FRUIT LOGISTICA 2023
Funghi Funghi from Belgium at Fruit Logistica 2023: Leon van Basten cooking with Hen of the woods (Maitake).
The company supplies an impressive range of 70 varieties of mushrooms.
company decided to take a break from FL last year, but this year they are back with a venge- ance. They believe it is worth to show the com- pany, make it more recognizable, here at FL, and in Madrid.
Funghi Funghi: Broadening the chef’s mind
‘There is so much more to be
discovered about the taste and
health aspects of mushrooms!’
The relatively new player on the exotic mushroom market Fungi Funghi started their business shortly before the pandemic. For them, supplying clients in the horeca sector with an impressive range of 70 types of exotic mushrooms in most European capitals, the pan- demic, resulting in closure of all major restau- rants, was a problem indeed. The company used this time to expand its network of international suppliers, build up logistics and communicate even stronger to the world their motto: helping to discover. According to Leon van Basten, res- ponsible for communication and gastronomy who combines passion for cooking with teaching consumers and chefs about the enormous variety of mushrooms available for all types of culinary adventures. Making them aware of the range of possibilities mushrooms offer in the kitchen. Van Basten says, there is a lot to be done since the Northern consumers are not willing to expe-
riment with fungi in general. The standard is still a small blue punnet with white button mushrooms preferably acquired for 1 Euro. “And there is so much to be discovered both about the taste and health aspects of mushrooms!” He is looking forward to the future.
EMC Exotic Mushroom Centre: A Chinese-Polish venture
The Exotic Mushroom Centre (EMC) is a subsidi- ary of Qihe Biotech, a giant in the Chinese mar- ket. The company prides itself on the production capacities of 150 Mio logs and 3500 tons fresh shiitake yearly. At the offer is also the oyster and the king oyster mushroom. To supply their clients all around the world the company set up 5 large production hubs in China, three in the USA, one in Japan and one in Poland. We talk to Piotr Rubacha, the head of the Polish subsidiary, who tells us that the exotic mushrooms make about 5% of the entire mushroom market volume in Poland. The capacity of the Polish plant can be between 100 kg to 4-5 tones a week. Now the production amounts to about 3 tons a week. Among the clients are Hajduk and Ansław, both located not far from the EMC production site. Asked about the future perspectives, Rubacha answers that the market for exotic mushrooms in Poland will surely rise. For this however Polish people have to travel more and get more open for culinary adventures. Another chance for expan- ding the exotic mushroom sector in Poland could be growing communities of people of Asian background in Poland. In Warsaw they are still very modest compared with other European or American cities.
Representatives of EMC at FL 2023. Sales manager Piotr Rubacha second from right. 42 MUSHROOM BUSINESS
Interesting how good companies manage to surf in that sea of challenges, fully aware of the necessity to watch for both icebergs and looking for good wind. After several talks and visits one could state that despite uncertainty, hope and optimism prevailed at FL 2023. Next edition will be held 7-9 February, 2024.
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