This year's wild mushroom season is now in its second half: "We are finding it difficult to source chanterelles in particular," says mushroom wholesaler Ramazan Gülnar, referring to the ongoing drought in large parts of Europe, including the Balkan region. "At the beginning, we had slightly more fine chanterelles and less medium-sized produce, but now the situation has reversed and we are getting proportionally more coarse produce than the more popular small ones. However, I am confident that there will soon be a little more rain and a corresponding supply."
© Paris Direkt GmbH
Porcini and chanterelles. In response to climate change, Paris Direkt GmbH has also been sourcing chanterelles from Northern Europe, primarily Estonia and Sweden, for a few years now. According to Gülnar, this trend is set to continue.
Gülnar, who operates throughout Europe with his Münster-based company Paris Direkt GmbH, also points to the upward trend in demand for wild as well as cultivated mushrooms. "The days when over 95 percent of mushrooms sold were button mushrooms are definitely a thing of the past. Even unusual mushroom varieties such as shiitake, golden oyster mushrooms, lion's mane, and others are now sold all year round. You can tell that the younger generation values healthy, and in some cases vegan, nutrition, and mushrooms, with their variety of flavors, are an integral part of this modern cuisine."
Seasonal transition for wild mushrooms
Although the edible mushroom industry is clearly benefiting from changing dietary trends, August is traditionally a difficult month, as this is when the classic seasonal transition takes place, especially for wild mushrooms. "Summer truffles – whether from Italy or the Balkans – are now coming to an end, which will be reflected in price levels starting this week. We expect supply problems to continue over the next 2-3 weeks until autumn truffles are fully available. The same applies to porcini mushrooms: although the first autumn porcini mushrooms already arrive, we will have to wait a few more weeks for larger quantities of first-class produce for the Northern European market."
© Paris Direkt GmbHKing oyster mushrooms and black truffles from Bulgaria
In addition to the seasonal business with wild mushrooms, Gülnar also focuses on the procurement and marketing of wild berries. The majority still comes from Poland, followed in a few weeks by produce from Finland and Estonia. In contrast to mushroom distribution, this business has tended to become an absolute niche. "Demand continues to decline year after year, as only older consumers explicitly ask for this product for canning. On the other hand, blueberries are now available all year round, which means that wild berries can no longer be considered a seasonal product," he concludes.
© Paris Direkt GmbHWild berries are mainly sold to catering suppliers in 500g cardboard trays and now also in 250g trays for the first time. The marketing window usually runs from July to October.
For more information:
Ramazan Gülnar
Paris Direkt GmbH
Lise-Meitner Straße 7b
48161 Münster
Tel: +49 (0) 2534 977540
Fax: + 49 (0) 2534 977541
[email protected]
www.paris-direkt.net
