San Jose, CA – Mushroom holiday sales are set for another record season. Retailers are encouraged to continue the sales momentum into January by promoting the health and culinary benefits of the mushroom blend. Retailers can use Mushroom Council resources to make the healthy choice the easy choice for customers.
Two mushroom blend studies were recently published in the Journal of Food Science and Nutrition Today. The studies can be used as a resource for produce managers and supermarket registered dieticians to educate customers on the nutrition and taste benefits of the mushroom blend.
The first study from the Culinary Institute of America and University of California-Davis published in the Journal of Food Science, explored the flavor-enhancing properties of mushrooms. The study reported that blending finely chopped mushrooms with ground meat enhances flavor and nutrition. This sensory study provides the basis for how mushrooms and meat can combined in a 50/50 ratio to reduce calorie intake, enhance overall flavor and reduce sodium intake by 25%.
More recently an extremely comprehensive study by Mushroom Council consultant, Mary Jo Feeney MS,
RD, FADA, titled Mushrooms – Biologically Distinct and Nutritionally Unique – Exploring a "Third Food Kingdom" was published in Nutrition Today. The study concisely summarized mushroom blend nutrition attributes while exploring the possibility of developing a third food kingdom.
To promote “the blend” at retail the Mushroom
Council partnered with the Supermarket Registered Dietician from Kroger to run a 36 store event sampling mushroom blended burgers. The event resulted in a 17% increase in fresh mushroom sales, moving the most units all year. Over 4,000 customers sampled the blended burger and took home a recipe card.
“Partnering with the Mushroom Council was a helpful tool for the work that I do for inspiring healthier shopping choices with our customers…The “Blend” concept with mushrooms is not only super tasty but also easy, economical and nutritious… every aspect that a dietitian needs to incorporate. Customers love the mushroom burger.” said Katy Keogh, MS, RD, LD of The Kroger Co. “Mushrooms are poised for strong winter demand due to their versatility. Promoting mushrooms through the winter from decadent holiday dishes to hearty and nutritious, low-calorie meals for the New Year will help keep sales strong ,” reports Council President Bart Minor, “the mushroom blend has truly taken off influencing strong demand throughout all segments that will last well through the already high volume winter months.”
About The Mushroom Council:
The Mushroom Council is composed of fresh market producers or importers who average more than 500,000 pounds of mushrooms produced or imported annually. The mushroom program is authorized by the Mushroom Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act of 1990 and is administered by the Mushroom Council under the supervision of the Agricultural Marketing Service. Research and promotion programs help to expand, maintain and develop markets for individual agricultural commodities in the United States and abroad. These industry self-help programs are requested and funded by the industry groups that they serve.
Source: The Mushroom Council
