“Organic sales continue to grow,” Kevin Donovan, national sales manager for Phillips Mushroom Farms in Kennett Square, PA, told The Produce News.

“And the increases are substantial. Our customers are more interested in promoting and selling organics than ever in the past because they’re seeing growth and demand in this segment of produce. We at Phillips Mushroom Farms are continuing to grow our organic line to meet this great demand.”

Phillips Mushroom’s Portabella Caps.Donovan explained his reasoning behind the strong organic demand today, saying that at one time it was just a trend. But today’s consumers have learned about the health aspects of organic foods.

“I can’t say anything bad about conventional mushrooms, and we continue to produce and increase volumes on the huge amounts that we have in the past,” he added. “But organics are indeed becoming more prevalent among consumers. The organic consumer today is between 30 and 50 years old, and they’re not only buying organics to feed their families; they have also become more educated about eating foods that aren’t chemically treated. Organics is no longer a trend — it’s a major industry change and one that is here to stay.”

He also suggested that another reason for the growing attention and demand for organics is due to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Organic Standards Board, or NOSB, who are doing an outstanding job of helping to spread the organic word.

“The agency is using its message as a good government seal of approval,” said Donovan. “The certification process is done by private agencies that are monitored by NOSB. They are trained in implementing the standards, and things move very smoothly and accurately through this process.”

At Phillips Mushroom Farms, white mushrooms are still the lion’s share of sales, but Donovan said that browns like baby bellas and portabellas, keep climbing in demand, and strongly. Whites, he said, are so common that consumers buy them out of habit and tradition.

He also noted that the mushroom industry faces a production challenge this year.

“The compost, or substrate, medium that we grow mushrooms in is creating the challenge,” said Donovan. “This issue is weather related and has to do with the weather where it is grown. When too much moisture penetrates the material it’s harder to handle, and prices go up when there are shortages caused by this problem. Prices are pretty high this year.”

Having a strong organic line of mushrooms fits perfectly with Phillips Mushroom Farms’ commitment to sustainability. The company has switched to using recycled PET trays for its mushrooms.

“Between 25 and 50 percent of the trays have already been recycled,” explained Donovan. “As a company we have studied and implemented sustainable practices in every way possible for over 15 years, and we will continue to into the future.”

Phillips Mushrooms has a couple of new organic packaging designs on the drawing table currently, and Donovan said he looks forward to their launch at some time in the future.