The Mushroom Council’s successful introduction of The Blend into foodservice and school lunch programs is prompting it to expand into the retail segment with pilot programs, before a national rollout.

The Blend is a concept of mixing finely diced mushrooms into proteins such as beef, turkey, lamb or pork to make hamburgers, meatloaf and meatballs.

The Blend enables consumers to enjoy their favorite foods while reducing their intake of fats, sodium, cholesterol and calories and adding a portion of produce to their meals. Initial research indicates reduced product costs, great consumer receptivity and increased sales.

“The Blend fits all the criteria consumers are looking for at retail,” Bart Minor, president of the Mushroom Council, said in a press release. “Customers shop for convenient, on-trend, healthy and flavorful dishes to feed their families. Consumers are familiar with Blend products because they’ve tasted it at restaurants in the foodservice industry. The Blend at retail is the natural progression to meet consumer demand.”

The retail deli, foodservice and meat departments can offer The Blend as a healthy, value-added product offering to their customers. It has great culinary appeal. Retailers can benefit by utilizing mushrooms from the produce department to blend into meat-based products, thus reducing shrink. Retailers that tested The Blend had a sales increase in mushrooms, ground meat and other items.

The Mushroom Council is working with other key retailers across the country to expand The Blend program. The council is supporting retailers promoting The Blend with marketing development, point-of-sales literature, registered dietitian integration, in-store consumer communications and product demo support.

“The Blend has helped increase mushroom and meat sales as well as provided a convenient, healthy solution to consuming meat products,” Minor added in the press release. “With grilling season fast approaching, it is an ideal time for retailers to develop Blend promotions to engage consumers looking for healthier food alternatives, such as ground beef or turkey blended with mushrooms for a healthier version of a traditional hamburger.”

The Mushroom Council is interested in expanding its network of retailers introducing The Blend. All retailers interested in benefiting from The Blend program and participating in a Blend pilot can visit the new website www.MushroomsAtRetail.com for further information, resources and contact information.