Find out how to start a mushroom production

Choose which mushroom you want to produce and start profiting from this promising food!

Mushrooms are becoming more popular as an alternative protein in the diet of many cultures. They are sought after for their versatility and unique flavor and are used for creating delicious recipes and help complement vegetarian and vegan menus.

As a result, this practical, low-environmental impact, and healthful food may be an unexpected investment in today's market, but its production must be handled with care!

Do you want to know how to produce mushrooms safely and with maximum efficiency to attract customers for the quality of your product? Check out each step of the process with Blog Cetro:

Before starting your production

First, you should know that there are different types of mushrooms, such as champignon, shitake, and shimeji. Therefore, it is important to decide whether you are going to specialize in the production of one or more mushrooms to establish an environment and structure that favors growth, constant production, and many sales.

After all, each species requires unique care, from selecting the substrate to changing the temperature and humidity. For example, choosing a high-quality sterilized or pasteurized substrate is the most effective approach to ensure that your mushroom develops healthily and is free of bacteria.

With this in mind, your company’s structure and production environment must be favorable to strict mushroom control. Dividing areas for each production stage is an efficient way of scaling your production while also ensuring that the species has the required temperature, humidity, ventilation, and light to flourish.

Furthermore, some other points also need to be considered before you start producing. To do this, answer the following questions: 

• Will your location favor the mushroom production process, avoiding possible impediments in terms of humidity or temperature?
• Do you have a qualified and specialized workforce for this type of production? After all, mushrooms require constant attention.
• Because mushrooms have a short life cycle, you need to optimize the planting, maintenance, harvesting, and packaging processes. Thus, can your business’s structure keep up with the speed of mushroom production? 
• Does the local population have the habit of consuming this product? How can you increase the visibility and use of mushrooms among them?
• Do you have all the licenses to produce mushrooms legally, registered as a rural producer, with certification, and by health regulations?

If all this is aligned, it's time to produce!

Full attention to mushroom production

Once the conditions are favorable for the mushroom to grow, the mycelium, or mushroom spawn, must be injected into the substrate. To ensure the safety of growing, it must be done in a contamination-controlled environment.

The incubation or colonization phase of the substrate requires a dark environment with controlled temperature and humidity. With this method, the mushrooms will begin to appear after a few days.

With moderate clarity, a decrease in temperature, an increase in humidity, and the introduction of fresh air, you may immediately see your production taking shape and continuing its profitable journey.

The mushrooms have grown, now what?

With lots of mushrooms produced, now it is time to harvest and sell them! To continue this process, ensuring quality packaging is the next step. At this stage, you can use Cetro's high-tech machinery!

If you want to promote fresh products, you should consider refrigerating them and developing sales techniques to accelerate their release. Because mushrooms have a shelf life of 5 to 7 days, packaging them with a Cetro Hand Wrapper is an interesting option for facilitating consumption and attracting customers with their visual appeal!

However, if you want to maximize production and reach new markets, selling dehydrated mushrooms, also known as funghi secchi, is an excellent option. When mushrooms are dehydrated, their shelf life is enhanced, and when they are vacuum packed, their inherent features are kept.

Sell your mushrooms and attract customers!

Once your mushrooms are well packaged, you just need to know how to sell them! Meet with the general public at organic fairs, local markets, vegetarian or Asian restaurants, and natural emporiums to promote your business and expand your reach.

In addition, if you want to engage in the continuous evolution of your business and the optimization of your production processes, contact the specialists at Cetro to find the ideal solution for your needs.

Finally, remember that, with the right guidance and environment, any entrepreneur and business have the potential for rapid development – just like mushrooms!

If you want to learn more about the food sector, market trends, and other interesting topics related to the entrepreneurial universe, follow Blog Cetro and our YouTube channel!