Former car plant to grow exotic mushrooms

Australia’s largest unique mushroom farm and processing facility is being established on the previous Holden automotive manufacturing web site in Adelaide, creating as much as 350 jobs.

The $110 million facility will produce greater than 20,000 tonnes of unique mushrooms and related merchandise annually.

The Epicurean Food Group facility will handle all operations in a single location, from rising fungi in a lab to turning second-grade and surplus mushrooms into burgers in a business kitchen.

Trade and Investment Minister Nick Champion stated repurposing one of many state’s most revered manufacturing websites was proof the sector remained robust and adaptable.

“Few would have thought it possible transforming Holden’s old factory floor into a place where exotic mushrooms can be grown and cultivated but South Australians not only innovate, we lead the rest of the pack,” he stated.

“Nothing like this facility exists interstate and we want to support local companies to expand and reach new customers on a national and global scale.”

The plant will present a constant provide of locally-grown premium mushrooms to supermarkets and eating places which rely closely on imported inventory, with about 85 per cent of Australia’s unique mushrooms coming from abroad.

Specially designed rising rooms can be constructed to accommodate hundreds of oyster, shiitake, enoki, king oyster and lion’s mane unique varieties in columns as much as 13m excessive, as the event takes form throughout a number of buildings over a 35,000 sq. metre footprint.

Small-scale manufacturing is below manner with six develop rooms nearing completion. The facility is predicted to be accomplished by the tip of 2024 and can then embody mycoprotein, utilized in various meats, and mycelium, utilized in leather-based items.

Neither are manufactured on a business scale in Australia.

The Epicurean Food Group, which has a mushroom farm on SA’s Fleurieu Peninsula, provides greater than 40 impartial retailers throughout Adelaide with plans to develop to main grocery store chains in SA and interstate over coming months and to worldwide markets over the long run.

“With the help of our supermarket partners, Australians will have easier access to some of the 20 uncommon and exotic mushroom varieties we cultivate as well as our wholesome mushroom burgers, balls, crumble, and sausages,” director Ken King stated.

Source: www.perthnow.com.au