More than ten years ago, mushroom growers Jeffrey and Dorus Heeren decided to switch to organic product. A smart choice, considering developments in the conventional mushroom sector. The production of organic mushrooms is increasing rapidly, however, which could lead to shortages in the supply of raw materials.
Production and trade company Heereco supplies organic mushrooms. The company has three of their own production locations in Uden, the Netherlands, and is run by the brothers Jeffrey and Dorus Heeren. “We grew up among the mushrooms. Our father started producing white mushrooms in 1970. He soon started to look for a speciality,” Dorus says. “In the late 1990s, we started growing white flats for the UK, and then portobellos. In 2005, we decided to switch to organic production, and six years later, all locations had been organically certified, including our own compost company in 2016.”
Divided over three locations, the company has 5,800 square metres in production area. Organic white mushrooms, chestnut mushrooms and portobellos are grown here. Additionally, the company supplies oyster mushrooms, shiitake and other organic mushrooms, which are bought elsewhere. “For some years now, we’ve had our own compost company in Broekhuizen, where the organic substrate is tunnelled, and where the mushroom mould is grafted into the organic compost,” he explains. Last year, the company expanded considerably. Not just their own production locations are provided with compost, they also sell it to third parties. “We want to market a product as pure and responsibly as possible, which is only actually possible when you grow organically. We work with 100% organic straw, and we only use manure from organic chickens. Besides, we have insect lamps hanging everywhere. The mushrooms we now grow taste better than the mushrooms from before we switched.”
No production in summer
Heereco grows about 35 tonnes of organic mushrooms per week. The company produces both their compost and their mushrooms completely oriented on demand, which is fairly unique according to Dorus. “For us it’s the most profitable and responsible way of producing. In the summer months, production is even closed down at one location. Demand declines so much it becomes cheaper for us not to produce. We’re now scaling up again,” he says at the end of August. “The autumn and winter months are traditionally our busiest months. It’s always hectic in December, and we have to do everything humanly possible to meet demand.” Heereco’s organic mushrooms are sold to organic wholesalers and supermarkets throughout Western Europe. Important destinations include the Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia. France is also on the rise, although Dorus has noticed regional product is very important here.
Sustainability is another important point of attention for Heereco. They’re working towards a completely closed supply chain more and more. For instance, residual material is sent to nearby organic farmers at the end of the cycle, and they supply organic straw to the compost company. Besides the existing heat and cold stores in the ground, solar panels were placed on the roofs of the three locations some years ago as well. The 1,600 total solar panels ensure a CO2 reduction of 167,000 kilos of CO2 per year. More solar panels will be added in a few months. Additionally, at the start of 2016, their own certified drying house was realised, which is unique in Europe. Large volumes of organic mushrooms can be dried here. Dorus: “We can currently dry about ten tonnes per week here. Drying the mushrooms gives them a longer shelf life. The product is used in organic soups and sauces, among other things. The dried mushrooms are a nice addition to our range, and the drying house also offers us the option to responsibly process the product in times of oversupply. The expensive raw materials are optimally used this way.”
Growth opportunities mostly found internationally
The prices of organic and conventional mushrooms are very different. The current difference is even larger than ever before. There is therefore less unrest such as among growers of conventional mushrooms. “Something will have to change. It would be better for the entire mushroom sector. Labour costs and raw material prices are under pressure in particular.” Growing mushrooms is labour intensive. Harvesting alone is still mostly done manually. Besides, according to Dorus, it’s more difficult to find good staff in times of economic growth. “That’s the same for us as it is for everyone, but because organic mushrooms have better prices, it’s easier for us. This margin is needed because the risk of growing organically is higher, production is significantly lower and the empty building also have to be paid for during the summer.”
He talks about how the market for organic mushrooms is still growing. The share of organic in supermarkets is currently still only a few per cent, which offers plenty of potential for the future. The production, and therefore the competition, is also increasing considerably according to him. “This has consequences for the supply of material. We recently had to deal with scarcity, and having plenty of material could possibly become challenging in future if production continues to increase this rapidly. All in all, we’re feeling positive, and we see plenty of opportunities for the future. These can mostly be found abroad. The Dutch market has been settled. This is also true for the compost trade. Our compost is already being exported to Spain, and we’ve even sent a shipment to Malaysia.”
The production of organic mushrooms starts by mixing the organic compost, consisting of organic straw, organic chicken manure and natural gypsum. This mix is pasteurised after it’s been fermented for a week, and then grafted with the mushroom mould. For Heereco, the compost is applied to the production beds and covered with a layer of casing soil of various types of peat. The first six days, the mushrooms get 15 to 30 litres of water per square metre at compost temperatures of 23 to 27 degrees Celsius. After a short hot period with air temperatures of 20 to 22 degrees, temperatures are dropped to about 17 degrees Celsius, and the mushrooms start to shape. The number of mushrooms that are being shaped can be adjusted by regulating temperatures, atmospheric humidity and the CO2 content.
Two to three weeks after the production beds have been filled, the first mushrooms will be ready to be picked. This happens in spans for which only the mushrooms that are ready to be picked regarding size and quality at that time. The picked mushrooms are immediately packed and then provided with a pre-labeled film or lid, depending on the customer’s wishes. At the end of the cycle, the beds are steamed and cleaned, so that the next production can start with a clean slate. Heereco’s total mushroom cycle lasts about five or six weeks at the production locations. The cycle from nothing to the first mushrooms lasts about eight weeks. Responding to market changes is therefore not always easy.
More information:
Heereco
Dorus Heeren