MU21006 - Recycling spent mushroom substrate (SMS) for fertiliser in a circular economy
Key research provider: Frontier Ag & Environment
What's it all about?
This investment is developing models for a spent mushroom substrate (SMS) circular economy by improving the value-proposition of SMS for the end-user (primarily grain growers). The circular economy models for SMS recycling will be presented as practical case studies to equip Australian mushroom growers with an improved understanding of the options available for recycling SMS.
Previous research has found that SMS may be undervalued and highlighted the reliance of the Australian mushroom industry on wheaten straw as one of the main inputs in the production of mushroom growing substrate.
The effects of drought, climate change, changed farming practices, and increased competition from the feedstock industry have reduced the availability of wheaten straw to mushroom growers and have driven up prices.
The application of circular economy principles has the potential to strengthen linkages between the mushroom industry and grain growers. Opportunities also exist to enhance the value of SMS as a revenue stream for the mushroom industry and as an input to the sustainable production of grains. Enhanced value for the mushroom industry is likely to be found in higher returns achieved for a value-added SMS product in the marketplace.
The research team will:
Review past research on SMS to establish its value proposition as a value-added product
Map SMS supplies with potential end-users of SMS
Conduct intensive consultation and demonstration trials with mushroom growers and agriculture users who are end-users of SMS.
MU21008 - Mushroom industry conference
Key research provider: Australian Mushroom Growers' Association
What's it all about?
This investment delivers a national mushroom industry conference which will take place over three days from 26-28 October 2022. The conference will improve the communication of information to mushroom growers regarding mushroom production, sustainability, health benefits, consumer marketing and more, with the ultimate outcome of contributing to building a stronger, more resilient Australian mushroom industry
For more information on the conference, visit the Australian Mushroom Growers’ Association website here.
MU18007 - Australian Mushrooms crisis and risk management
Key research provider: Porter Novelli
This investment refreshed and maintained a crisis and reputation risk management plan for the Australian mushroom industry. The updated plan ensures that in the event of an issue or crisis, industry is prepared with the information and processes needed to respond effectively, responsibly and in a coordinated, unified way. The plan and training this project delivered also ensured that stakeholders involved in crisis response understand the process and are equipped and ready to be involved.
MU20004 - A scoping study to review fungi based global innovations to inform product development opportunities
Running from 2021 to 2022, this short investment explored the use of mushrooms in plant-based food product innovation and informed the industry of new market opportunities and their potential viability in the Australian context.
This project yielded the following key outputs:
A mushroom product compendium of over 180 products across 13 categories
Three deep explorations (case studies) of novel mushroom-based food innovation activities
Key insights and considerations from each case study
Three novel food product concepts using Agaricus bisporus.
Project Outputs
MT21011 - Foodservice foundational market insights
Key delivery partner: KPMG
This investment is equipping the avocado, melon, mushroom, onion, papaya, sweetpotato and vegetable industries with market insights into the foodservice sector. These insights will be used to create targeted strategies for these industries to engage with food service providers more effectively and direct their efforts to expand in the most viable, profitable market segments.
The research team will base the targeted strategies on extensive market intelligence research supplemented with industry consultations to deliver insights on industry landscape, price points, demand drivers, competitive insights, including seasonality, and in-depth analysis of the trade performance of the market.
The key output of this project will be a detailed report that guides industry on how to engage with the foodservice sector, capitalise on identified opportunities and ultimately grow in prioritised segments of commercial and industrial sectors.
The report will also include macro-level market intelligence on the foodservice sector, sub-segment prioritisation within commercial and institutional segments, customer value propositions and a list of essential industry stakeholders for engagement.
What was it all about?
This investment has delivered market insights into the foodservice sector for the avocado, melon, mushroom, onion, papaya, sweetpotato and vegetable industries. These insights can be used by industry to create targeted strategies on how to engage with foodservice providers more effectively and how to direct their efforts to expand in the most viable, profitable market segments.
The key output of this project is the Category snapshot report that guides industry on how to engage with the foodservice sector, capitalise on identified opportunities and ultimately grow in prioritised segments of commercial and industrial sectors.
The report includes macro-level market intelligence on the foodservice sector, sub-segment prioritisation within commercial and institutional segments, customer value propositions and a list of essential industry stakeholders for engagement.
The research team based the targeted strategies on extensive market intelligence research supplemented with industry consultations to deliver insights into industry landscape, price points, demand drivers, competitive insights and in-depth analysis.
Project Outputs
Access the Category snapshot report that highlights category-specific macro trends, segmentation alignment, value chain nuances that need to be considered by category industries, and commercial decision opportunities.
Access the Foodservice market insights strategy, which provides guidance on foodservice industry activity and investment that will allow focus industries to capitalise on identified opportunities across foodservice.
Download other resources produced by the project, including:
Market profile report, which provides key insights for each of the foodservice channels.
Segmentation report, which provides practical information on each of the foodservice channel’s general requirements and attitudes.
Value chain maps to improve understanding of the value chain that horticultural produce moves through.
MU21005 - Mushroom price elasticity of demand
Key research provider: Natural Capital Economics
This project is delivering the mushroom industry with valuable information on how changes in the price of mushrooms and substitute/complementary products can affect the industry’s market share and overall revenue.
By understanding how consumer purchasing patterns respond to changes in the price of similar products, the industry can determine the optimal value/volume mix that is sustainable and viable for the whole supply chain.
MT21010 - Economic contribution of Australian horticulture
Key research provider: Centre for International Economics
This short investment is using a suite of economic models to measure and understand how the horticulture industry contributes to the Australian economy. The project will estimate the direct and indirect impacts on the national economy, as well as regional areas.
This project will provide the horticulture sector with the information needed to articulate how their activities contribute to regional, state and national economies, and will assist in decision-making as well as discussions with governments and other stakeholders.
The analysis will produce a number of case studies that will provide detailed information on the importance of the horticulture industry to Australia.
MU21000 - Digitisation of mushroom industry archive
Key delivery partner: Australian Mushroom Growers Association
Running for six months, this short project digitised the Australian Mushroom Growers’ Association archive of industry research, marketing, and communication outputs. The digitisation provided the Australian mushroom industry with full access to these valuable materials. The archive included industry journals, research reports, books, posters, and recipes.
The materials cover numerous topics including market and consumer research, training and educational materials, pests and diseases and production and crop.
All materials were digitised and made available online through the Australian Mushroom Growers’ Association (AMGA) website at australianmushroomgrowers.com.au. The documents were categorised to allow easy access by Australian mushroom growers, suppliers, researchers, and other industry stakeholders.
The digitization of materials has allowed the Australian mushroom industry to access a wealth of resources that were previously unavailable. In the longer term, this will increase their awareness of results from previous R&D and marketing investments, increasing productivity and quality across the mushroom industry.
The newly digitised resources will be further promoted through the Mushroom Industry Communications Program (MU21003), the Australian Mushrooms Journal, as well as the industry website and e-newsletters.
Project outputs
MU20006 - Mushroom industry crisis and reputation risk management
Key research provider: Australian Mushroom Grower’s Association
This investment is maintaining a crisis and reputation risk management plan for the Australian mushroom industry. In the event of an issue or crisis, having a clear plan in place ensures the industry is prepared with the information and processes needed to respond effectively, responsibly and in a coordinated, unified way. A plan, and the relevant training this project will deliver, also ensures that stakeholders involved in crisis response for the industry understand the process and are equipped and ready to be involved.
It builds on the work completed under Australian mushrooms crisis and risk management (MU18007).
MT18011 - Ex-post impact assessment
Key research provider: AgEconPlus
Hort Innovation has engaged independent consultants to evaluate the impact of our R&D investments, providing insights into the type and magnitude of impacts that are being generated across the company’s strategic levy programs. This is a key piece of investment evaluation work, and an annual process for the company under the project Ex-post impact assessment (MT18011).
The final summary and aggregate results for the 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20 impact assessment evaluations were finalised in 2021, providing an overall summary of the three year data, along with a selection of other summary results demonstrating the performance of Hort Innovation’s RD&E investments.
Project outputs
Full impact assessment report: Mushroom Production Waste Streams, Novel Approaches to Management and Value Creation (MU17005)