Mushrooms with a Mission – How Mercer Mushrooms is Supporting Kiwis Nationwide With Their Surplus

“We are honored to be able to donate our surplus to the NZ Food Network. Where previously it went to animal feed, our surplus can now contribute to a healthy meal for Kiwis who truly need it. All thanks to the help and dedication of the New Zealand Food Network to make this possible”

- Sashi Cassidy – Mercer Mushrooms Post Harvest & Compliance Manager

With a big focus on innovation and sustainability, New Zealand Mushroom Growers, Mercer Mushrooms, are tuned right in to the value that their surplus could create in the community and were determined to find a solution.

Arial shots of mushroom farm and close up of hand holding mushroom

The Surplus Situation

With factors such as seasonal demand and strict retail standards creating much of their surplus, Mercer staff didn’t like discarding mushrooms that they knew were still perfectly good to eat. Despite the surplus product adding some value by being used as feed for local farm animals, the team knew more could be done, as many families across the country struggle to put quality produce on the table.

The Barrier

To get these mushrooms to those in need while they’re still fresh, Mercer Mushrooms faced a cost barrier due to the semi-remote location of their farm, the complications of extra deliveries across the country, and the extra time spent finding charities with adequate storage to receive them.

Due to their porous nature, mushrooms must also avoid condensation to prevent them from going bad, meaning that from Mercer’s farm all the way to the end recipients, the mushrooms need to be kept dry with breathable containers at 2 – 7 degrees Celsius, adding further complications to the redistribution process.

NZFN staff visiting the Mercer Mushrooms faclilities

Our solution

After meeting some enthusiastic mushroom growers on a tour of the Mercer facilities, together we planned a weekly collection of surplus mushrooms using our NZFN truck, quickly allocating and redistributing them to our network of 60+ Food Hubs nationwide while they’re still fresh, in quantities the Hubs are equipped to manage.

The Result

With this solution now in place, the Mercer Mushrooms team have since made a significant contribution to Kiwi communities, with their delicious donated mushrooms being spread right across the country through our network.

A Bonus

With these volumes of donated mushrooms moving through our network, Mercer Mushrooms also provided some helpful tips and tricks to educate our hubs on how to best store, freeze and cook mushrooms to reduce wastage which you can download here.

The Feed Good Factor

We sincerely appreciate NZFN’s ongoing assistance with our donation efforts. Within our team, we’re thankful that even mushrooms not fit for retail can still make a meaningful difference in the community. It’s gratifying to see how our surplus contributes to those in need and reinforces our commitment to continue our support for a good cause.

Thanks – Dave Hyland - CHIEF EXECUTIVE

The Impact in the Community

With the price being a massive barrier to NZ families accessing fresh produce, surplus donations from Mercer Mushrooms have made a real impact for the recipients of our Food Hubs and we are so grateful to have the opportunity to make it easy for them to get these perfect little mushrooms to those who need it most!