Kevin Donovan, national sales manager for Phillips Mushroom Farms in Kennett Square, PA, told The Produce News that the company’s organic line of mushrooms is really gaining ground in demand and that customers are looking for more organic products on retail shelves at their grocery stores.

“Consumers are really helping to push this growth,” said Donovan. “In years past — since organics really became better known — retailers felt that the category had to have a presence in their produce departments. And so they bought what they felt they had to in order to display an organic presence. Today, however, they have learned that organics are here to stay, and they are dedicating entire sections just to organics.”

Phillips Mushrooms has expanded its organic packing facility and it plans to increase its production of organics in order to meet the growing demand.

Although pricing between organics and conventional produce is leveling off somewhat as organic production increases, Donovan explained that it’s a little different in the mushroom category.

“We continually focus on increasing our organic production as much as possible,” Donovan said. “But the cost for organic mushrooms is higher because at times we have to shorten the crop due to production challenges. These challenges are more treatable with conventional mushrooms, such as with the use of fertilizers and pesticides, but they cannot be used on organics because of the certification criteria.”

Donovan also explained that the company composts the hay it uses for the growing medium for its organic mushroom production, which renders it within the organic criteria.

The company is certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has become a leading global organic certification standard since its inception over a decade ago.

Although Phillips Mushrooms produces numerous organic mushroom varieties, Donovan said that the strongest growth is in whites and baby Bellas.

“We also offer Portobellos in both whole and sliced options, Maitake, Beech, Royal Trumpet and Pom Pom mushrooms in our organic line,” he added.

Today Phillips Mushrooms can be found at retail stores across the U.S. in both organic and conventional options. Donovan said that through direct sales, wholesalers and distributors, its mushrooms ultimately find their way to major chains and small retailers as well as specialty shops.

The company’s food-safety certifications and its sustainability practices meet or exceed what is required today, and it continually works to find new and more efficient ways of producing the over 35 million pounds of mushrooms that it distributes annually.

Phillips Mushroom Farms has also invested heavily in building research facilities.