Promotional Round Up

Mushrooms in South Australia Update - September 2009

Click here to download a copy

Mushrooms at the Sydney Home Show

Cooking Stage host, James White and Ready Steady Cook presenter, Janelle Bloom, were on hand to provide tips on the benefits of cooking mushrooms to eager audiences at the Sydney Home Show on May 3.

Mad About Mushrooms Newsletter

The Autumn/Winter 2009 edition of the Mad About Mushrooms newsletter was distributed to over 250 greengrocers nationwide. The newsletter announced the winners of the 2009 Mushroom Retailer of the Year Award, tips from retailers about how to maximise their mushroom retailing opportunitis and how the AMG can provide support to retailers.

Chefs from Fifteen Foundation visit Bulla Mushrooms

On Tuesday 21st April chefs from Fifteen Foundation, Milan at Kew, Steakhouse, Butcher's Grill, Saganaki, Bellissimo, and Mecca Bah enjoyed a Mushroom Farm Tour at Bulla Mushrooms. Bill Littleson was our farm host for the day. The chefs were intrigued by the mushroom growing process and commented that this helped them understand mushrooms and appreciate them more.

From here we journeyed onto the Prahran Market where Damian Pike, our Victorian Mushroom Retailer of the Year, welcomed the chefs warmly and addressed them about the many varieties of mushrooms available to them and their versatility.

All in all these chefs of tomorrowthoroughly enjoyed the day out and were were excited to learn so much about mushrooms from farm gate to plate.

New Mushroom Commercial

A new commercial has been produced featuring our BBQ mushroom Ambassador Ed Halmaygi. The commercial is designed to prompt consumers to include mushrooms in casual dining and barbecue occasions.

Mighty Mushroom Attends Man Alive 2009

Man Alive is a government-based health awareness day that promotes Men's Health. Australian Mushroom Growers were a bronze sponsor to the event. This year was its biggest year since its inception in 2004, and was held on the foreshore of Semaphore. New pesenter Graham Goodings presented the event along with Ex Big Brother star and local celebrity Nathan Strempel. Men and children were all involved and many activities were based around healthy living. Mighty Mushroom was a star attraction. Local chef, Ragini Dey from The Spice Kitchen cooked some fabulous mushrooms to tempt the crowd to eat more mushrooms.

Tobie Puttock 2009 Mushroom Mania Ambassador

Mushroom Mania has become one of Australia’s leading foodservice campaigns, growing almost 25% last year.  With over 1,800 restaurants, cafés, pubs and clubs around Australia signing up in 2008, Mushroom Mania 2009 will help bring much-needed customers and fill empty tables.

Each year, Australian Mushroom Growers invite a leading chef with a passion for mushrooms to take on the honorary role of Mushroom Mania Ambassador.

Tobie Puttock from the hit series ‘Jamie’s Kitchen: Australia’ (2006), Lifestyle FOOD TV series ‘Tobie and Matt: Europe and Asia’ (2008), and ‘9am with David & Kim’ on Ten, has been named as Mushroom Mania Ambassador for 2009.
 
According to Tobie, “Nothing makes me happier than one of my suppliers walking through the door with freshly picked mushrooms, especially when they are local and boutique, like slippery jacks, pine mushrooms or morels. But even the smell of little button mushrooms cooking with pancetta, thyme and garlic fills the kitchen with joy”.

Mushrooms at Westfield Marion

On Tuesday and Wednesday 7 and 8 April PamTobin and her team put on an Easter cooking demonstration at Westfield Marion. With Celebrity Host, Michael Keelan from radio FiveAA and Channel 9 helping out in the kitchen with some of our highly regarded chef's from local Adelaide establishments. The sessions had 80 people in attendance.

Mushrooms at the Chilli Festival in WA

Mushrooms were the red hot ingredient at the Chilli Festival WA's premium food event.

Mushroom Retailer of the Year Awards are announced

The 2009 Mushroom Retailer of the Year Award has once again been an outstanding success, both for retailers and their customers.  Now in its 5th year, this award recognises excellence in the trade and has lasting benefits for the winning stores.  Customers assume that if a retailer is good enough to win the award  for mushrooms, then their entire range of fresh produce must be a cut above the rest.  The Australian Mushroom Growers Association (AMGA) further rewards the winning retailers in each state by giving them regular mentions in the Mushroom commercials, scheduled right throughout March on the top radio stations in each capital city.

Click here to see who won the 2009 competition.

Step Back in Time at the Prahan Market

Australian Mushroom Growers joined forces with the Victorian Mushroom Retailer on the Year in promoting mushrooms at the Step Back in Time promotion at the Prahan Market.

Mushrooms Featured in the July edition of The Food Coach Newsletter

Mushrooms were the featured ingredient in the on-line Food Coach Newsletter which is distributed to over 50,000 subscribers. A back to basics video on the preparation and usage of mushrooms will also be included on the Food Coach website - http://www.thefoodcoach.com.au/. To download a copy of the newsletter - click here.

June Radio Advertising Campaign

The June radio advertising campaign was again a great success with a reach of 7 million consumers. Here is a sample of the on-air personalties promoting mushrooms throughout the campaign.

Mighty Mushroom at Trinity College, South Australia

On July 1, Mighty Mushroom attended the unveiling of Trinity College's Year 4 Kitchen Garden. Over 50 pupils and their parents attended the event.

Mushroom Cookbook Giveaway on 2UE

This competition was promoted only on-line via 2UE's competition page. There were 285 hits and 150 entries and 96 people opting for more information.

NSW Launch of the "Great All Rounder" Cookbook

Over 60 food lovers joined with Janelle Bloom of Ready Steady Cook fame, and 2UE's Glenn Wheeler and Tim Webster to launch the brand new mushroom cookbook.

TAFE Support in South Australia

Throughout June, mushrooms were supplied to lecturers and students of Regency International Centre for Hospitality (TAFE SA) by SA Growers and mushroom point of sale material included in TAFE SA Graduates Restaurant and in student classes.

SA's Mix 102.3 Corporate BBQ

On June 7, mushrooms were on the BBQ. Tastings and recipe leaflets made available to aprox 350+ guests.

Adelaide's Sea & Vines Festival

On June 8 and 9 McLaren Vale, where the vines meet the sea, located in the Fleurieu Peninsula and a short drive from Adelaide. During the event, more than 20 wineries perfectly matched their wines to delicious seafood delights. McLaren Vale venues offer a specially created seafood meal, as well as most wineries having options of an alternative, non-seafood, children's and vegetarian dish. And of course, mushrooms were a well loved addition to the menu. Recipe leaflets were available for the foodies to take home.

Mushroom Mania Cocktail Party - Phore Seasons Restaurant, Semaphore

On June 18, a cocktail party twas held to celebrate the start of Mushroom Mania 2008 at Phore Seasons Restaurant.

Degustation Diner – Majestic Hotel, Adelaide

On June 19, mushrooms were the Star at a Mushroom Degustation Dinner at the Majestic Hotel to launch Mushroom Mania 2008.

New Cookbook Launch in South Australia

On June 25, Janelle Bloom of "Ready Steady Cook" helped launch the new "Mushrooms the Great All Rounder" cookbook at the Regency TAFE SA Campus.

School Indigenous Week – Pennington Primary School - June 25

Kids Cooked up all indigenous food on the bbq with Mushrooms quite quickly becoming one of the favourites.

Triple M's "Back to School Fridays" at Brighton Primary School

On June 27, over 400 children enjoyed mushrooms on the BBQ hosted by radio personalities from Triple M. Recipe leaflets were put in childrens reader folders to take home

Radio FIVEaa – Outside Broadcast Saturday 28th June

Madam Mushroom, Pam Tobin talked about recipes from the new cook book with Michael Keelan.

Mushrooms Cooking Demonstrations at the Sydney Home Show

On Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th May Janelle Bloom presented four, 30 minute mushroom cooking demonstrations at the Sydney Home Show held at Darling Harbour.

The recipes demonstrated were from the new mushrooms the Great All Rounder cookbook and we strategy used this opportunity to promote the forth coming book at each demonstration which attracted over 80 people.

Mushroom recipe brochures and a few mushroom shopping bags were distributed to audience members who asked questions and this activity created extra excitement with the crowd.

In the lead up to this event Janelle’s Mushroom Demonstrations were featured predominately on the Sydney Home Shows website and Janelle presented a radio interview that when out of the AAPT wire for stations to pick up.

Sue Dodd coordinated the mushroom promotion and attended the demonstrations to assist Janelle.

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NSW Mushroom Farm Walk for Food Service

In the lead up to Mushroom Mania Sue Dodd coordinated a mushroom farm walk for the members of the food service industry to:

25 chefs and restaurant owners who attended the farm walk in Mittagong toured Li Sun Exotic Mushrooms growing tunnel then the Mushroom Exchange in Mittagong before breaking for a inspiring and creative mushroom lunch at the Sturt Café in Mittagong.

An evaluation of the day and feedback following the tour indicated that the day was very successful and there is a demand to do additional tours for the food service industry.