Producer Profile: Mr Brown and Towns Mushrooms
Mushroom fossicking just got a lot easier with the arrival into Hill Street of some fabulous mushrooms from a Launceston-based mushroom grower we’ve been stalking for a while.
With some transport-durable packaging and distribution logistics sorted, we’re delighted to be stocking fabulous fungi from Mr Brown and Towns.
Mr Brown, aka Fergus Brown, and his business partner Michael Townsend, started their mushroom growing venture in 2019 and began selling at Harvest Market in Launceston and Farm Gate Market in Hobart in 2020. Word got out to chefs and the pair’s mushrooms have been on the menu for a while now at some of the state’s best restaurants.
We recently chatted with Fergus and learnt a few things about the mushroom business.
Where are you located and what do you grow?
We’re five minutes outside of Launceston in a former abattoir which had been dormant for many years. It’s been made into warehouse spaces and we have a few warehouses there. The bonus of being a former abattoir is it’s very well-insulated and so it’s easier to keep a consistent temperature of between 15-18C, which is optimal for mushrooms, and helps us keep our energy costs down.
We grow 11 varieties of mushrooms, 70 per cent being Oyster varieties: Winter White, Blue Shinji, Black Pearl, Yellow Oyster and Monster Blue. The rest are exotics, which include Lion’s Mane, Coral Tooth, Chestnut and Nameko.
We grow our mushrooms in full spectrum light, which helps develop their colours: although mushrooms can grow in the dark, as they don’t photosynthesise, light makes their colours more intense.
We produce 350 kg of mushrooms a week. They have a growing cycle of one month and they have two flushes: the first flush produces the most mushrooms and the second less. Mushrooms can have multiple flushes but it’s a space issue for us so we only do two flushes.
What led you two to become mushroom farmers?
Michael and I have been friends for two decades or so. I have a graphic design background and Michael has a musical background, so we’re both creative. I needed a change from graphic design in Melbourne and at that time Michael was planting trees for a living.
We worked together for two years planting trees and found out we worked pretty well together! We always had entrepreneurial chats and when a small mushroom business owned by family friends was selling some equipment, we looked into the idea of mushrooms. It seemed to us that mushrooms were taking off around the world and this would be a way to create a lifestyle for ourselves in a community-orientated business, which is really important to us.
How did you come to work with Hill Street?
I did the Seed Lab business incubator program a few years ago and through a mutual contact, connected with Euan, the Manager of Hill Street’s Sandy Bay store, and sent some samples. We finally have capacity now to produce enough mushrooms and distribute them around the state, so the time is right!
Which products will you be supplying to Hill Street?
We’ll be supplying four 200g punnet types: Lion’s Mane, Mixed Oyster, which will include 3-4 types of Oyster mushrooms, Nameko, and Exotic Mix, which will be a mix of half Oyster, and half the other exotics.
Tell us more about the varieties.
Lion’s Mane is a super-meaty mushroom, it’s almost chicken-like and has amazing brain benefits including promising effects on diseases like Alzheimer’s. Both Lion’s Mane and Coral Tooth are Tasmanian native species.
Chestnut is a firm, nutty mushroom which is great for pasta and stir fries.
Nameko is a species which originated in Japan; it has a gelatinous material on its cap which acts as a thickener so is great in ramen-style soups.
Which is your favourite?
My favourite has to be Lion’s Mane, due to its meaty texture, its versatility in cooking, and its health benefits.
How can customers look after your mushrooms once they get them home?
Store them in the fridge but watch out for condensation and if the punnet looks a little wet inside, open it up and let it dry out a little. Perhaps crack the lid of the punnet open and allow some ventilation. They have a 2-week Use-By date, but it will depend on the conditions in your fridge and their transport home (ie if they warmed up in the car). The look of mushrooms can change but don’t be worried. Sometimes they can grow a white fuzz at the bottom of the stalk – it’s not mould, they are just trying to grow more mushrooms. They also cook up fine even if they have dried out a little.
What’s your vision for your business into the future?
We want to be and remain the ‘golden children’ of the Tasmanian mushroom industry, continue producing high quality mushrooms and selling them into the local Tasmanian market, into restaurants and into retailers like Hill Street, maybe sell interstate a little, but focus on our local community mainly.
Tell us how you love to cook mushrooms.
I love making a mushroom burger. I cut them into chunks about one inch thick, and brown them in a hot frypan with some butter and garlic. You can put them inside a bun or just eat them like a steak.
Mr Brown and Towns Mushrooms are available in all Hill Street stores statewide. Find your local Hill Street here.