Netherlands - every year, wouldn’t it be tempting to sit on your laurels? “True, but CEM had grown quite sizeably, had to move, and a few years ago other non-food-related, sustainable applications of mycelium started to bubble to the surface; packaging, clothing, plastic replacements. I paid a visit to Ecovative Design in the USA and what I saw there triggered me enormously.” In 2018, that ultimately resulted in CEM entering a strategic partnership with Ecovative to exclusively produce and distribute the mycelium material patented by Ecovative in Europe. Small scale experiments looking at mycelium as a building material were done at CEM’s premises, with a small startup making the products and Rademakers delivering just the substrate, in addition to the regular substrate production. In 2018, however, there were rumblings of change at CNC, the early signs of the eventual acquisition by Sun European Partners. In April 2020, Rademakers sold his shares (45%) in CEM to CNC and, together with the current business manager of CEM, Willem van Hassel, stayed on to manage the company until the end of last year.
Mycelium Materials Mycelium Materials Europe (MME) is the new startup that has to realise his new ambitions. Partner and co-founder of MME, Simon Hoen- derop, was still CFO of CNC when Bert was trying to drum up some enthusiasm for his plans, that went a little too far out of the compost company’s comfort zone. Hoenderop, who had plenty of experience with start-ups in other roles at REWIN and Breda University, was keen right from the start, however. “For a long time, alternative applications of mycelium were shrouded in the mist of hippy culture, but we were and are absolutely convinced that it is a game changer.” What they saw was that many of the companies that embark in this new sector get bogged down by good intentions or too much experimentation, or there are too many cooks (sponsors) in the kitchen. So they sought contact with a large commercial partner in San Francisco, who will market the mycelium leather products with major global players in the world of fashion. “You have to think big, go mainstream. The bulk of the team at Ecovative are inventors, they have the patent on the production process. And our financially very healthy American commercial partner lacks the opportunity to set up large-scale and professional mycelium production. What they miss, but what we do have here in the Netherlands, is a highly professional agricultural infrastructure, and Bert and I can offer the Americans our knowledge of raw materials (mycelium, substrate) and our established network. In addition, we
MyFoam production.
are the only party for them that can scale up quickly, and that has resulted in an exclusive partnership.” Rademakers adds: “Simon and I have a lot of combined experience so we’re unlikely to take uncalculated risks. We have both invested in the venture and want to remain as autonomous as possible. We are a start-up with a vision.”
Up and running At MME, they have been up and running on an industrial estate in Hedel since January. Mycelium grows in the substrate, but also on top of it, creating a semi-finished product called MyFoam® – mycelium foam – which can be used for ‘vegan leather’ or other organic textile production. Mycelium composite materials are also produced as a raw material for construction or packaging applications for third parties (e.g. the creator of the ‘Loop Cocoon’ - see MB 102 middle pages). This material can be ordered via the MME website. MME currently employs a team of 12, predominantly young, highly educated people, four of whom work full-time, alongside Simon and Bert.
Rademakers acknowledges that there are some obstacles: “We are somewhat reliant on the success of the American company, and we don’t have a clear picture of how quickly and to what extent we will have to scale up when large customers arrive. The process efficiency needs optimising, and that takes time. But we genuinely believe in what we are doing and the future of our sustainable product.”
We say farewell to Rademakers, who could leave behind a thriving CEM with confidence and is clearly in his element at his new company. A company that has taken him to the outer fringes of the mushroom sector this time. Because you won’t see mushrooms on these beds anymore.
MUSHROOM BUSINESS 19
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