There are many mushroom growers throughout Ireland with the majority operating under one of Europe’s leading horticultural producer organisations, CMP.
CMP was established in 1999 as a horticultural producers’ organisation under European Union legislation. In the 1990s the Irish mushroom industry rapidly expanded and by 1996 the number of mushroom growers peaked at almost 600. CMP was established as a co-operative by mushroom growers for mushroom growers, and to deliver stability to the market by improving quality of mushrooms, maintaining the consistency of supply and getting a sustainable margin for producers.
For this month’s edition of Irish Tractor & Agri we profile one of its members, Golden Mushrooms and speak to managing director Michael Bergin about the success of the business.
Golden Mushrooms was established in 1998 at a time when there was a major push on the industry and Michael revealed that the business has gone from strength to strength since then.
“I worked as a butcher for many years before starting the business. I saw an opening in the market to set up the company and when we first started off, we were producing 4,000lbs of mushrooms per week and now we are producing 140,000lbs per week,” said Michael.
“Myself and my wife Marian did a lot of background work and we found that the mushroom industry was flourishing at the time and we invested in a green field site which is located just outside the village of Golden in Co Tipperary.
From very humble beginnings Golden Mushrooms has become a very significant producer in the Irish market. They may have started with just five tunnels on phase II compost but that has now grown to 24 tunnels on phase III compost and they now produce enough to cater for five out of every ten people in this country.
“We have expanded every second year since we started we’ve got bigger and more efficient, with the last major expansion happening in 2013 when we invested heavily in the business,” he adds.
Michael admits that the backing they have received from not only CMP, but the Government through the NDP and indeed Walsh Mushrooms who have given the company great guidance since they first started.
“When we started out we were part of a small producer group in Tipperary. We joined CMP and have been with them since. Walsh Mushrooms have been a huge help to us since the early years also. They gave us good help and guidance along the way and in all honesty, it was them who asked us to expand through the years. As they were growing so were we and we enjoy a good business relationship with them.
“The Government schemes introduced down through the years have also been very beneficial to us. Junior Minister Tom Hayes is from our locality and we were delighted to hear the development plan recently announced for 2015.
“By being a member of a producer group this gives us a strong voice with the Department of Agriculture and as a member of CMP we have access to the best training and technical advice available.
“Because of the scale of their operation CMP, also have great muscle as a purchasing group, which means that inputs are sourced at the most competitive rates, which include packaging and electricity,” added Michael.
Golden Mushrooms employs in the region of 100 people and is one of the largest employers in the area. Many of the employees have been with the company for years and Michael acknowledges the part that they have played in the success of the business.
“We have a loyal and efficient work force, many of who are with us over a decade now. They are all highly trained and our manager Vitali Shastak does a great job in ensuring that everything runs smoothly on a daily basis.”
Michael believes that as a rural business, it is essential that they continue to receive the necessary support as not only do they provide employment directly, but indirectly also.
“Asides from the 100 employees that we have, there are a number of sub-contractors earning a living from here also including the many hauliers that we use. We would be using in excess of 30 lorries a week, including the transport of mushrooms, compost, peat and packaging.”
The company is busy all year round meaning there is no period that workers will be laid off at any time. Golden Mushrooms concentrate solely on producing White Button mushrooms and through their state of the art facility, the quality of their product is outstanding due in no small part to the dedication shown by Michael and his team through every step of the whole operation.
“The customers specifications are very stringent so we have to ensure that we produce exactly what they want. We are totally influenced by the UK market where all our products go.”
Golden Mushrooms certainly do their bit for their environment as all heating and steaming is through a bio-mass burner, while they are unique in this country by using their own straw to produce much of the compost they use and recycling it back onto their own land to grow cereals to complete the circle. Something which the UK multiple buyers appreciate as environmental awareness and sustainability is very important.
In the seventeen years since it was founded Golden Mushrooms has grown from a pipe dream to one of the most significant players in the Irish mushroom industry and Bergin is upbeat about the future. “Quality products and innovation are what have kept us thriving all these years and I know if we keep that formula we will continue to be a success.”
Golden Mushrooms
Cloughaleigh,
Golden,
Tipperary.
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 3 No 1, January/February 2015
