|
Some of these posts are very old and might contain outdated information. You may wish to search for newer posts instead.
|
Mycolorado
Hobbyist


Registered: 07/23/16
Posts: 8,529
Loc: Interdimensional Bootcamp
|
|
I think there is definitely an Asian/Chinese restaurant niche that could be taken advantage of, the problem I believe though is competing with Chinese suppliers...Don't know anything about enoki but I'm pretty sure shitake take a bit longer than oysters due to block browning...?
|
Quadman
Challenged


Registered: 04/23/16
Posts: 2,529
Loc: IL
Last seen: 1 year, 3 months
|
Re: I need some business advice [Re: Mycolorado]
#23665859 - 09/21/16 05:57 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
|
|
Might consider pioppino they are supposed to be tasty. Never had them. They like it cool.
Someone was just complaining that they weren't doing well with king not enough BE and slow growing.
--------------------
Edited by Quadman (09/21/16 06:00 PM)
|
Marty Mycfly
Time Traveler


Registered: 12/16/13
Posts: 976
|
Re: I need some business advice [Re: Quadman]
#23673963 - 09/24/16 01:09 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
|
|
So I have found a mill near by, it's mainly mesquite, but as much as I want. I have heard differing opinions on mesquite, anyone with actual mesquite experience have any input? So far the only species we for sure will be growing this winter is reishi, but if there are certain mushrooms that do well on mesquite this will help us decide what else to grow.
Edited by Marty Mycfly (09/24/16 01:10 PM)
|
Marty Mycfly
Time Traveler


Registered: 12/16/13
Posts: 976
|
|
Ok, I have found some grill pellets super cheap(cheaper than traeger) called, Perfect Mix grilling pellets, it says 100% hardwood no oak or alder fillers, heres what it says "Perfect Mix Pellets are made from the 4 top smoking woods The Perfect Mix is a Hickory base with Cherry, Hard Maple and Apple. We only use heart woods (center of the log) to make our pellets, never any bark. Bark has twice the Lignin (a natural binder and fuel source) so more heat and more ash when used in pellets."
|
Ferather
Mycological



Registered: 03/19/15
Posts: 6,325
Loc: United Kingdom
Last seen: 1 year, 2 months
|
|
Very nice, 4 wood mix, good variation of carbon and nutrients. I was looking at apple and smoking wood the other day.
Ferather thumbs up
|
Marty Mycfly
Time Traveler


Registered: 12/16/13
Posts: 976
|
Re: I need some business advice [Re: Ferather]
#23674570 - 09/24/16 04:52 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
|
|
Nice, thanks dude.
|
JanuaryWolf
JW



Registered: 01/04/15
Posts: 63
Loc: North Texas
Last seen: 5 years, 7 months
|
|
Just to share some business experience:
Getting into the restaurants has been mostly misses. I only have one amazing restaurant client because they really care about the quality of food more than their bottom line. My town is very pro-local food movement but even the places that claim to support that, don't want to bother with certain mushrooms ie oysters or my guess is deal with individual suppliers when they can order everything from one big company. So you have to be relentless and annoying for chefs to try out your product. You'll need to have consistency if they are going to put your mushrooms on their menu. Farm to table restaurants are great places to try, places that change their menus for the season. Restaurants with a high price point so they can afford to pay you a fair price is very important.
Marketing takes a lot of practice and effort. I love farmers markets for exposure and informing people, (at least in my area) folks know nothing about different gourmet mushrooms. They don't know how to cook them and you have to be able to sell it. People are afraid of new things, so knowing how to describe their taste in an appetizing way is important. Or toting their medicinal benefits is how I encourage people to try the oh so strange looking Lion's Mane Mushroom. But, not all markets are good for produce sales, not all markets are busy so you might get into the wrong place and waste your time.
This business is a hard one to make it in. I wish you so much luck, but more than that if it's something you truly are passionate about then you have to know the master has failed more times than the novice has attempted. So the more you try, you'll figure out how to make it work.
|
Mycolorado
Hobbyist


Registered: 07/23/16
Posts: 8,529
Loc: Interdimensional Bootcamp
|
Re: I need some business advice [Re: JanuaryWolf]
#23676651 - 09/25/16 12:36 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
|
|
I think it's super important to speak to chefs in-person with your product in-hand. Your product should do all the talking, really. Any chef worth their salt will sit up and take notice if you have a gorgeous flat of mushrooms with you(don't take them in a bag, use flats). You're not going to have luck trying to sell your mushrooms to any corporate restaurant.
|
Marty Mycfly
Time Traveler


Registered: 12/16/13
Posts: 976
|
Re: I need some business advice [Re: Mycolorado]
#23676844 - 09/25/16 01:52 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
|
|
Thanks for all the input guys I will explain in a little more detail about our situation, last year my wife and I decided to start investing in mushrooms after having good success and fun hobby growing, I started up Eryngii and Ostreatus and everything went smoothly, around the beginning of summer I was in full production and ready for the farmers market, we had a few farmers markets that were really unsuccessful due to the weather here in Arizona already being 100+ and also it was a completely miserable being out there in that heat. All of a sudden we had a death in the family and had to leave out of state immediately with no one to watch over the grow room, so I just shut it down and left. When we returned we planned on starting everything back up ASAP and concentrating on chefs at least until it was a better farmers market season, but when we returned home we had HUGE problem erupt over social media concerning our business name, I wanted to vent about it here but felt it was inappropriate at the time, enough time has passed though I will talk about it. I live in Tucson Arizona, The local nick name for our city is the old pueblo, so we have a ton of businesses using that, Old Pueblo Automotive, Old Pueblo dentistry ect... So we named our business Old Pueblo Mushrooms, we liked it and it fit the region and my wife made a bad ass logo with a pueblo. The business name was open, thankfully we didn't register it yet because when we came home from leaving town our social media page we had made for the name became shit show! So there used to be a company with the name "Old Pueblo Mushroom Growers", who after researching we found were active with this name until a few years ago when they changed their name and their business model to produce, and don't grow mushrooms. So all of a sudden we had people leaving us bad reviews and talking mad shit on our FB page saying we stole these peoples name, were trying to ride on whatever success they had, wishing us failure, until finally I reached out to the company in question, they were really nice though I suspect they personally sent all of the hate towards us, he said he didnt like us using that name because it was close to his old business name, even though they had changed their name and model completely. Even though we have every right to use Old Pueblo and our name is literally different, the farmers market community is tight here and every person involved in the scene knew the drama. So we gave it up, and let the grow go until this winter, in which we are trying to get a new foot. Though I will sell at the farmers market here, I don't want to be involved with that scene after this whole thing, I will do it to if I have to, but I am definitely going to be spending my time approaching chefs. Anyways sorry to vent, but I thought it was valid for this thread to get an idea where Im coming from more.
Edited by Marty Mycfly (09/25/16 01:53 PM)
|
Imperius
Stranger
Registered: 12/23/15
Posts: 88
Last seen: 6 years, 4 months
|
|
Wow, sorry you have to deal with that petty bullcrap. Shrooms are hard enough to peddle as it is, even without unwarranted hate.
All the best.
|
Quadman
Challenged


Registered: 04/23/16
Posts: 2,529
Loc: IL
Last seen: 1 year, 3 months
|
Re: I need some business advice [Re: Imperius]
#23677209 - 09/25/16 04:09 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
|
|
It's hard to believe,but something as simple as a name can make or break you.Wishing you success in your new attempt.
--------------------
|
|