Shoppers at the retail level are looking for additional choices in the mushroom category. This is driving retailers to promote them more frequently, and it is pushing suppliers like To-Jo Mushrooms Inc. to offer more items in its product line.

Pete Wilder, marketing director for the Avondale, PA-based company, said white button mushrooms are still leading the category.

“But they are trailed closely by Portabella and Crimini varieties,” he said. “And we are seeing an increased demand for specialty and wild items such as To-Jo’s Exotic Blend in both the retail and foodservice segments.”

Wilder explained that the increased demand for a variety of specialty and organic mushrooms have helped to lift the category, especially over the past 12 to 18 months.

“We are also anticipating an increase in larger club size packs during the upcoming holiday season,” said Wilder. “We expect items such as our 24-ounce whole white pack and 20-ounce sliced Baby Bella pack to do particularly well.”

To-Jo’s Foraged Fresh program has been well received by its customers. The program, launched earlier this year, offers seasonal wild mushrooms to customers on a weekly basis based on availability.

“Our team sources only the freshest, highest quality products from across the globe,” stressed Wilder. “With the strong fall seasonal varieties now available we are seeing the demand for Chanterelle, Lobster and Black Oyster mushrooms picking up.”

Foraging Chanterelle mushrooms. To-Jo-s Foraged Fresh program is gaining in popularity.The company has offered certified organic white and brown mushrooms to its customers for more than the past year, and it is experiencing consistent growth in demand. Overall organic sales have increased by about 5 percent in that short period of time.

“We do not see this changing as we move into 2016,” said Wilder. “We’ll be looking to increase our supply of organics to meet the demands of our customers in the future.”

The growth, he added, is coming from both the retail and foodservice sectors. Foodservice in particular has experienced a nice lift in conjunction with the Mushroom Council’s The Blend initiative.

“The Blend continues to gain traction and exposure,” said Wilder. “The Better Burger Project and Veal Checkoff promotions this past summer were both hits for mushrooms, and we are seeing some pilot programs in the retail segment that should continue to increase into 2016.”

To-Jo, Wilder explained, sees The Blend as an opportunity to help its partners stay on trend. It has provided them with turn-key solutions to implement the available programs to their customers.

“Our national account team is well-versed on the topic and has worked closely with accounts to provide sales training and promotional ideas to support The Blend at the store or restaurant level,” he said.

To-Jo will be exhibiting at booth number 4369 at the PMA Fresh Summit in Atlanta in October.