanged.
AMGA MANAGED, LEVY-FUNDED PROJECT UPDATE MU20003 – Educating the food industry about Australian Mushrooms • 15 x Key Opinion leader interviews completed. • Educational resources being developed now. • Case study participants chosen, with interventions planned to begin 2023 • Conferences being designed MU20000 – Food Safety, Quality and Risk Management • New AMGA Testing program has been launched to Industry, funding one full suite of tests per mushroom business, per year. • The Mushrooms Safe education program is developed and is currently being tested • First webinar complete. More to be delivered this year. MU20006 – Mushroom Industry Crisis and Reputation Risk Management • Monthly monitoring continues. • Major food safety incident in the USA continues to be monitored. Listeria continues to be found in Chinese and South Korean imported fresh Enoki products causing nationwide recalls. • Project team meeting with FSANZ to discuss risks of imported Enoki • New holding statements have been developed to manage identified potential risks MU22001 – Scientific basis for a mushroom food group in the Australian Dietary guidelines • Partnering with NRAUS, the project has now begun, and is in planning stages. • AMGA to lead advocacy work, funded separately to the project. MU22009 – Alternative Casing Substrate – research review and symposium • Greg Seymour (ISMS), Helen Grogan (Teagasc), Ralph Noble (Microbiotech) and Geoff Martin (Dr Mush) engaged to deliver the research component. • International zoom meetings complete with almost 80 international key opinion leaders • Research report due to be received end March • Stop go in contract for the Symposium – likely not to go ahead Machinery Climate Supplies Engineering Nijverheidsstraat 2a 5961 PJ Horst The Netherlands T + 31 77 398 39 29 [email protected] www.mushcomb.com PROUD PARTNER OF MUSHROOM VALLEY Mushrooms Exotics Compost BEING TREATED AS A NUMBER NUMBER
#HortCon23 Register now! DON'T WHY ATTEND MISS OUT! HORT CONNECTIONS 2023? Professional Development Hear from world-class experts on a range of topics including transformative research, global innovations, consumption trends and export development Networking interact with the largest cohort of industry stakeholders in the horticulture sector. Recognition Celebrate the outstanding achievements of horticulture's National Awards for Excellence 2023. Trade Show Grow your connections and supply contracts at the largest trade show in Australia and New Zealand horticulture, with exhibitors from more than 200 industry leading companies showcasing the latest products and services. hortconnections.com.au/registration Why attend Hort Connections 2023? Over 40 industry expert speakers discussing the big issues in industry Over 20 industry partners uniting for one major event Anticipated 3,000 delegates from across the entire supply chain Australia and New Zealand’s premiere horticulture conference and trade show
FLIP TO READ MUSHROOM LINK FLIP TO READ THE AMGA JOURNAL