Consumer

• The Injury Diet: Foods That Heal, Pointe, July 2013
• Notes from Readers, Cook’s Illustrated, April 2013
• Tip of the Day: Men’s Health Month, Eat Right, 6/14
• Drs. Oz and Roizen: The ABCs of vitamin D-3, Oregonian (Portland, OR), 6/14
• Drs. Oz & Roizen’s Tip of the Day: ABCs and 1-2-3s of vitamin D-3, Idaho Statesman (Boise, ID), 6/14

• The Best Food Sources, Wish TV (Indianapolis, IN), 6/13
• Keep Dad Healthy: Select the Best Veggies, Eat Right, 6/13
• Eat, drink and help end childhood hunger, Orlando Sentinel, 6/12
• Researchers from CSIRO Describe Findings in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Health and Medicine Week, 6/12
• Turkey Burgers: The Recipes, Omaha World-Herald (Omaha, NE), 6/12
• How to Grill Maitake Mushrooms, a.k.a Hen of the Woods, bon appetit, 6/12
• Cart Smarts: My range of vegetable interests is mushrooming, Post Bulletin, 6/11
• Test Kitchen bonus: Recipes showcasing Florida crimini mushrooms, Orlando Sentinel, 6/11
• Prepare your body before hiking in high altitudes, The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, KS), 6/11
• Dr. Weil’s New Essentials, “Doctor Oz Show,” 6/7
• How supertasters can remodel their food choices, Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ), 6/7
• Mushrooms For Breast Cancer Prevention, Nutrition Facts, 6/6

Trade

• Brown Mushrooms Rise to the Top, Supermarket News, 6/10
• Ingredients: Mushroom Medley, Foodservice Director, 6/6
• Mushroom Tacos with Salsa Verde, Restaurant Business MonkeyDish, 5/20

Research

• 5/2013: White vegetables: a forgotten source of nutrients: Purdue Roundtable Executive Summary. Advances in Nutrition. LINK: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23674800
• 5/2013: White button, portabella, and shiitake mushroom supplementation up-regulates interleukin-23 secretion. Nutrition Research. LINK: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23684440
• 4/2013: White button mushrooms increase microbial diversity and accelerate the resolution of Citrobacter rodentium infection in mice. Journal of Nutrition. LINK:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Jyotika+Varshney
• 3/2013: Influence of Vitamin D Status and Vitamin D3 Supplementation on Genome Wide Expression of White Blood Cells: A Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial. PLOS One. LINK: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0058725

Popular Social Media Posts

This week's #Healthy Menu Idea features Turkey Veggie Burgers and Mushroom Steak Fajitas: http://t.co/M6t9ufH2oD

— Fruits Vegetables (@Fruits_Veggies) June 11, 2013

Consumer

• Grill Up a Good Time, First for Women, June 2013
• Clean Eats, Health & Fitness Sports Magazine, June 2013
• 7 Summer Calorie Bombs to Avoid, ABC News, 6/7
• 15 ways to cancer-proof your life, Fox News, 6/7

• Creative recipes featuring healthy foods provide vitamin D when sunshine is scarce, The Journal (Plattsmouth, NE), 6/4
• Cancer Fighting Foods, KHOU “Great Day Houston,” 6/4
• Health conscious book is filled with interesting recipes, more, Tri Cities, 6/2
• 6 Lean Burger Blends, Men’s Fitness, 6/1
• #30daysofburgers: a better burger, Rachael Ray, 6/1
• Doable Challenge #6: Eat a Superfood Every Day, Epicurious, 6/1
• 7 Ways to Avoid the Worst Summer Calorie Bombs, Health, 5/30
• Beta Glucans – The New Superfood?, Examiner, 5/28
• Diet Detective’s guide to barbecue and burgers, Northwest Florida Daily News (Fort Walton Beach, FL), 5/28
  • Telegram-Tribune (San Luis Obispo, CA), 5/28
  • Diet Detective, 5/26
  • Daily Tribune (Royal Oak, MI), 5/23

• Super Foods, KABC “Eyewitness News” Los Angeles, 5/27

Trade

• Mushroom industry heading for record-breaking year, The Produce News, 6/4

Popular Social Media Posts

MORE #burger love from @firstmag in their Deluxe Herb Ranch Mixture w/ a portion of mushrooms blended into the meat. mushro.ms/11i3yuP

— Mushroom Council (@MushroomChannel) June 5, 2013

Kick off #grilling season with a “Better Burger” via @rachaelraymag featuring a blend of shiitakes and ground beef. mushro.ms/14wFtCl

— Mushroom Council (@MushroomChannel) June 5, 2013

It’s #MyPlates birthday week and celebrating is as simple as getting in the kitchen! mushro.ms/1b0r0Ce

— Mushroom Council (@MushroomChannel) June 4, 2013

#MeatlessMonday Marvelous Mushroom Melts via @preventionmag are a mouthful to say,but delicious to eat. mushro.ms/12qaltD

— Mushroom Council (@MushroomChannel) June 3, 2013

Consumer

• 50 Ways to Spice Up Your Grilling, O, The Oprah Magazine, June 2013
• Over Exposure, Teen Vogue, June 2013
• Creative recipes featuring healthy foods provide vitamin D when sunshine is scarce, The Clay Times-Journal (Linville, AL), 5/29
• Creative recipes featuring healthy foods provide vitamin D when sunshine is scarce, Parker Pioneer (Parker, AZ), 5/29
• Hail the White Veggies, Miami Herald, 5/30

• Delicate but delicious veggie burgers, Bend Bulletin (Bend, OR), 5/28
• Ideas to have superfoods throughout the day, ABC 7 Los Angeles, 5/27
• Umami adds savory flavors to your palate, Tulsa World, 5/27
• 56 Healthier Burger Recipes for Summer, Greatist, 5/27
• 7 ways to sneak more vegetables into your diet, Fox News, 5/25
• How to remodel food choices and build a better body, St. Paul Pioneer Press (Saint Paul, MN), 5/25
• Grilled portobello mushrooms stuffed with sauteed leeks and spinach, Treehugger, 5/24
• A Surprising New Source of Vitamin D, Hannibal Courier-Post (Hannibal, MO), 5/23
• Your Guide To Grilling Fruits and Vegetables, Boston Globe, 5/23
• A Surprising New Source of Vitamin D, The News Eagle (Hawley, PA), 5/23
• Remodel your taste buds for healthier food choices, Sun Herald (Gulfport, MS), 5/23
• For more flavor and health, add full-fat cheese to a quesadilla, Courier Journal, 5/23
  • Herald News (Passaic, NJ), 5/22
  • Lawrence Journal-World (Lawrence, KS), 5/22
  • Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, CA), 5/22
  • Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI), 5/19
  • Times Leader (Martins Ferry, OH), 5/19
  • Santa Barbara News-Press (Santa Barbara, CA), 5/16

• Jenna Smith: Portabella mushrooms are a tasty fungus, The Pantagraph (Bloomington, IL), 5/22
• Annual culinary extravaganza offers Tasty Treats, The Inter-Mountain (Elkins, WV), 5/22
• No meat, no problem, York Daily Record (York, PA), 5/22
• Free Press Test Kitchen recipe: Portabella Blue Cheese Burgers, Detroit Free Press, 5/22
• Grilling Vegetables To Bring Out Their Best, Prevent Cancer AICR, 5/21
• Good For The Skin, The Times-Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA), 5/21
• Meatless Monday Recipe: Mini Mushroom Burgers, The Wellness Scientist, 5/20
• Practice some healthy grilling, Statesman Journal (Salem, OR), 5/16

Trade

• Mushroom Maven, National Culinary Review, May 2013
• Mushroom industry heading for record-breaking year, The Produce News, 5/30
• Mushroom Council Sizzling Summer Grilling Promotion Challenges Consumers, Perishable News, 5/29
• Mushroom Council begins promo, The Packer, 5/29
• New promotion encourages increased use of mushrooms in summer grilling recipes, The Produce News, 5/28
• Mushroom Medley, FoodService Director, 5/15

Popular Social Media Posts

We’re thrilled to be attending @eatwriteretreat with a mushroom growing session. RT if you’re joining us in Philadelphia this weekend!

— Mushroom Council (@MushroomChannel) May 28, 2013

AF: vit D-rich foods for #celiac + #osteoporosis: eggs, fortified foods, fatty fish such as salmon/mackerel, mushrooms #healthtalk

— Rachel Begun (@RachelBegunRD) May 29, 2013

360° Blog: If you’ve ever wanted mushroom recipes > compass-usa.com/Pages/360-Blog… Thanks @mushroomchannel @flikisdining @joko31 @chefmulligan

— Compass Group USA (@compassgroupusa) May 29, 2013

Consumer

•  7 food swaps to make you skinny, Organic Gardening 5/23
  • Also featured in the Eat This, Not That daily newsletter, 5/23
• Are you a super-taster? Here’s how to remodel your food choices, The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC), 5/21
  • Athens Banner-Herald (Athens, GA), 5/20
  • The Oregonian, 5/19
  • Washington Examiner (Washington, D.C.), 5/18

• Build a better burger, Fremont Tribune (Fremont, NE), 5/21
• Lighter quesadilla obtained through full-fat cheese, The Gazette (Colorado Springs, CO), 5/21
• BBQ Shiitake Mushrooms, Babble, 5/20
• Veggie burgers: Patties are delicate but delicious, Sacramento Bee, 5/20
• Meatless grilling tips and Dijon Grilled Asparagus & Onions for Meatless Monday, The Foodie Journal, 5/20
• Mushroom Slim Down, KHOU-HOU CBS 11 (Houston, TX), 5/20
• The People’s Pharmacy, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, VA), 5/19
• Low-sodium diet could have triggered leg cramps, Houston Chronicle (Houston, TX), 5/18
• Doctors try motivating patients without scolding, Herald Journal (Spartanburg, SC), 5/15
• Full-fat cheese the secret to healthier quesadilla, Amarillo Globe News (Amarillo, TX), 5/17
• Don’t Judge a Food by Its Color: Put Some White In Your Bite, US News and World Report Eat + Run, 5/16
• Great foods to boost your immune system, The Forum (Fargo, ND), 5/14
• Swap It Out, The Gainesville Sun (Gainesville, FL), 5/7

Popular Social Media Posts

RT @mushroomchannel: Whether #blended, #topped or #tossed, #mushroom pairings are perfect for summer entertaining. mushro.ms/YWDkBg

— Fruits Vegetables (@Fruits_Veggies) May 21, 2013

New Study Shows #Mushrooms Help w/Weight Loss @johnshopkinssph @mushroomchannel @meatlessmonday ow.ly/ldshT #health

— Karen Morse (@WellnessScience) May 20, 2013

• Nominations for 3-year terms beginning January 1, 2014 closed on May 1^st. The regions with a position opening up are Region 1 (one position); Region 2 (one position) and Region 3 (one position). We are in the process of verifying the nominees and ballots will be mailed on June 3, 2013 to those eligible to vote. If you do not receive a ballot and believe you should have, please contact Cheryl at the Council office. Completed ballots are due no later than July 1.

• USDA and the Mushroom Council encourage all eligible producers, including women, minorities and individuals with disabilities to participate in the nominations and seek nomination to serve on the Council.

• The next Council meeting is being held on Saturday, June 22, 2013 in conjunction with the NAMC in Vancouver. If you would like to attend this meeting please contact Cheryl so we can make sure you are accommodated.

• Upcoming Webinars are listed below; more information will be sent at a later date.

• Thursday, July 11 – Digital/Social Media
• Thursday, August 1 – Retail/Foodservice
• Thursday, September 26 – Retail/Foodservice

SHIPMENT SUMMARY

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 To see current charts through February 2013 click here.

MARKETING SUMMARY

Mushroom Council Marketing Summary – April 2013

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• April consumer media highlights feature mushrooms in articles about weight management, vitamin D, meat replacement and versatility. Click on the links below to view the full stories.
  • All Vegetables Count, Bicycling, April 2013
  • New Foods to Fight Fat, Prevention, May 2013
  • Meatless Monday made yummy, Redbook, May 2013
  • 5 mushrooms you’ve got to try, Fox News, 4/30
  • The Secret Ingredient for Weight Loss, Women’s Health, 4/29
  • Meatless Monday: Mushroom Madness, Rachael Ray, 4/29
  • Ingredient Spotlight: Spring Mushrooms, Williams Sonoma ‘The Blender Blog’, 4/29
  • The Veggie Swap that Boosts Weight Loss, Fitbie, 4/25
  • 5 Foods with a Surprising Impact on Health, Health, 4/25
  • Swap meat for mushrooms one meal a day to lose weight: study, New York Daily News, 4/22
  • Need vitamin D? Try mushrooms, Everyday Health, 4/22
  • Mushrooms Pack Nutritional Punch, Voice of America, 4/22
  • Eating Enoki Mushrooms, Huffington Post, 4/18
  • Industry News: The Mushroom Council, Foodservice Director, 4/15
  • 4 Celebrity Superfoods, “The Doctors,” 4/12
  • 10 Peculiar Produce Picks, Joy Bauer, 4/11
  • Foods to Flatten Your Belly, “The Doctors,” 4/11
  • World’s Best Food Expanders (Super-Sizers!), Hungry Girl e-newsletter, 4/5
  • 3 Disease-Fighting Foods, Men’s Health, 4/4
  • Eat Yourself Skinny, Doctor Oz, 4/2
  • #MeatlessMonday: 3 Vegetarian Tricks to Fool Any Meat Eater, SELF, 4/1
• Nine new nutrition abstracts – summaries of mushrooms research – were shared at Experimental Biology 2013 (a multidisciplinary, scientific meeting) in Boston, MA and published in The FASEB Journal.  The research, supported by the Mushroom Council, ranged in topics from weight management, vitamin D, immunity and diet quality.  See the press release for more details about the studies presented at the meeting. Conducted media outreach which garnered stories in Forbes, New York Daily News, Everyday Health,  Women’s Health, Fitbie and Yahoo!Shine.
• The Council fielded the annual nutrition influencer survey among Today’s Dietitian subscribers to determine this audience’s attitudes towards mushrooms. Based on the survey, there’s been a consistent increase in the number of nutrition influencers who recommend mushrooms to their clients – 70 percent to date – an 85 percent increase since the survey was first conducted in 2008.
•  Search Engine Marketing drove nearly 17,000 visits to MushroomInfo.com during April 2013 and was the largest source driving return visitors to the site, with 4,039 visits from this audience.
  • Top performing keywords included “mushroom recipe,” “stuffed mushrooms,” “morel mushrooms” and “vitamin D deficiency.”

• The Mushroom Channel blog published 10 posts in April, including new recipes by blogger contributors.
  • The most visited were: Mushroom Bhuna (received 1,141 page views), Mushroom-Meatball Subs and 5 Reasons Mushrooms are the Ultimate Spring Ingredient. Click here to read all posts.
  • Three of the Mushroom Channel’s blog contributors ($5 Dinners, LafujiMama.com and AddaPinch.com) were amongst the top 10 sources driving visitors to the blog, with a combined 1,208 visits.
• Facebook impressions increased 15 percent from March, comprised of nearly 10 million impressions. The platform drove more than 6,000 total visits to Mushroominfo.com and drove 2,500 visits from return visitors in April (the second largest source of return visitors following Google).

• Monthly fan growth on Twitter increased three percent since March, resulting in more than five million impressions.
  • The Council participated in a Twitter chat hosted by Whole Foods with the hashtag #MWFearthling to celebrate Earth Day. The Mushroom Channel engaged the @WholeFoods handle (+3 million followers) and participants who shared their favorite mushroom pairings.
• Pinterest followers increased by 14 percent since March and saw a 24 percent increase in monthly follower growth. The platform also drove 37 percent of all visits to Mushroominfo.com directed from social media sites with nearly 3,000 visits.

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On the Horizon

• The Council will conduct traditional and social media outreach for summer grilling highlighting Blendability leading into the promotion of the Swap It or Top It summer recipe contest.

• The Eat, Write, Retreat social media conference will take place in late May in Philadelphia, PA where the Council will engage prominent food bloggers through a mushroom-centric session and introduce the Swap It or Top It contest.

FOOD SERVICE SUMMARY

Industry Tools

Last month several PowerPoint tools and updated sell sheets were uploaded to www.mushroomcouncil.org. This month more new materials are available including, the most important, a cost comparison excel form that lets you work with distributors and operators to determine how much money they can save by cutting the portion size of ground meat and adding chopped mushrooms.  The form calculates the savings….all you have to do in co-authorship with your customer,  is fill in the cost per lb. of ground meat, the cost of mushrooms and the number of servings per week. Then you can demonstrate the food cost saving,  along with the nutritional benefits of reducing meat and adding mushrooms.

Feel free to position this concept anyway you would like.  As we move forward, The Council will be referring to substituting mushrooms for meat as Swapability or Swapportunity.  When mushrooms are added to meat…which is happening in a number of colleges and with operators around the country…we will be referring to that as Blendability.

Marketing Summary

More chains introduced mushrooms on their menus as LTOs. McCormick and Schmick’s introduced their Simply Spring promotion with a Grilled Salmon with Vegetable Ragout including a hearty serving of mushrooms

Corner Bakery also featured mushrooms in their Spring Garden-Inspired Breakfast Menu.  A new line extension to their famous Farmer’s Scramble, is their Garden Gate Scrambler featuring chicken-apple sausage, spinach, peppers, Cheddar, and, of course, mushrooms.

FLIK, a division of Compass,  and The Council completed its Mushroom Recipe Contest. Judges included the President of FLIK, the chief culinary officer of FLIK, the President of Meatless Mondays and an Associate Editor of Food Management magazine.

From the 12 finalists, winners were selected in a number of categories.  Todd Chasteen, from Eastern Maine Community College won the breakfast category for his Grilled Portobello with Sausage, Sunny Side Egg and Hollandaise.  The Salad category was won by Darrel Robinson (Gilman School) for his Shiitake and Button Mushroom Whole Grain Salad with Portobello Vinaigrette.  Mushroom Stroganoff with Crème Fraiche in Phyllo Cups won Michale King the top place in the Swapability category, while Scott Iwanicki from Ethel Walker School won the Entrée category with his Mushroom Strudel with Gorgonzola and Mushroom Demi Glaze.  Grand Prize winner was Douglas Gauthier from Middlesex School with his Baked Maitake Oyster New Orleans Style.  Please see article that ran soon after the contest in Food Management through the following link:  http://food-management.com/k-12-schools/k-12-chefs-dazzle-mushroom-recipe-contest

On The Horizon

Presentations to chains will continue with the Council’s participation in a number of events where chain marketing and culinary directors congregate.  MEG, ICCA, and CIA all have events with new chain leaders and colleges and universities where we will feature Blendability.  This summer, we will be working on demos and promotions for Washington University in St. Louis, more Blendability at Yale and Blendability at a major commercial operator.

SCHOOL NUTRITION SUMMARY

• A memo outlining the approved vendor process for selling mushrooms to the U.S Department of Agriculture for a potential pilot purchase of bulk frozen mushrooms was shared with the Industry on April 25, please contact Marketing Coordinator, Katie Preis for more information.

• A memo outlining the Mushroom Council’s School Nutrition available sales materials and ‘avenues to sell to schools’ kit was shared with the industry on April 25.

• Council representatives successfully launched scratch mushroom blended pilot programs in Maplewood Richmond Heights, MO School District and Hickman Mills, KS School District. Look out for complete case studies from the successful pilot programs shortly.

• The Council has requested a pilot program from the USDA. The pilot program will test a mushroom beef burger in select state school districts. They will test for acceptability among students and kitchen staff. The burger spec is currently being finalized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Council will be meeting with representatives from Agriculture Marketing Service and Food and Nutrition Service in the coming weeks to further the process.

• The Council prepared to attend the Culinary Institutes of America’s Healthy Flavors, Healthy Kids Leadership Summit in early May. The Council plans to showcase mushroom blendability to a variety of school nutrition leaders and influencers.

• Progress on the Mushroom Council’s School Nutrition Program will be reported at the Council’s Regional Meetings May 16^th, 17^th and 21^st.

• Council School Nutrition resources can be found here.

RETAIL SUMMARY

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The Topline report week ending 03/24/13 was sent to the industry on 05/08/2013; click here to access the report online.

Total Mushrooms – 4 Weeks

• The Total U.S. dollar sales trend of +6.4% lags Total Produce’s growth trend (+10.8%) by -4.4 points
• On a Regional basis, all Regions posted positive dollar sales trends with Southeast leading at +12.8% followed by Great Lakes at +8.1%
• On a Market basis, Salt Lake City delivered the top dollar sales trend at +21.7% (a large gain on a smaller base). Only four Markets showed slight declines, Portland (-3.6%), San Diego (-2.1%), Harrisburg/Scranton (-1.7%) and Philadelphia (-1.1%)
• Volume in pounds for the Total U.S. increased by +8.4%. All Regions grew in this period with Great Lakes posting the strongest percentage volume increase at +14.8%
• At the Market level, 18 Markets delivered double-digit increases in volume, led by Grand Rapids (+31.5%), Detroit (+26.6%) and Cincinnati/Dayton (+21.6%). Cleveland posted the steepest decline at -5.8%

 Segment/Variety – 4 Weeks

• Total U.S. dollar sales of the White segment grew slightly (+0.6%), while Brown mushrooms grew +17.0% overall. Both Creminis and Portabellas showed strong growth, up +8.5% and +46.0%, respectively
• On a Regional basis, the dollar sales trend for the White segment was mixed. Southeast delivered the top dollar sales trend (+6.5%), while Northeast fell -4.0%
• The Brown segment saw impressive dollar sales increases across all Regions including double-digit growth in six of eight Regions. South Central led with dollar gains of +33.0%
• At the Market level, White segment trends ranged from +17.0% in Salt Lake City to a drop of -15.0% in Philadelphia. Twenty Markets declined in White mushroom dollar sales. Conversely, 44 of 48 Markets turned in strong gains in the Brown segment, including Salt Lake City (+57.8%) and Louisville (+56.8%)
• Total U.S. volume in pounds for the White segment increased slightly at +2.9% while the Brown segment saw overall volume growth of +22.4%, led by Portabella mushrooms at +67.1% and Creminis at +11.6%
• On a volume in pounds basis, South Central (-3.0%) and Northeast (-2.0%) turned in losses this period for Whites. In contrast, volume of Browns grew solidly, with Great Lakes leading the Regions at +51.7%

 Total Mushrooms – 52 Weeks

• The Total U.S. dollar sales trend of +3.4% lags the Total Produce growth trend of +5.5% by -2.1 points
• On a Regional basis, all Regions were flat to up over the current 52-week period.  Northeast holds the largest dollar share (21.2%) and grew +3.3% while Southeast (13.2% share) leads the Regions with the top dollar sales trend of +6.1%
•  At the Market level, most Markets experienced growth, notably Cleveland (+14.5%), Columbus (+12.2%) and New Orleans/Mobile (+11.2%)
• Total U.S. mushroom volume in pounds grew +3.3%.
• All Regions witnessed volume growth, led by West at +7.0% and Plains at+6.9%
• Only seven of 48 Markets saw downward volume trends including New York (-5.1%), Houston (-1.9%) and Chicago (-1.5%)

 Segment/Variety – 52 Weeks

• Total U.S. dollar sales for the White segment decreased by -1.3% with most Regions posting losses.  In the Brown segment, dollar sales were up +13.8%. All Regions showed positive trends with seven Regions in the double digits
  • Brown segment trends were driven by Cremini mushrooms, which hold a  73.8% dollar share of Browns and delivered sales growth of +12.0%
• At the Market level, dollar sales trends in the White segment varied greatly, ranging from an increase of +15.0% in Cleveland to a -16.1% decline in Milwaukee
• The Brown segment saw very strong dollar sales gains across nearly every Market, except San Francisco which declined -2.4%
• Total U.S volume in pounds of White mushrooms was also down -1.3%, but gains were seen in California (+3.2%), Plains (+1.9%) and West (+0.4%). Total U.S. volume in pounds of Brown mushrooms grew +16.2%, led by the West, which grew volume +34.9%
  • Brown segment volume growth trends were driven by  Cremini mushrooms which have a 76.3% volume share of Browns and delivered volume growth of +14.1%
• As with dollars, the Market level volume trends for the White segment were mixed, with 23 Markets trending downward including New York (-12.1%) and Milwaukee (-10.9%)
• The volume trend of Brown mushrooms fared significantly better, with only San Francisco (-8.8%) and Grand Rapids (-1.5%) posting downward trends
  • Strong volume increases in the Brown segment occurred in these Markets: Phoenix/Tucson (+57.6%), New Orleans/Mobile (+48.2%) and Denver (+43.6%)

Industry Tools

Mushroom Council- Label Optimization Study

Discrete choice experiments are currently being employed to determine which attributes can be displayed on mushroom labels that would have the greatest impact on consumer desirability and likelihood to buy.

Results will be presented in two ways.  The first will present the results for the most effective label. The second result will display how much each attribute/level impacts the desirability or likelihood to buy.

Look out for results in summer 2013

Marketing Summary

Communications surrounding the Council’s presence at the Experimental Biology Conference in Boston, MA in early April were shared with the trade press.

Mushroom Council Swap It or Top It Summer Promotion in Full Gear – Produce News 04/20/2013

Mushroom Benefits Highlighted at Academic Conference– The Packer 04/26/2013

Mushrooms Can Provide as Much Vit D as Supplements -The Perishable News 04/26/2013

March of the Mushroom – Produce Business April, 2013

Mushrooms Highlighted Produce Item – AndKnowUKnow Produce – 04/26/2013

Specialty Mushrooms – The Packer – 04/30/2013

Consumer

• Get all-day energy, All You, June 2013
• Slim Pickings, Family Circle, May 2013
• Full-fat cheese the secret to a healthy quesadilla, The Miami Herald, 5/16
  • Chicago Sun Times, 5/15
  • Shreveport Times (Shreveport, LA), 5/14
  • Green Bay Gazette (Green Bay, WA), 5/13
  • Washington Examiner (Washington, D.C.), 5/13
  • Washington Post, 5/13

• Insider’s Viewpoint: Expert Supermarket Advice: Build a Better Burger, Fruits and Veggies More Matters, 5/14
• The Health Benefits of Mushroom Consumption, Mercola, 5/13
• How to boost vitamin D, ABC 7 Local (Chicago, IL), 5/13
• Too little salt in diet can bring negative consequences, The Oregonian (Portland, OR), 5/15
  • The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, NC), 5/14
  • The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC), 5/14
  • Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, MS), 5/14
  • The Seattle Times (Seattle, WA), 5/12
  • The Palm Beach Post (Palm Beach, FL), 5/12

• Let’s Eat For The Health of It, Des Moines Sunday Register (Des Moines, IA), 5/12
• Mushrooms: A Marvelous Potent Source of Vitamin D, Tana Amen, 5/8
• Mushrooms may be just as effective as vitamin D supplements, Private MD Labs, 5/7
• Slimming seasonal staples for spring, The Source Advisor (Utica, MI), 5/5
• Stir-fry is a quick way to stir up a meal filled with vegetables, Tuscaloosa News (Tuscaloosa, AL), 5/1
• 50 Best Burger Recipes, The Daily Meal, 4/30

Popular Social Media Posts

.@annaskorczeski discusses the history of @rvr_mushrooms and their impact on Chicago restaurants, like @antiquetaco1. mushro.ms/10IqFPy

— Mushroom Council (@MushroomChannel) May 16, 2013

More burgers for #NationalBurgerMonth – @bonappetit features top burgers ( with a few #mushroom highlights) mushro.ms/19zdxk9

— Mushroom Council (@MushroomChannel) May 16, 2013

Consumer

• Top your pizza with vitamins!, Woman’s World, May 2013
• Quick Dinners with Sizzle: Grilled Portobellos with Chopped Salad, EatingWell, June 2013
• Wild Mushroom Pappardelle, Love & Olive Oil, 5/10
• Mushrooms pack a nutritious punch, NBC News, 5/9

• Mushrooms pack a nutritious punch, Philly Burbs, 5/8
• 6 May Superfoods to Eat This Month, Shape, 5/8
• Portobello burgers a tasty hit – TL, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock, AR), 5/8
• Fighting maladies with vitamin D, Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY), 5/8
• 5 Meatless Burgers Worth Trying, Huffington Post, 5/7
• Kale, Mushroom and Ricotta Calzones, Two Peas & Their Pod, 5/6
• Things to keep in mind for weight loss, Poughkeepsie Journal (Poughkeepsie, NY), 5/5
• Mushroom gravy is a fine meat substitute, Examiner, 5/5
• EATINGWELL: Blue Cheese Portobello Burgers, Chicago Tribune, 5/2
• Fire Up Your Grill and Make Some Mushroom Fajitas, Snack Girl, 5/2
• Healthy Family Meal Idea: Portobella Mushroom Burgers, About.com, 5/2
• Mushroom Burgers with Fried Egg and Ruffle Oil Recipe, The Daily Meal, 4/29

Trade

• K-12 Chefs Dazzle in Mushroom Recipe Contest, Food Management, 4/30

Popular Social Media Posts

It’s the last week to enter the #HealthyLunchtimeChallenge for kids 8 to 12. Find out all of the details here: epi.us/KtEU1w

— Mushroom Council (@MushroomChannel) May 9, 2013

Not sure what to cook for mom on #MothersDay? You know you’re on the right track with a #mushroom dish! mushro.ms/15nLac3

— Mushroom Council (@MushroomChannel) May 7, 2013

Consumer

• 5 Top Foods for Quick Weight Loss, Forbes, 5/2
• May Superfoods, Huffington Post, 5/1
• Recipe Finder: Vegetable ‘meat’ loaf, The Hanford Sentinel (Hanford, CA), 5/1
• 5 mushrooms you’ve got to try, Fox News, 4/30

• Have You Tried The Mushroom Diet?, Loop 21, 4/30
• The Mushrooms of Morgan Hill, NBC Bay Area, 4/30
• The Secret Ingredient for Weight Loss, Women’s Health, 4/29
• Mushrooms may provide as much vitamin D as supplements, IFT, 4/29
• Mini Mushroom Burgers, Fox News, 4/29
• Meatless Monday: Mushroom Madness, Rachael Ray, 4/29
• Portabella mushrooms, another white meat, Cape Gazette (Lewes, DE), 4/29
• Ingredient Spotlight: Spring Mushrooms, Williams Sonoma ‘The Blender Blog’, 4/29
• Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Simple Mushroom Tacos, PBS Fresh Tastes, 4/29
• Meatless Monday: Stir-Fried Broccoli and Mushrooms With Tofu, Fitbie, 4/29
• Meatless Monday: 14 Savory & Vegetarian Shiitake Mushroom Recipes, BlissTree, 4/29
• Good News! Stories We Dig from Around the Web, Vegetarian Times, 4/29
• Mushrooms Exposed to Sunlight are a Good Source of Vitamin D, One Green Planet, 4/29
• Vitamin D in Mushrooms, WBZ-AM (Boston, MA), 4/27 [Radio Clip]
• Mushrooms Offer Promising Vitamin D Benefits, New Study Finds, Organic Authority, 4/27
• Mushrooms may be another great way to get your vitamin D, Natural News, 4/27
• The latest in food news to help you get and stay healthy, KVAL, 4/26
• Taste of Home Cooking School features food, fun, HTR Media, 4/26
• Taste of Home coming Tuesday to Brainerd, Brainerd Dispatch (Brainerd, MN), 4/25
• Stovetop Mushroom Burgers with Pesto Spread, Full Thyme Med Student, 4/24
• Practical Nutrition: Mushrooms pack few calories with their good nutrition, Richmond Times-Dispatch, 4/17

Trade

• Mighty Mushrooms, Produce Retailer, 5/2
• Mushroom benefits highlighted at academic conference, The Packer, 4/26
• Mushroom Council’s ‘Swap It or Top It’ summer promotion in full gear, The Produce News, 4/20
• Industry News: The Mushroom Council, Foodservice Director, 4/15

Popular Social Media Posts

GREAT recipes! RT @meatlessmonday @rachaelraymag celebrates #MeatlessMonday with flavor boosting #mushrooms: ow.ly/kxwB8

— Mushroom Council (@MushroomChannel) April 29, 2013

Missing the meat? Grilled eggplant & portabello mushrooms are hearty enough to replace meat in dishes. #TheWillToGrill

— Fruits Vegetables (@Fruits_Veggies) May 1, 2013

Swapping red meat for mushrooms could be the secret to major weight loss, according to a Johns Hopkins pilot study: ow.ly/ksmxQ

— Fitbie (@Fitbie) April 29, 2013

Experimental Biology 2013 Coverage

Cheskin

• Replacing Meat with White Button Mushrooms Good for Weight Loss, Weight Reduction, Nature World News, 4/22
• White mushrooms may boost weight loss, Health 24, 4/22
• 1 Cup per Day of a Natural Meat Substitute Results in Weight Loss, Emax Health, 4/22

• Substituting White Button Mushrooms For Red Meat Helps Lose Weight – Study, RTT News, 4/22
  • Industries News, 4/22
• Positive effect of white button mushrooms when substituted for meat on body weight, Science Codex, 4/22
  • Medical Xpress, 4/22
  • MedIndia, 4/22
• Swap meat for mushrooms one meal a day to lose weight: study, AFP RELAXNEWS, 4/23
  • New York Daily News
  • The Star Online
  • Hindustan Times
• Substituting white button mushrooms for red meat helps lose weight, Zee News, 4/23
• Try substituting mushrooms for meat to aid weight loss, NYR Natural News, 4/23
• Substitute mushrooms for red meat to lose weight, The Times of India, 4/23
• Replacing Meat with Mushrooms Benefits Weight Loss, Veg News, 4/23
• Weight Loss Trick That Works: Replace Meat with Mushrooms, Newsmax Health, 4/23
• Study: Mushrooms can help dieters, CWEB News, 4/24
• Mushrooms Substituted for Meat In Meals Aid Weight Loss, Medical News Today, 4/24
• Swap meat for mushrooms one meal a day to lose weight: study, Diet USA, 4/23
  • The Malaysian Insider, 4/24
  • Times Live, 4/24
• Eat mushrooms for weight loss, Longevity, 4/24
• Research at EB 2013 reports potential health benefits associated with mushroom consumption, Science Codex, 4/24
• Replacing Meat With Mushrooms, Loving Nature Foods, 4/24
• Mushrooms Substituted for Meat In Meals Aid Weight Loss, Affordable Health Mag, 4/24
• Trends and Innovations, Investor’s Business Daily, 4/25
• Mushrooms Instead of Meat—New Diet on the Horizon!, in Serbia, 4/25
• Ditching meat for mushrooms can aid in weight loss, says new study, The Voice of Russia, 4/25
• Eating meat substitutes may offer weight benefits, SmartBrief for Nutritionists, 4/25
• The Veggie Swap that Boosts Weight Loss, Fitbie, 4/25
• Positive effect of white button mushrooms when substituted for meat on body weight and composition, Superhuman Radio, 4/25
• This Week in Research: Mushrooms for Weight Loss; Doctors Don’t Bond with Overweight Patients, Baltimore Fishbowl, 4/26
• Substitute Mushrooms for Red Meat to Lose Weight, Kashmir Monitor, 4/26

Holick

• Need Vitamin D? Try Mushrooms, Med Page Today, 4/22
• Study: Mushrooms provide as much vitamin D as supplements, Science Codex, 4/22
  • Medical Xpress, 4/22
• Eating Mushrooms Just as Effective as Taking Vitamin D Supplements, Counsel & Heal, 4/22
• Mushrooms Can Provide as Much Vitamin D as Supplements, Researchers Say, Boston Magazine, 4/22
  • Science Daily, 4/22

• Mushrooms can provide as much vitamin D as supplements – but only if you put them in the sun before you eat them, Daily Mail Online, 4/22
• Mushrooms provide as much vitamin D as supplements, study reveals, YAHOO! Shine, 4/22
• Get Your Daily Dose Of Vitamin D With A Helping Of Mushrooms, Red Orbit, 4/22
• Mushrooms Supplement Vitamin D Deficiency, I Tech Post, 4/22
• Mushrooms Just As Good As Vitamin D Supplements, Medical Daily, 4/22
• Need vitamin D? Try mushrooms, Everyday Health, 4/22
  • Denver Post, 4/23
  • The Register Citizen , 4/23
  • York Daily Record, 4/23

• Mushrooms ‘contain as much vitamin D as supplements’, Zee News, 4/23
• Mushrooms superior than Vitamin D, The Times of India, 4/23
• Mushrooms May Be a Better Vitamin D Source Than Daily Supplements, Latinos Post, 4/23
• Vitamin D in mushrooms as good as vitamin D in fish, Food Consumer, 4/23
• Mushrooms provide as much vitamin D as supplements, researchers find, NutraIngredients.com, 4/23
• Mushrooms Contain as Much Vitamin D as Supplements, Ivanhoe, 4/23
• Mushrooms are effective sources for vitamin D, Examiner, 4/23
• Researchers report mushrooms can provide as much vitamin D as supplements, Vitamin D Council, 4/23
• The mushrooms were dried in the Sun More Rich in Vitamin D, bubblews.com, 4/23
• Why You Don’t Need to Take a Vitamin D Supplement Ever Again, Emax Health, 4/23
• Mushrooms Exposed to UV Light Pack High Doses of Vitamin D, New Softpedia.com, 4/23
• Mushrooms provide more Vitamin D than daily supplements, Fresh Plaza, 4/24
• Need vitamin D? Try mushrooms, Heritage Newspapers, 4/24
• Mushrooms can be an effective source of vitamin D: study, The Star Online, 4/24
  •  Times Live, 4/24

• Mushrooms provide as much vitamin D as supplements, study reveals, Malaysia Edition, 4/24
• Eating mushrooms sing about vitamin D supplementation, Bubblews, 4/24
• Mushrooms ‘provide as much vitamin D as supplements’, Congo, 4/24; This site links to the Bio Portfolio article, 4/22
• Mushrooms ‘contain as much vitamin D as supplements’, India Vision News, 4/24
• Mushroom intake increased, maintained vitamin D levels, Healio, 4/24
• Mushrooms provide as much, Investor’s Business Daily, 4/24
• Take mushrooms, put outside in the sun, Independent Online, 4/25
• Mushrooms provide much-needed vitamin D, Sage Health News, 4/25
• Mushrooms contain as much vitamin D as supplements, Insider Medicine, 4/25
• Vitamin D in Mushrooms? Fungus Exposed to UV Light Provide Supplementation, Decoded Science, 4/26
• Mushrooms Can Provide As Much Vitamin D As Supplements, PerishableNews.com, 4/26
• Need vitamin D? Try mushrooms, Heritage.com, 4/26

Roundup of Mushroom Studies

• Mushrooms Pack Nutritional Punch, Voice of America, 4/22
• New research ties mushrooms to potential health outcomes, News Medical, 4/24
• Studies Reveal Nutritional Value of Mushrooms, The Jewish Voice, 4/24
• Research at EB 2013 reports potential health benefits associated with mushroom consumption, Science Codex, 4/24
• 5 ‘shrooms that add magic to any recipe, Philadelphia Daily News, 4/24
• Make Room for ‘Shrooms in Your Diet, Philly.com, 4/24

Additional Mushroom Coverage

• Flavorful Fake-outs, Prepared Foods, April 2013
• New Foods to Fight Fat, Prevention, May 2013
• Mushroom Council’s ‘Swap It or Top It’ summer promotion in full gear, Produce News, 4/20
• 5 Foods with a Surprising Impact on Health, Health, 4/25

Popular Social Media Posts

Yes they were! Grilled mushroom are yum! RT @mushroomchannel: @reinaheather That’s something we always love to hear! Thanks! @flatoutbread

— Flatout Bread (@FlatoutBread) April 25, 2013

#Mushrooms exposed 2 ultraviolet light may provide as much #VitD as supplements mobile.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Mushr… @mushroomscanada @mushroomchannel

— Jane Dummer, RD (@JaneDummer) April 23, 2013

#EB2013 Positive effect of mushrooms when substituted for meat on weight loss & maintenance mushro.ms/ZKkXv7

— Mushroom Council (@MushroomChannel) April 22, 2013

Regional Roundtables to be held in May:

The Mushroom Council continues to build on its successful nutrition research and promotion effort. Expanding into colleges and universities and now into the school lunch program appears to be adding a new dimension to the Council’s outreach efforts that looks promising. Come hear about recent accomplishments and programs relative to the Council’s consumer, foodservice and retail category management efforts and offer your feedback to your Council representatives.

This year’s guest speaker:  Greg Drescher, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives & Industry Leadership, Culinary Institute of America (CIA). The CIA is one of the larger recipients of Mushroom Council investment funds. Why is this single organization such an important strategic partner of the Mushroom Council? What vital role did they play in helping the Council launch the Blend Trend? What other innovative ideas and strategic counsel might the mushroom industry expect from this top-chef-think-tank in the future? Greg will explain the above and answer any questions you might have for him.

This presentation is to be followed by a brief program review by Mushroom Council President Bart Minor and Marketing Coordinator Katie Preis. We will conclude with a direct dialogue between you, the investors in this industry-wide effort, and your representatives, who ultimately guide the form that investment takes.

The value of the Council to the industry is strengthened by industry input and support; please attend and offer your point of view.

The following is a schedule of meetings. Please RSVP to Cheryl@mushroomcouncil.org or (408)432-7210 so we can plan resources accordingly.

• Thursday, May 16; Hilton Garden Inn, 6070 Monterey Road, Gilroy, CA
  • RSVP to Cheryl@mushroomcouncil.org
• Friday, May 17 Webinar – you must register to participate in the webinar
  • Register here:  https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/321837110 *
• Tuesday, May 21; Hilton Garden Inn, 815 E. Baltimore Pike, Kennett Square, PA
  • RSVP to Cheryl@mushroomcouncil.org

*Please note: the link is for registering for the webinar only; it does not provide access to the webinar. After registering you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing a link to join the Webinar.

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2013 Council Representatives:

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• A call for nominations for 3-year terms beginning January 1, 2014 has been mailed. The regions with a position opening up are Region 1 (one position); Region 2 (one position) and Region 3 (one position).Completed forms are due no later than May 1. Please consider being a part of the Council.

• USDA and the Mushroom Council encourage all eligible producers, including women, minorities and individuals with disabilities to participate in the nominations and seek nomination to serve on the Council.

• Once the nominees have been verified, ballots will be mailed on or about June 1, 2013 to those eligible to vote. If you do not receive a ballot and believe you should have, please contact Cheryl at the Council office.

• The next Council meeting is being held on Saturday, June 22, 2013 in conjunction with the NAMC in Vancouver. If you would like to attend this meeting please contact Cheryl so we can make sure you are accommodated.

SHIPMENT SUMMARY

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To see current charts through January 2013 click here.

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MARKETING SUMMARY

Industry Tools

• The spring News About Mushrooms nutrition e-newsletter was distributed on 3/20 to approximately 6,500 health influencers and received an open and click thru rate of 23.7 percent and 19.3 percent respectively (compared to  21.8 and 16.8 percent for the winter newsletter). This edition of the newsletter focused on Council partnerships to get more veggies on the plate including the commitment with the Partnership for a Healthier America and grant programs with Academy subgroups. Share the newsletter with your customers so they can learn more about mushrooms’ place in the school nutrition landscape.

Mushroom Council Marketing Summary – March 2013

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• March consumer media highlights feature mushrooms in articles about weight management, vitamin D, immunity and versatility. Click on the links below to view the full stories.
  • More food, less guilt, Redbook, April 2013
  • Six Secrets to Great Taste, Real Simple, April 2013
  • 10 Best Foods for Women, USA Today The Best Diet & Fitness Tips, March  2013
  • 52 Healing and Slimming and Satisfying and Sumptuous Super Foods, Prevention, March 2013
  • Busting the most common kitchen myths, Fox News, 3/29
  • In season: mushrooms, Atlanta Journal Constitution, 3/26
  • Maitake: The Magnificent ‘Dancing’ Mushroom, Huffington Post, 3/21
  • 23 Tasty Ways to Eat Mushrooms!, Babble, 3/18
  • New Restaurant Surprises: Applebee’s Napa Chicken & Portobellos, Hungry Girl e-Newsletter, 3/15
  • Beefy Mushroom Burgers, Laura’s Lean Beef, 3/15
  • 10 Delicious, Calorie-Saving Ingredient Swaps, Fitbie, 3/13
  • Cutting Down on the Meat, but Not the Taste, New York Times, 3/11
  • Sunday Supper: Mushrooms makes vegan dish meaty, Detroit Free Press, 3/10
  • PHA Announces Mushroom Council and Reebok as Newest Partners, A Healthier America, 3/8
  • Little Slice of Heaven: Mushrooms can make the meal, Times-Herald (Newnan, GA), 3/7

• The New York Times discussed innovative ways foodservice companies and chefs are increasing vegetables/decreasing meat intake while amping up flavor. The article featured mushrooms in a week-long recipe series, highlighting multiple applications of the mushroom-meat cooking technique including a mushroom-base recipe from Chef Scott Samuel of the Culinary Institute of America. Recipes included:
  • Mushroom and Turkey Burgers
  • Mushroom, Bulgur, Spinach and Turkey Fritters with Yogurt Sauce
  • Mushroom and Beef Meatballs
  • Rainbow Beef

• In March, the Council leveraged this year’s National Nutrition Month (NNM) theme, “Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day,” to demonstrate how consumers and health professionals can utilize mushrooms’ versatility to bring vegetables and nutrients to more meals every day, every way.  Highlights from the March campaign include:
  • E-blast round-up of Council recipes for every day of the week was distributed to over 6,000 food/features editors; garnered placements in the Antelope Valley Press, Bismarck Tribune and Newnan Times-Herald.
  • 60-second audio news release celebrating mushrooms’ superfood status and highlighting the mushroom-meat blend cooking technique aired on more than 750 radio stations nationwide and reached an audience of more than 43 million listeners. To listen to the sound bite, click here.
  • Celebrated National Registered Dietitian Day on 3/13 by tweeting personalized e-cards to 40 nutrition experts and sending mushroom growing kits to 30 targeted influencers, earning the Council tremendous goodwill among these audiences.
  • Produce prescription themed visuals were shared on Facebook where the Council “prescribed” mushrooms for a variety of meals and snacks, while highlighting their nutrition benefits. Posts reflecting these efforts resulted in a combined 2,206 likes, 572 shares and 63 comments.
  • Featured recipe tab on Facebook, MushroomInfo.com and the monthly consumer newsletter followed the “Produce Prescription” theme and promoted seven recipes to showcase different mushroom applications across meals for every day of the week.
  • #MushroomDish Twitter party on 3/20 had 420 participants and generated nearly 5,000 tweets; of which 882 referenced the Mushroom Channel’s Twitter handle directly. The #MushroomDish hashtag became a worldwide trending topic surrounding the Council’s key messages including versatility and blendability.
  • More than 40 family and food bloggers, like The Vintage Mom andA Year With Mom & Dad, wrote about mushroom versatility as related to the NNM theme. Tour participants had a combined total of 1,432,003 average monthly page views, 274,338 Twitter followers and 208,237 Facebook fans.
  • Dedicated Pinterest board titled “Every Day: Every Way” highlighted mushroom recipes and dishes. The 41 featured pins received 167 repins and 37 likes with 26 pins directing back to MushroomInfo.com resulting in a click through rate of 62 visits to mushroominfo.com.
  • Showcased NNM on the Mushroom Channel blog throughout the month, two of which were among the top-viewed blog posts for March:
    • Nutrition Inspiration Every Day, Your Way
    • It’s a Trend to Blend
    • #MushroomDish Inspiration
    • Getting Kids to Eat More Fruits and Veggies: Stay the Course or Change Direction?

• Search Engine Marketing increased traffic to MushroomInfo.com by 146 percent and daily page views by 253 percent since launching in May 2011.
  • Search Engine Marketing drove nearly 17,500 visits to MushroomInfo.com during March 2013 and was the largest source driving return visitors to the site, with 4,615 visits from this audience.

• Top performing keywords were consistent from February and included “mushroom recipe,” “stuffed mushrooms” and “vitamin D foods.”

• The Mushroom Channel blog published eight posts in March, including new recipes by blogger contributors.
  • The most visited were: Simple and Delicious Mushroom Sauté (received 2,573 pageviews), Clean out your Pantry Couscous with Mushrooms and Herbs and Mushroom Lovers Cheesy Pizza Dip. Click here to read all posts.

• Three of the Mushroom Channel’s blog contributors (Bellalimento.com, LafujiMama.com and AddaPinch.com) were amongst the top 10 sources driving visitors to the blog, with a combined 2,728 visits.

• Monthly fan growth on Facebook increased by 140 percent from February, generating more than 8.6 million impressions. The platform drove more than 5,000 total visits to Mushroominfo.com and drove 2,131 visits from return visitors in March.

• Monthly fan growth on increased 175 percent since February, resulting in more than 13.7 impressions.
  • This is attributed to the Mushroom Channel’s sponsored #MushroomDish Twitter chat hosted by Resourceful Mom on March 20th, which reached 420 unique participants and sparked 772 mentions of the Mushroom Channel’s Twitter handle.

• Pinterest followers increased by 13 percent since February. The platform also drove 35 percent of all visits to Mushroominfo.com directed from social media sites with more than 3,500 visits.

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On the Horizon

• From April 20-24, eight mushroom research abstracts will be presented at Experimental Biology (Boston, MA) linking mushrooms to positive health outcomes in the areas of weight management, vitamin D immunity and overall diet quality.

• The Council fielded the annual Today’s Dietitian survey on April 9^th to gather and benchmark registered dietitians’ attitudes towards mushrooms. Results will be included in the May shipment report.

• The Council will conduct traditional and social media outreach for summer grilling highlighting Blendability leading into the promotion of the Swap It or Top It summer recipe contest.
• The Eat, Write, Retreat social media conference will take place in late May (Philadelphia, PA) where the Council will engage prominent food bloggers through a mushroom-centric session and introduce the Swap It or Top It contest.

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FOOD SERVICE SUMMARY

Industry Tools

The Council completed several new tools to showcase the newest mushroom concept Blendability that shows operators how to provide guests with iconic foods like burgers, meatballs and tacos, while reducing calories and fat, and potentially reducing food costs and meeting changing consumer needs.  On www. Mushroomcouncil.org there will be an updated sell sheet, as well as a new PowerPoint presentation that focuses not only on Blendability, but also on the overall nutrition power of mushrooms.

Marketing Summary

Several chains launched new mushroom items this period. Mushrooms are hot at breakfast.  Denny’s is currently featuring a promotion,  Pepper Bacon Omelette with diced pepper bacon, fresh avocados, fire-roasted peppers and onions, mushrooms, american cheese and pico de gallo.  Added to Denny’s regular menu, is a Philly Steak Omelette with grilled prime rib, fire-roasted peppers and onions, sautéed mushrooms and swiss cheese.  Not to be

outdone, Perkins introduced a new Spinach and Baby Bella Scramble on its Fit Favorite menu.  The item has slow roasted tomatoes, grilled onions, fresh spinach and, of course, baby portabella mushrooms

Noodles and Company is using mushrooms to promote the healthy side of their menu.  With their new “Worlds of Spring” LTO, they are featuring three new vegetable-centric items, two of which have mushrooms.  The Springtime Flatbread is a crispy flatbread appetizer with mushrooms, fresh asparagus, Parmesan and bacon while the Garden Pesto Sauté features asparagus, mushrooms, red bell peppers, onions, spinach, pecans, pecorino and feta over gluten free fusilli noodles and topped with Genovese pesto.

The Council was at Texas A&M, one of the largest colleges in the country to educate students on mushrooms.  The event, which was held in conjunction with a student recipe contest, featured a sauté station where students sampled mushroom with teriyaki, pesto and BBQ Vinaigrette.  The chefs received a firsthand look at Blendability and will be working on new items featuring the technique.

On The Horizon

Work with restaurant chains and colleges will continue, and a number of CIA event are up-coming where The Council will be able to introduce more chains to the concept of Blendability.  The FLIK recipe contest judging will be held at the end of April, where chefs from private high schools in Maine, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York contributed recipes that were voted on by students from their schools.

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SCHOOL NUTRITION SUMMARY

• A document outlining the school market opportunity for mushrooms and steps shippers can take to sell to schools was presented during the March 5^th Swapability Webinar. The relevant ‘How To’ sheets can be found here on the school nutrition section of mushroomcouncil.org.

• A complete ‘Selling to Schools’ sales kit was shared with the industry in a ‘blendability- webinar’ flash drive. Please request a flash drive from Cheryl if you did not receive.

• Council representatives worked with a meat processor to develop a school foodservice mushroom and beef blended burger product formula. The formula was reviewed by the USDA and received a Child Nutrition Label which includes a 1/4 cup vegetable credit when served with 1/8 cup additional vegetable.

• Council has requested a pilot program from the USDA. The pilot program will test a mushroom beef burger in select state school districts. They will test for acceptability among students and kitchen staff. The burger spec is currently being finalized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

• Mushroom Council representatives are currently working with several school districts throughout the country to develop mushroom swapability pilot programs. Pilot programs in St Louis, Kansas City and South Bend are beginning in April 2013.

• Council representatives attended the American Commodity Distribution Association’s Annual Conference to further educate stakeholders on the benefits mushrooms bring to the National School Lunch Program.

• Council School Nutrition resources can be found here.

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RETAIL SUMMARY

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The Topline report week ending 02/24/13 was sent to the industry on 04/02/2013; click here to access the report online.

Important Changes:

This new data reflects sales and volume from major produce retailers such as Walmart, Sam’s Club, Target and BJ’s. This new data is being united with thetraditional grocery data we have utilized in previous reports.  This new combined data is called MULO, which stands for Multi-Outlet stores.  In addition to new retailers reflected in the report, we also now have an expanded list of markets.

What does this mean to you?

More retail data and more markets means you now see a more comprehensive view of the produce market and that the sales numbers reflected in many markets will appear larger or different than in the previous reports.  You may even witness a new direction in some retail trends with the expansion of this data set. Because of these changes, you cannot easily compare these new reports to reports of the past.

Total Mushrooms – 4 Weeks

• The Total U.S. dollar sales trend of +3.5%  lags Total Produce’s growth trend (+9.9%) by -6.4 points
• On a Regional basis, Plains (+10.4%) and Great Lakes (+7.8%) posted the strongest percentage dollar increases. Two Regions posted declines: Northeast at -3.0% and Midsouth at -2.1%
• On a Market basis, New Orleans/Mobile delivered the top dollar sales trend at +22.6% (a large gain on a smaller base), while Hartford/Springfield and Harrisburg/Scranton both experienced double-digit declines at -18.3% and -15.2%
• Volume in pounds for the Total U.S. increased by +3.0%. On a Regional basis, six of the eight Regions grew this period with Plains posting the strongest percentage volume increase at +10.9%.  Declining Regions were Northeast (-4.8%) and Midsouth (-1.4%)
• In the Markets, New Orleans/Mobile and Milwaukee  had the greatest volume percentage gains at +27.6% and +24.9%

Segment/Variety – 4 Weeks

• Total U.S. dollar sales of the White segment experienced an overall  decline in the U.S. of -3.4% while Brown mushrooms  grew by +16.7% overall. Creminis increased by +11.3% and Portabellas by +34.9%
• Total U.S. volume in pounds for the White segment declined -4.1% while the Brown segment saw an increase of +20.8%, led by Portabella mushrooms at +34.5% and Creminis at 17.3%
• On a Regional basis, the dollar sales trend for the White segment was mixed. California delivered the top dollar sales trend (+5.5%), while Northeast region fell -13.8%
• The Brown segment saw impressive dollar sales increases across all Regions led by Southeast which turned in a +38.8% increase on a large base
• Six Markets turned in double-digit declines for the White segment with the largest decline in Hartford/Springfield at -32.4%. Conversely, 42 of 48 Markets turned in strong gains in the Brown segment, with 19 Markets growing dollar sales over +30%
• On a volume in pounds basis, most Regions and Markets turned in losses this period for Whites. In contrast, volume of Browns grew solidly, with Southeast leading the Regions at +55.6%

Total Mushrooms – 52 Weeks

• The Total U.S. dollar sales trend of +2.8% lags the Total Produce growth trend (+4.5%) by -1.7 points
• On a Regional basis, all Regions except California (-0.7%) experienced growth over the current 52-week period.  The Northeast holds the largest dollar share (21.2%) while Southeast leads the Regions with the top dollar sales trend of +5.0%
• Total U.S. volume grew +2.4%
• All Regions  witnessed volume growth, while West had the greatest percentage increase at +6.2%
• In the Market rankings of dollars, many markets experienced growth, led by Cleveland (+14.9%) and Columbus (12.1%)
• Market rankings by volume were led by Salt Lake City (+9.5%), Minneapolis (+9.3%) and Jacksonville (+9.1%) with the greatest decline occurred in New York (-5.7%)
• Segment/Variety – 52 Weeks
• Total U.S. dollar sales for the White segment declined -1.5%, with all Regions declining except the Southeast (+0.3%).  However, Total U.S. sales for the Brown segment grew +12.5%, with all Regions posting increases, led by Plains at +20.3%
• Total U.S volume in pounds of White mushrooms also experienced an overall decline (-1.8%), with only two Regions experiencing an increase: California (+2.6%) and Plains (+1.3%). Total U.S. volume in pounds of Brown mushrooms experienced growth of +14.4%, led by the West which grew volume +33.7%
• In the Brown segment, Cremini mushrooms hold the largest share, accounting for 74.1% of dollar sales and 76.8% of volume in pounds.  Portabella mushrooms account for 25.8% of dollar sales and 23.2% of volume in pounds.
• While many Markets declined in the sales and volume of White mushrooms, in the Brown segment nearly every Market  grew dollar sales and volume
  • Sales trend of Brown mushrooms in major Markets: New York +12.6%, Los Angeles +5.6%, Baltimore/Washington +4.9%
    • Only San Francisco experienced a decline (-2.6%)
  • Volume of Brown mushrooms grew in all but two markets: Grand Rapids (-7.1%) and San Francisco (-9.0%)
    • Strong volume increases in the Brown segment occurred in these Markets: Phoenix/Tucson +58.5%,  Denver +41.6%, New Orleans/Mobile +42.5%

Marketing Summary

Communications surrounding the Council’s Partnership for Healthier America summit were distributed to appear in March issues.

Mushroom Council Joins Anti-Obesity Efforts – The Packer, 3/08/2013

Mushroom Council Announced Multi Million Dollar Commitment to PHA-The Perishable New, 3/12/2013

USDA seeks nominees for Mushroom Council - The Perishable News, 3/22/2013

USDA seeks Mushroom Council Nominees - The Packer, 3/22/2013

USDA seeking nominations for Mushroom Council – AndKnowUKnow Produce, 3/21/2013