Monterey Mushrooms Leads Industry With Advanced Growing Techniques

In partnership with: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

For more than 50 years, Monterey Mushrooms has produced locally grown mushrooms that are conveniently accessible to consumers nationwide via grocery stores, restaurants and more.

Stocked by nine farms across six U.S. states, including Florida, Monterey Mushrooms is the largest cultivator of fresh mushrooms in North America, growing more than 200 million pounds of fungi annually. Approximately 4,000 employees, including 325 at the Zellwood farm near Orlando, run the innovative operation.

Growers, harvesters, packers and other teammates have collectively revolutionized the industry to produce edible mushrooms year round.

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Sprouting Stages

“The fungi grow in trays in large climate-controlled buildings to conserve space and energy,” says Leslie Harden, sales director of Monterey Mushrooms.

The initial growing step, which takes about 20 days, is the creation of rich compost with sources of nitrogen and other organic materials. Then, after pasteurizing comes the company-patented spawn production, followed by growing, harvesting and, finally, packaging.

The average shelf life of mushrooms is 10 days from the day of harvest, so that means once they’ve reached maturity, quality mushrooms are hand-picked, packed and shipped.

“Mushrooms are extremely perishable. The average mushroom package has about seven days from the time it hits grocery shelves to when they need to be eaten,” Harden says.

She explains that because Monterey Mushrooms uses a proprietary ultraviolet sunlight system, their sliced mushrooms are naturally enriched with high levels of vitamin D, in addition to B vitamins and the antioxidant selenium.

Sustainable System

More than a decade ago, Monterey Mushrooms earned the Produce Marketing Association’s Marketing Impact Award thanks to its sustainable packaging. The company is committed to not only growing a wholesome product but doing so through clean techniques.

“Growing 1 pound of mushrooms requires only 1.8 gallons of water and 1.0 kilowatt hours of energy and generates only 0.7 pounds of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions,” Harden says. “In addition, the annual average yield of mushrooms is 7 pounds per square foot. That equates to up to 1 million pounds of mushrooms produced per acre every year.”

For guidance on selecting, cleaning and storing mushrooms, plus recipe ideas, visit montereymushrooms.com.

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