Foodservise business colud be creeping back up

When the economy took a dive, so did business throughout the foodservice industry. But several mushroom grower-shippers said they’ve noticed gradual upward movement in their sales to restaurants this winter.

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After dropping off in the middle of 2008, foodservice business started picking up again late this fall for Monterey Mushrooms Inc., Watsonville, Calif., said Joe Caldwell, vice president.

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Some of the sales upturn may have resulted from the company’s efforts to let foodservice operators know just how versatile mushrooms are, Caldwell said.

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“Mushrooms have flexibility,” he said.

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They can be used in breakfast, lunch or dinner offerings; in Mexican, Italian, Asian, German or American dishes; and in sandwiches, salads, soups and casseroles.

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“It’s not likely that this item in your inventory is going to be overstocked or unused,” he said. “You’re using it for something all the time.”

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Sales of the prepared mushrooms that Avondale, Pa.-based To-Jo Mushrooms offers are up significantly, said Paul Frederic, senior vice president of sales and marketing, perhaps because foodservice operators are looking to take labor out of the back of the house.

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“That aspect of foodservice is doing nicely,” he said, while fresh sales are down a bit.

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Bill Litvin, vice president of sales and national account manager for Giorgio Foods Inc., Temple, Pa., also said foodservice business has experienced a decline, but he added, “It seems to have started to recover.”

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Likewise, Avondale, Pa.-based Modern Mushroom Farms has seen its restaurant business take a dip, said Greg Sagan, senior vice president of sales and marketing, “but we are starting to see a slow recovery as consumer confidence increases.”

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White mushrooms are the top-selling variety for foodservice customers of Kennett Square, Pa.-based Phillips Mushroom Farms, said Kevin Donovan, national sales manager.

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But portabellas have become favorites in a couple of chains, and the shitakes also are becoming more popular.

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Even quick-service chains use mushrooms on burgers and in sauces, salads and side dishes, he said.

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To-Jo Mushrooms offers several sizes of fresh mushrooms in 3- to 10-pound cartons of whole and sliced white, portabella and specialty mushrooms, like crimini, shitake and oyster mushrooms, Frederic said.

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In addition, To-Jo offers marinated refrigerated pouches of kettle-cooked portabellas, garlic mushroom sauté, marinated button mushrooms, burgundy mushrooms, balsamic marinated mushrooms, caramelized skillet mushrooms and herbed oil-infused mushrooms.

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White mushrooms still are king in the foodservice category, but shitakes and brown mushrooms are becoming a large factor, Litvin said.

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“Special sizes of white mushrooms for specific applications are the major request,” he said, and the company also gets requests for product packed in egg carton-type packaging.

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Chefs choose mushrooms in many of the same ways consumers do, based on factors like availability, ease of use and price, Sagan said.

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Chefs use more whites and portabellas,” he said, “but we are seeing increased interest in specialties across foodservice.”

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Retail still makes up the largest percentage of Modern Mushroom Farms’ business, he said, “but we believe foodservice plays an important role in our sales strategy and includes an appropriate sales balance.”

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Monterey Mushrooms conducted a promotion with Sodexo in 2009, and Caldwell pointed out that fast-food restaurants like McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s offer good-tasting mushroom burgers. He said he was eager to try similar offerings from Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s.

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Many of the chains’ mushroom burgers started off as limited-time promotional items and caught the public’s attention.