Highline Mushrooms Debuts Two New Innovations

Highline Mushrooms rolled out two separate innovations this summer in their efforts to “keep trying to innovate and lead the mushroom industry,” said Highline CEO Jose Cambon.

“We’re leading the charge in North America,” said Cambon. “We want to get more Americans eating more mushrooms.”

Jose Cambon, CEO, Highline Mushrooms

Highline Mushrooms, the world’s largest organic mushroom grower, recently transformed its traditional packaging to introduce a new, transparent style. While the mushroom industry typically opts for colored “tills” covered in a clear plastic overwrap, Highline believes the move to clear tills will help consumers examine the freshness of the product before buying.

Clear 8oz white whole and mini bella organic mushrooms

Mushrooms were the anomaly in how much of the product was obscured from view, said Cambon. “[Mushrooms] are a high-quality, high-value product yet the consumer can’t see what they’re buying,” said Cambon. “Highline is very proud of the product we grow. We want consumers to be able to differentiate.”

Highline ranks as one of the top 10 mushroom growers in the country, producing 1.8 to 2 million pounds of white, mini portabella, portabella, and specialty mushrooms like shiitake and oyster mushrooms each week. The company is located across southern Canada and distributes to major retailers and bulk buyers throughout North America and Japan.

“We’re leading the charge in North America. We want to get more Americans eating more mushrooms.” - Jose Cambon

Mushrooms are harvested and sold to the consumer within a few days, maintaining the company’s standard for “hyper freshness” according to Cambon. The company’s switch to standardized, clear packaging makes operations more efficient, keeping the product even fresher, said Devon Kennedy, national marketing manager for Highline Mushrooms.

Highline believes this packaging swap will encourage customers to recycle their entire mushroom container, helping to promote a “circular economy” from this highly sustainable crop.

Highline Mushrooms recipe; crispy Thai garlic mushrooms

A sustainable packaging solution also helps Highline communicate the many ways mushrooms are healthy for consumers, said Cambon. “Mushrooms are one of the most sustainable crops you can grow,” he said, citing the crop’s water and space efficiency and its use of agricultural byproducts like straw and chicken manure.

“[Mushrooms] are a high-quality, high-value product yet the consumer can’t see what they’re buying. Highline is very proud of the product we grow. We want consumers to be able to differentiate.” - Jose Cambon

The plastic tills are made from 100% recycled rPET clear plastic. This new packaging is similar to the familiar clear plastic containers that store berries, grapes, and tomatoes. Highline's 24-ounce clear tills have already hit the shelves of three major North American retailers. The company's 8- and 16-ounce packs will receive transparent packaging next, with its private labels to follow. The company also plans to change its plastic overwrap to a pop seal.

 “[The transition] helps increase the recycling of PET plastics while showcasing the quality of mushrooms that we grow. The use of a PET topfilm also increases the potential for overall recyclability of our packaging to 100%,” said a statement from the Highline Mushrooms website.

“At Highline, we pack close to 100 million tills of mushrooms per year, so we need to be conscious of the environmental impacts and strain we have on our planet. We are committed to making positive changes today for a greener tomorrow, as we pack our sustainably grown mushrooms,” said Kelly Hale, VP Sales, Marketing & Distribution, on Highline’s website.

These changes all assist Highline Mushrooms' overall goal to increase mushroom consumption in North America. The average mushroom customer purchases their favorite fungi about 17 times a year, “and that’s a mushroom lover,” Kennedy said.

“[The transition] helps increase the recycling of PET plastics while showcasing the quality of mushrooms that we grow. The use of a PET topfilm also increases the potential for overall recyclability of our packaging to 100%.” - Highline Mushrooms

But mushrooms prove to be a versatile ingredient for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and act as a complement to or substitution for traditional protein, said Kennedy. “[Mushrooms] are so versatile. Our goal is to increase mushroom consumption.”

Highline Mushrooms breakfast recipe; portabella with poached eggs and gravy

Cambon joined Highline Mushrooms as CEO in late 2022, bringing more than two decades of experience in the produce industry. In his first year of leadership, Cambon encouraged Highline to introduce a brand-new product to the North American audience.

“At Highline we pack close to 100 million tills of mushrooms per year, so we need to be conscious of the environmental impacts and strain we have on our planet.” - Kelly Hale

White flats, also called “breakfast flats” in Australia and Europe, provide a hearty, entree-size version of a mild, white mushroom. While generally unknown in the United States, white flats represent 20 to 25 percent of the mushroom market outside of North America, said Cambon.

White flats resemble a portabella mushroom in appearance and usage. However, they provide a more mellow-flavored mushroom. These large, white-cap mushrooms absorb the flavors of what you’re cooking while still remaining firm, making them a terrific main dish on the grill as a replacement for hamburgers. Or keep the hamburger, and make mushroom fries from this fresh mushroom variety. Kennedy also suggests tossing an egg on top of a white flat for a healthy, European-inspired breakfast. White flats are low calorie and fat free, making them a smart choice for those who watch their diet closely.

Organic white grill caps

In summer 2023, Highline Mushrooms began selling white flats to its North American customers and offering bulk packs of this innovative product to its catering and restaurant partners.

“There aren’t many new products in fresh produce,” said Kennedy. “This may inspire people.”