Fresh Mushrooms Experience Third Year of Rising Sales

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh mushrooms, one of the top 20 best-selling produce items in 2010, outperformed produce retail sales as a whole in terms of both dollars and pounds sold, according to data from FreshLook Marketing for the period ending January 2, 2011. Over the past year, the produce category as a whole experienced a 3.3 percent increase in dollar sales and a 1.6 percent increase in volume sold, whereas mushrooms grew at a larger pace, registering a 3.6 percent increase in dollar sales and a 3.0 percent increase in volume sold.

Strong performance in 2010, to the tune of more than 810 million dollars in annual sales and 200 million pounds sold, marks the third year of rising fresh mushroom sales at retail, following a 1.3 percent sales increase in pounds in 2008 and a 7.7 percent increase in pounds sold in 2009. These sales results make it clear that consumer demand for fresh mushrooms is growing, and retailers may continue to enjoy positive fresh mushroom sales.

"At this time last year, we were proud to say that fresh mushrooms experienced a 7.7 percent sales jump in pounds from 2008 to 2009. This three percent increase in 2010 is tremendous because it means that fresh mushrooms have sustained significant year-over-year sales growth for three years," says Bart Minor, president and CEO of the Mushroom Council. "Increased consumer demand at retail makes mushrooms a reliable value generator for the produce department, offering retailers the opportunity to capitalize on fresh mushroom demand by keeping the momentum going through continuous promotions."

Additional sales highlights from 2010 include:

• White button mushrooms grew by 2.3% in dollars and 2.9% in pounds
• Brown mushrooms grew by 5.8% in dollars and 3.1% in pounds
• Specialty mushrooms grew by 9.3% in dollars and 4.6% in pounds

What's in store for fresh mushrooms in 2011?

In December of 2010, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released the results of a 24-month review on dietary reference intakes (DRIs) for vitamin D and calcium, which validates the important role of vitamin D in promoting bone health. The committee set the recommended intake level at 600 IU – triple the previously recommended amount of 200 IU from 1997.(1)

Mushrooms are the only source of vitamin D in the produce aisle. In fact, the IOM recognized mushrooms as the exception to the rule that plant foods don't naturally contain vitamin D. Consumer interest in vitamin D remains strong and retailers can showcase fresh mushrooms to help guide their customers' healthful purchasing decisions. Mushrooms are also:

• Low in Calories (only 20 calories per serving)
• Low in Sodium
• Fat Free (0 grams)
• Cholesterol Free
• Contain antioxidants including Selenium and Ergothioneine
• Packed with potassium (contain as much Potassium as one small banana)
• A good source of B Vitamins like Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3) and Pantothenic Acid (B5)
• Full of umami flavor

For more information on fresh mushrooms or the Mushroom Council, please visit www.mushroominfo.com.

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. For more information on the Mushroom Council, visit mushroomcouncil.org.

(1) IOM (Institute of Medicine). 2010. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D. Washington, DC, National Academies Press.

CONTACT:  Brooke Klinker, +1-312-552-1171, [email protected], for The Mushroom Council

SOURCE The Mushroom Council