AVONDALE, PA - With Thanksgiving only weeks away, To-Jo Mushrooms is gearing up for one of the busiest times of year for the mushroom industry. Sales in the category are up about 3% year to date, and industry insiders see no reason why Thanksgiving should be any exception to this trend. To-Jo, along with many of other growers and shippers, have seen some nice lift in the brown and specialty categories this year with Baby Bella’s posting double digit growth in many of the major markets.
The increased demand for mushrooms is being aided by the adoption of “Blendability” in the foodservice sector. This concept replaces a portion of protein in a recipe with chopped mushrooms, allowing enterprising food lovers to lower the calories, fat, and cholesterol in their diets, while preserving the taste of traditional favorites. Mushrooms not only make meals healthier and more flavorful, they allow families to stretch their budget as beef prices continue to rise.
“To-Jo is excited about the growth of the mushroom category in the foodservice industry surrounding Blendability,” Kevin Delaney VP of Sales and Marketing told ANUK. “With the cost of beef rising, establishments are increasingly turning towards mushrooms in order to increase the variety of menu items while keeping food costs manageable.”
To-Jo is very proud of its crew of dedicated drivers and works closely with its customers' Receiving and QA Departments in order to guarantee that its products are being handled properly from start to finish along the supply chain.
“Ensuring quality in the mushroom category requires a close monitoring of the cold chain,” Kevin continued. “With that in mind, To-Jo aims to deliver its products within 24 hours of harvest, and utilizes a sophisticated temperature monitoring system on its fleet of vehicles to ensure the maximum freshness upon delivery to its customers.”
While today's focus remains on ensuring a successful Thanksgiving and Christmas season, To-Jo's looks toward 2015 with high hopes. The industry seems primed for growth as companies capitalize on Blendability as a potential impact player for the future and To-Jo Mushrooms is prepared to take full advantage of these future opportunities.
Congratulations on an excellent start to the Thanksgiving season, To-Jo Mushrooms!
