MushroomLink Bulletin February
In this edition
Feature article: Mushrooms and human health
Upcoming webinar: From data to decisions | understanding the impact of Australian mushrooms
Upcoming P&D webinar: Findings and recommendations for mushroom fly control
Project summary: Mushroom food service strategy 2024-2027 (MU22102)
Five minutes with marketing: Collaboration with globally renowned pizzeria
The latest from Hort Innovation: Nuffield scholarship 2027 applications now open and upcoming webinar for the launch of 2024/2025 Australian Horticulture Statistics handbook
Activity Update: Foodservice QSR Pizza Activation
In the FY26 Australian Mushroom Marketing Plan, the Foodservice Activation is a cornerstone initiative under Pillar 3: WIN THE FUTURE – the pillar dedicated to building growth channels that will drive the category forward. Mushrooms have long performed well in foodservice, representing 26% of fresh supply, yet the category is facing a decline in both value and volume share. This activation is designed to reverse that trend, focusing on a key growth area: Pizza Quick Service Restaurants (QSR).
The strategy unfolds across three phases, each crafted to inspire chefs, engage consumers, and elevate mushrooms as a versatile, must-have ingredient.
Globally renowned pizzeria
A collaboration that promises to turn heads: Australian Mushrooms has partnered with Daniel Semrani of Gigi’s Pizzeria in Sydney for a limited-edition pop-up. Known globally for his exceptional pizza craft – even Jamie Oliver has praised his work – Semrani will debut three innovative mushroom pizzas, featuring creations like a mushroom whipped butter base and seared 'steak' mushrooms. The aim is simple: inspire chefs and foodservice operators to rethink mushrooms, highlighting their taste, texture, and creative potential. The pop-up will run throughout February, supported by media coverage and social media campaigns to spread the inspiration nationwide.
The second phase brings mushrooms directly to consumers in the QSR space. By partnering with a leading pizza QSR chain, Australian Mushrooms will co-create limited-edition mushroom pizzas promoted through in-store activations, delivery platforms like Uber Eats, and social media. This phase is all about bringing mushrooms to the mainstream, creating excitement and driving trial in one of the category’s highest-volume channels.
The activation culminates in a visible industry moment: a sponsorship at Australia’s Best Pizza Awards during Food & Hospitality Week 2026 in Sydney.
This ensures mushrooms are front and center among chefs, operators, and industry influencers, cementing their relevance in menus nationwide.
MushroomLink Bulletin January
In this edition
MushroomLink magazine issue 15 (Summer) - Out now
Feature article: Measuring moisture content in compost
Upcoming webinar: From data to decisions | understanding the impact of Australian mushrooms
New podcast: Rebecca Martin on Bacteriophages | Unseen forces behind mushroom growth
Five minutes with marketing: Shoppers say Mmm to mushrooms
The latest from Hort Innovation: Upcoming webinar
Inside Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, is one of the world’s most established mushroom-growing regions, home to a diverse mix of farms and production systems.
Umberto Calvo
During a recent visit to the US for the Mushroom Growers Short Course, Umberto Calvo (AHR) toured several Kennett Square farms, seeing firsthand how producers are tackling challenges around scale, labour, mechanisation, pest pressure, and consistency. From highly automated sites to legacy and family-run operations, one shared issue stood out: managing flies and their impact on nearby communities.
MushroomLink Bulletin December
In this edition
New case study: Inside Kennett Square | Lessons from the world’s mushroom capital
Feature article: Researching viral diseases
Upcoming webinar: Save the date | Update from the team at ThinkStep ANZ
New podcast: Inside US mushroom research and farming | Umberto Calvo and Meghann Thai share first-hand insights from Pennsylvania trip
Five minutes with marketing: Australian Mushrooms socials | Bringing bold flavour to everyday meals
The latest from Hort Innovation: Plus One Serve launch
MushroomLink Bulletin November 2025
In this edition
Featured article: If something goes wrong | Protecting food safety in mushrooms
Webinar out now: Food safety | When things go wrong
New podcast: Umberto Calvo with James Ciarrocchi from Sher-Rockee Mushroom Farms, Pennsylvania
Mushroom sales: New sales data from Hort IQ
Five minutes with marketing: Shoppers say yes to mushrooms
Hort Innovation webinar: From Gen Z to boomers - What’s on Australia’s plate?
Hort Frontiers event: Australian-Grown Innovation Engage SA session
MushroomLink Bulletin October 2025
In this edition
Feature Article: Mushrooms in China - research & consumption powerhouse
New Resource: Alternate casing substrate – providing review of research to date and an expert forum for future R&D investment (MU22009)
5 minutes with marketing – Celebrating World Mushroom Day with Courtney Roulston
Mushroom & human health survey: Have your say to help shape future research
Hort Innovation News: 2025 Annual Report Out Now
New Magazine Alert: MushroomLink Spring Edition Magazine
MushroomLink Bulletin September 2025
In this edition:
FEATURE: Food Safety FAQs - your questions answered
REGISTER NOW: Managing risk and reputation in a crisis
MARKETING: 5 minutes with marketing – update from the team
SAFE MUSHROOM MONTH: October is Safe Mushroom Month
HORT INNOVATION NEWS: New Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook on its way
MushroomLink Bulletin August 2025
In this edition:
FEATURE: Ethylene and mushrooms
REGISTER NOW: Managing risk and reputation in a crisis
WEBINAR CATCH UP: The future of mushroom packaging
VIRUS SURVEY: This levy-funded PhD study needs you
MARKETING: 5 minutes with marketing – update from the team
SAVE THE DATE: October is Safe Mushroom Month
HORT INNOVATION AGM: Register now
Help improve the management of viral diseases of mushrooms.
Your input is vital to protecting Australia’s mushroom industry from costly viral diseases. Agriculture Victoria is inviting growers to take part in a national survey that will map the presence of viruses in Australian mushroom crops. By contributing samples, you’ll not only strengthen the industry’s ability to detect and manage diseases like La France and patch/brown cap, but you’ll also receive confidential insights into the health of your own crops - at no cost to you.
La France disease and Mushroom Virus X (MVX) complex are viral diseases that cause significant economic losses overseas, because of poor yields due to pinning disruption and discoloured and deformed mushrooms. La France disease is present in Australia.
MVX has not been reported in Australia, but patch and brown cap symptoms, like those associated with MVX, were recently observed. The virus profile of affected Australian mushrooms differs to that observed for MVX overseas, suggesting a different viral complex might cause the disease.
As a part of a Hort Innovation funded project to understand the viruses associated with in Agaricus mushrooms in Australia, Agriculture Victoria is conducting a survey determine which viruses are present in both healthy and diseased Australian mushrooms. The information will be used to develop surveillance tools that can be used by industry for early detection, accurate diagnosis of disease, and patch and brown cap disease prevention.
The success of this survey depends on your participation:
Participation will help to improve the outcomes of the project for industry.
The participating farms will receive information about the viruses that were detected and risks associated with their detection.
All grower information will remain confidential: only de-identified data will be presented in any communications.
The cost of virus testing is free for participating growers.
Participating in the study is simple:
1. Collect mushroom samples and pack them in paper bags.
a. Each sample should contain a minimum of five mushrooms.
b. If there is disease on farm, please include at least one sample from a healthy crop along with diseased samples.
c. Symptoms of virus infection include – browning, bare patches, distorted mushrooms, premature veil opening, and poor shelf life.
2. Number the samples sequentially.
3. Complete the survey form.
4. Send the samples to:
AgriBio – Crop Health Services, SAMPLE RECEPTION - MAIN LOADING DOCK, 5 Ring Rd, La Trobe University Campus, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083.
Submission of samples for this survey closes on 30 September 2025. For further information or enquires please contact Madhav on madhav.chandarana@agriculture.vic.gov.au
MushroomLink Bulletin July 2025
In this edition:
NEW MAGAZINE: Winter issue out now
FEATURE: Microbes 101 – Understanding human pathogens
REGISTER NOW: Future of mushroom packaging, webinar registrations open
WEBINAR CATCH UP: Mushroom schools education program
MLMRU: The Spotlight has arrived!
RESOURCE: Final report summary – Mushroom supply chain best practice management
MARKETING: 5 minutes with marketing – New partnership with the Fruit Nerd
OTHER NEWS: Latest from Hort Innovation
MushroomLink Bulletin June 2025
In this edition:
FEATURE: Managing phorid flies
WEBINAR: Mushrooms in schools program
VIDEO: Training the next generation at the MLMRU
PODCAST: Mushrooms Health Science website with Emma Becket (from the archive)
MARKETING: Welcome to our new regular column, 5 minutes with marketing
OTHER NEWS: Latest from Hort Innovation
MushroomLink Bulletin May 2025
In this edition:
FEATURE: Express testing for Trichoderma - new international research
MUSHROOM R&D SIAP: Meet the members
LOOKING BACK: The Marsh Lawson Mushroom Research Unit
WEBINAR: Revisit the thinking behind the new mushroom marketing strategy
LEVY PROJECT SUMMARY: People development strategy
SCHOLARSHIP: Mushroom Fund international study tour
Education and research at the MLMRU
The Marsh Lawson Mushroom Research Unit (MLMRU) and its activities are funded through the Hort Innovation Project Marsh Lawson Mushroom Research Centre of Excellence (MU21004). The unit is co-owned by the Australian Mushroom Growers Association (AMGA) and The University of Sydney. Applied Horticultural Research assists with managing the unit.
Based at The University of Sydney, the MLMRU plays an important role in teaching horticulture students about mushroom production and research and providing a space for Honours, Masters and PhD students to conduct research. This video covers some of the work done by Dr Meghann Thai in educating university students about mushrooms and the work done in the unit by PhD candidate Samali Perera.
Want to learn more about the MLMRU?
MushroomLink Bulletin April 2025
In this edition:
MAGAZINE: Autumn issue available now
FEATURE: Principles of pinning
NEW PODCAST: Drip irrigation and supplements
MARKETING: Shaking up a storm on social media
ARTICLE INDEX: Issues 1-10 now summarised in this handy index
SCHOLARSHIP: Mushroom Nuffield Scholarship
MushroomLink Bulletin March 2025
In this edition:
FEATURE: Mushrooms in schools
PODCAST: Biopesticides with Aimee McKinnon
MARKETING: Update on the sampling program
SCHOLARSHIP: Mushroom Nuffield Scholarship
POSTCARD: Project summary in a postcard
CONTRIBUTE TO MUSHROOMLINK: Download our new contributor's flyer
MushroomLink Bulletin February 2025
In this edition:
FEATURE: Transforming the food service industry with Australian mushrooms
MARKETING: Update on the the new Mmmmmm campaign
FACTSHEET: Managing air and moisture in compost
SCHOLARSHIP: Mushroom Nuffield Scholarship
POSTCARD: Project summary in a postcard
HORT STATS: The 2023/24 Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook
MushroomLink Bulletin January 2025
In this edition:
NEW MAGAZINE: MushroomLink summer edition is now available to download
FEATURE: Spotlight on mushroom harvesting
MARKETING WEBINAR: Catch up on the latest webinar
EVENT: Dr Michael Wolfin workshops
SCHOLARSHIP: Mushroom Nuffield Scholarship
POSTCARD: Project summary in a postcard
MushroomLink Bulletin December
In this edition:
Food safety program now available
Feature article: Ethylene
Nielsen data deep dive
MushroomLink Bulletin November
In this edition:
CONSUMER DATA: Explore the latest Nielsen report
MARKETING WEBINAR: Join the HI team as they unpack the Nielsen report
FEATURE ARTICLE: Studying the microscopic metropolis in compost
MUSHROOM HEALTH SCIENCE WEBSITE: Website now live
HORT FRONTIERS NEWS: Venture capital fund announced