It’s always good to be able to bring news of a major investment by a British company, especially in a sector where domestic production has come to be overshadowed by imports.
Sussex Mushrooms’ £10m site redevelopment plan, which will see 146 new homes built on one of its sites and its other site upgraded with the latest technology, will allow it to compete more effectively at a time when margins are extremely tight.
The mushroom industry is particularly at risk to the threats of currency exchange - which can make imported product much more attractive almost over night - compost and other related costs, while retail margins have not allowed much reinvestment in the domestic industry. The number of growers has diminished significantly over the past decade.
Sussex’s investment, which includes a major investment of cash from SEEDA for a CHP installation, goes to show again what a loss the Regional Development Agencies are. The project would have been that much harder to bring to fruition without this crucial injection of cash.
It’s also another sign that the mushroom industry is fighting hard to get sales moving and boost consumption. With the Mushroom Bureau’s ‘Mushrooms Make Sense’ campaign and the Irish teaming up to promote themselves, there’s plenty going on.
Kantar figures for the year to 3 October show sales of mushrooms in UK retail are up 3.3 per cent, with volumes up 0.9 per cent, so the time for investment could be just right.
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