Highline Mushrooms has been excited about its decision to promote mushrooms on the grill all summer long, said Devon Kennedy, the company’s national marketing manager.

“Mushrooms are a wonderful addition to summer recipes and can easily be skewered or tossed in a grill basket to complement any meal,” she said. “We haven’t promoted a summer of grilling before and love the fact that mushrooms absorb so many flavors and enhance your summer grill rotation.”

They can be found across North America under the Highline brand and at many retailers under their private label.

This summer, Highline is promoting the very grillable White Flats, which are similar to a Portabella mushroom in size but offer a slightly softer mushroom with a milder flavor.

“White Flats are excellent on the grill, as they absorb all flavors and can complement a protein or replace a protein,” Kennedy said. “They’re also wonderful at breakfast with a fried egg on top.”

Looking ahead to National Mushroom Month in September, Highline will be teaming up with influencers and nutritionists to highlight all the health benefits and culinary options of mushrooms. Its promotion, Kennedy said, will be driven on its digital platforms and website.

Organic gains 

Within the fresh mushroom category, Highline and other shippers are seeing strong demand for organic, Kennedy said.

“We’ve always had a passion for natural nourishment, which lead us down the path of becoming certified organic in 2007. Since then, our advanced growing methods and controlled growing environments have enabled us to grow high-quality, ultra-fresh mushrooms that are high on the superfood list and add endless flavor to every meal.”

“Many perceive organics, including mushrooms, to be more nutritious and environmentally friendly due to sustainable growing initiatives and the lack of pesticides,” added Kelly Hale, Highline’s vice president of sales, marketing and distribution.

Organics continue to be more and more important to consumers who want to know the story of how their food is grown and where it comes from, Kennedy said.

US Mushroom Council’s data shows a 4.7% increase in total dollar growth and 12% volume growth in the last four week period for organic mushrooms.

Organics accounted for 11% of total mushroom sales in the US last year, with over $164 million dollars sold.

 “We want consumers to pick up organic mushrooms at every trip to the grocery store as they scoop up other nostalgic summer favorites like corn and watermelon,” Hale said. “With over 89% of consumers willing to pay more for organics, it ultimately results in a bigger ring at retail.”

Sustainable packaging

On the packaging side, Highline has switched in the past year from colored to clear tills, Kennedy said.

It’s a win-win, providing both better visibility and a product that’s 100% recyclable rPET.

“By making this transition we have kept over 80,000,000 colored tills from ending up in the landfill.”

Highline’s product lineup has remained fairly consistent in recent years, Kennedy said.

The company produces both white and brown mushrooms in whole and sliced forms, in multiple pack sizes and under the Highline and private labels.

This article is an excerpt from the August 2024 issue of Supermarket Perimeter. You can read the entire Mushrooms feature and more in the digital edition here.