About a month ago, Sprötauer Champignons from the Thuringian town of Sprötau joined the Bund Deutscher Champignon-und Kulturpilzanbauer (BDC). The trademark of the long-established company is the cultivation and marketing of brown and white mushrooms. Following the takeover last year, the Ley family is at the helm of the company: FreshPlaza spoke with the new management about the challenges in today's market.
For over 40 years, Sprötauer Champignons GmbH has been selling high-quality mushrooms from its own production. The product range -a mix of approx. 70 percent brown and 30 percent white cultivated mushrooms- to an overwhelming extent ends up directly at branches of well-known chains throughout the Federal Republic. "In the medium term, however, we see the tendency that we will no longer deliver nationwide, but only regionally. At some point, customers no longer want the mushrooms to be transported across Germany before they are finally marketed. However, it is a development that will not happen overnight," says Ley.
The production volumes of the firm are showing a steady growth (between 19 and 25 percent as compared to 2017). The rising production volumes in the current setup are still sufficient to meet the growing demand in the regional market segment. If certain limits are reached, Sprötauer Champignons would be able to expand its capacities. "We are already working together with three larger chains operating in the medium-high-priced segment." Because of the shorter transport routes to the German distribution centers and branches, the producer and marketer sees a clear advantage over the competition. "We are in a position to immediately and flexibly respond to any demand."
"Sprötauer Champignons" focuses on a natural cultivation. It completely dispenses with the use of GMO, chemical pesticides and bleach.
Wood punnets as a unique selling point
The latest goal of the company is the abandonment of plastic in the packaging of mushrooms. Ley: "Our unique selling point in this area are punnets made of pure beech wood and completely metal-free processed. These are produced in Eastern Europe and imported by us exclusively and directly. In addition to this, we still have a customer who is supplied with cardboard trays. Repackaging is increasingly being switched to EPS. On the one hand for reasons of sustainability, on the other hand because of the transported weight. It now is more and more about larger units, say 400-500 grams per punnet. That just does not work with cardboard boxes."
At the moment, the price situation is quite difficult, but sales are very good, explains Ley. "We are relatively stable in marketing, but later in June and July, we expect a slump of up to 20 percent. But then we will compensate for that later, in the good months - December and January."
Mushroom exotics: market of the future?
In addition to mushrooms, the assortment is complemented by goods like oyster mushrooms and shiitake. These are currently still 100% purchased. "It can not be ruled out that we could grow these in the future, too. Their market share is clearly rising."
For more information:
Sprötauer Champignons GmbH
Pfeiffersweg 1
99610 Sprötau
Tel: 036371 52394
Fax: 036371 55193
E-Mail: info@sproetauerchampignons.de
www.sproetauerchampignons.de