Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
City
Research
&
Development
Paper
Executive
Summary
The
following
research
and
development
report
for
Mushroom
City
outlines
in
some
detail
the
important
considerations
and
implication
for
a
business
revolving
around
the
growing
of
gourmet
mushrooms
in
used
coffee
grounds.
Over
a
period
of
six
weeks,
the
Innovation
Academy
team
of
Adesola,
Adrian,
Gerry,
Jenny
and
Kadi
explored
different
business
models,
supply
chain
options,
branding
and
product
development,
among
on
the
things.
The
resulting
R&D
report
consists
of
five
sections:
Understand
It
Comprehending
the
scope
of
both
the
problem
and
possible
solutions
and,
through
market
research,
competitor
studies
and
general
digging,
narrowing
the
product
recommendation
to
one:
a
grow-at-home
Oyster
mushroom
kit.
Fund
It
various
suggestions
for
start-up
and
operational
funding
for
Mushrooms
City
based
on
cost
estimates
gathered
by
the
team.
Make
it
An
in-depth,
step-by-step
guide
for
product
development
and
business
operations
including
recommendations
for
collection
and
delivery
of
coffee
grounds
and
grow
kits,
staffing
and
key
partnerships.
Market
It
branding,
logos
and
market
strategy
for
Mushroom
City
all
designed
by
the
team
in
conjunction
with
the
client.
Use
It
Retail,
educational
and
community
development
uses
for
the
grow
kits
and
the
mushroom
City
brand.
Additional resources included with this report are pre-populated financial projections, editable marketing materials, suggested packaging verbiage and complete market research outcomes.
Contents
Executive
Summary
......................................................................................................................................
2
Introduction
.................................................................................................................................................
6
Understand
It:
What
is
Mushroom
City
and
what
is
the
team
challenge?
..................................................
7
Key
Findings
.............................................................................................................................................
7
Key
Recommendations
............................................................................................................................
7
Why
mushrooms?
................................................................................................................................
7
Why
coffee
grounds?
...........................................................................................................................
8
Why
Dublin?
.........................................................................................................................................
8
Why
Innovation
Academy?
..................................................................................................................
9
Product
Recommendation
.......................................................................................................................
9
Fund
It:
Sources
of
Project
Funding
.............................................................................................................
9
Key
Findings
.............................................................................................................................................
9
Key
Recommendations
..........................................................................................................................
10
Cost
Estimates
........................................................................................................................................
10
Funding
Options
.....................................................................................................................................
10
Make
It:
Recommended
Product
Development
........................................................................................
11
Key
Findings
...........................................................................................................................................
11
Key
Recommendations
..........................................................................................................................
11
Operations
.............................................................................................................................................
11
Grow
Kit
Materials
.................................................................................................................................
13
Key
Partnerships
....................................................................................................................................
14
Coffee
grounds
producers
..................................................................................................................
14
Schools
and
community
groups
.........................................................................................................
15
Transport
................................................................................................................................................
15
Cargo tricycle ..................................................................................................................................... 15 Delivery van ....................................................................................................................................... 16 Staffing ................................................................................................................................................... 16 Market It: Branding and Marketing Strategy ............................................................................................. 17 Key Findings ........................................................................................................................................... 17 Key Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 17 Market Research .................................................................................................................................... 17 Marketing Strategy ................................................................................................................................ 18 Branding ................................................................................................................................................. 18 Website .................................................................................................................................................. 18 Social Media ........................................................................................................................................... 19 Facebook, Twitter .............................................................................................................................. 19 Tumblr ................................................................................................................................................ 19 Pinterest ............................................................................................................................................. 19 Traditional / Offline Marketing .............................................................................................................. 19 Media ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 Use It: Retail, Education and Ancillary Applications for Mushroom City ................................................... 20 Key Findings ........................................................................................................................................... 20 Key Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 20 Business Roll-Out ................................................................................................................................... 21 Retail ...................................................................................................................................................... 22 Education ............................................................................................................................................... 22 Job Creation and Up-skilling ................................................................................................................... 23 FAS work placement scheme ............................................................................................................. 23 National Internship Scheme ............................................................................................................... 23 Volunteering ...................................................................................................................................... 24
Ancillary Applications ............................................................................................................................. 25 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 25 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................................... 26 Appendices ................................................................................................................................................. 27 Appendix 1: Start-up Expenses * ........................................................................................................... 27 Appendix 2: Monthly Operation Costs* ................................................................................................. 28 Appendix3: Grant Opportunities ............................................................................................................ 30 Appendix 4 Coffee Partnership Options and Findings ......................................................................... 33 Appendix 6: Market Research Results ................................................................................................... 37 Appendix 7: Branding ............................................................................................................................. 39 Mushroom City basic logo .................................................................................................................. 39 Mushroom City extended logo ........................................................................................................... 39 Mushroom City branding colour palate and fonts ............................................................................. 40 Mushroom City cargo trike with branding ......................................................................................... 40 Stamp for seed pack ........................................................................................................................... 41 Seed pack concept ............................................................................................................................. 41 Mushroom City website homepage concept 1 .................................................................................. 42 Mushroom City website homepage concept 2 .................................................................................. 43 Mushroom City about page concept ................................................................................................ 44 Dublin Urban Farm website rebrand concept .................................................................................... 45 Mushroom City Facebook concept .................................................................................................... 46 Mushroom City Twitter concept ........................................................................................................ 47 Mushroom City Pinterest concept ..................................................................................................... 48 Appendix 8: Ideas Board ........................................................................................................................ 49
Introduction
Mushroom
City
is
a
new
urban
farming
project
nestled
in
the
heart
of
Dublins
city
centre.
Spearheaded
by
the
people
behind
the
hugely
successful
Urban
Farm
Rooftop
Garden,
on
Kings
Inn
Street
Dublin
1,
the
concept
is
simple.
Thousands
of
kilos
of
coffee
grounds
are
wasted
every
week
in
Dublin
City,
and
it
just
so
happens
that
these
coffee
grounds
make
a
fantastic
substrate
for
growing
mushrooms.
So
the
idea
is
to
go
to
the
local
cafes,
collect
the
grounds
and
grow
ourselves
some
lovely
oyster
mushrooms.
Yum! The
coffee
grounds
are
perfect
because
they
are
eco-friendly,
full
of
good
stuff
for
plants
like
phosphorus
and
potassium
and
a
low
level
source
of
nitrogen.
Oyster
mushrooms
are
perfect
because
they
arent
too
difficult
to
grow,
dont
like
much
sunlight
and
taste
spectacular. Sounds
good
but
how
does
it
all
work?
The
first
thing
we
do
is
collect
the
grounds
with
cargo
bikes
with
baskets.
This
way
we
arent
wasting
money
or
resources
on
fuel
and
our
workers
get
lots
of
fresh
air
and
exercise.
Once
the
grounds
are
collected
from
the
local
cafes
they
are
stored
in
the
local
fruit
market,
not
far
from
Urban
Farm
HQ.
The
fruit
market,
which
was
once
a
buzzing,
vibrant
place
has
been
in
decline
in
recent
years
so
reusing
it
as
a
place
to
set
up
Mushroom
City
operations
makes
sense
and
will
help
to
renew
interest
in
the
area.
Once
the
coffee
grounds
arrive
at
the
market,
mushroom
spawn
is
mixed
with
it
and
portioned
off
into
individual
kilo
bags.
The
bags
are
then
placed
for
three
weeks
in
a
walk
in
cold
room
to
incubate
the
mushroom
mycelia
(spawn),
which
is
an
important
part
of
the
growing
cycle.
After
the
incubation
period
the
kilo
bags
are
placed
in
branded
packaging
and
delivered
to
outlets
based
on
pending
orders.
Mushroom
City
is
a
simple
idea
but
an
important
one.
We
are
taking
a
very
eco-friendly
waste
product
and
turning
it
into
gourmet
organic
produce.
Not
only
that
but
we
are
working
with
local
volunteers
and
businesses
and
helping
to
renew
an
area
of
the
city
that
needs
a
little
help. We
think
that
with
some
funding,
innovation
and
lots
of
fun
we
can
make
Mushroom
City
a
proud
success
story
and
build
on
the
great
work
already
established
by
Dublins
Urban
Farm.
Understand
It:
What
is
Mushroom
City
and
what
is
the
team
challenge?
Key
Findings
Less
than
1
%
of
the
biomass
used
to
make
a
cup
of
coffee
is
consumed
and
the
remainder
is
generally
dumped
Coffee
grounds
are
a
pre-sterile
and
nutritious
substrate
for
growing
gourmet
mushrooms
like
Oyster
The
management
of
Dublin
city
coffee
serving
outlets
are
interested
in
the
idea
of
up-cycling
their
coffee
waste
Bulk
sales
of
gourmet
mushrooms
is
a
very
low
profit
for
business
for
the
work
required
Key
Recommendations
Growing
mushrooms
from
used
coffee
grounds
will
be
a
viable
venture
for
this
Dublin
City
venture
Oyster
mushrooms
are
idea
for
a
mushroom
from
grounds
operation
It
will
be
better
to
focus
on
one
product
and
do
it
well
than
spread
our
focus
over
multiple
products
The
highest
return
will
be
on
grow-at-home
kits
Mushrooms are fungi and are neither plants nor animals They grow all year round They are a good source of dietary fiber They are rich in potassium, zinc, selenium and most of the B group vitamins 100g of mushroom contain no fat and between 35-100 kJ of energy (Freshforkids.com, 11/06/13) Mushrooms are easy to grow under the right conditions
Pleurotus ostreatus, the oyster mushroom, is a common edible mushroom and is one of the more commonly sought wild mushrooms. They are found wild in temperate forests and some species in tropical forests. These mushrooms can also be cultivated in a commercial capacity to supply the worlds
markets. Typically, they grow on dead logs but coffee grounds are an excellent substrate for cultivation (Fungi Futures, 5/6/13). Why coffee grounds? Facts about coffee and coffee ground: Only 1% of ground coffee is consumed, the rest is regarded as waste and thrown away. Coffee waste in the UK estimated at 1.25 tons/week (WasteLessLiveMore.com, 5/6/13) Used coffee grounds are generally added to other food waste and dumped Coffee grounds are not only sterile after the coffee making process but are rich key elements for growing oyster mushrooms Coffee shops large and small have started packaging their used coffee grounds for home gardeners to use as soil conditioners Coffee is the worlds most important beverage and second-largest traded commodity next to oil Coffee grounds can be used as plant food as they add nutrient to the soil
In the context of an urban coffee culture environment the opportunities to readily source this form of substrate on a regular basis are quite high. One must, however explore a number of factors when deciding on using this raw material as the primary form of substrate. Can you source enough substrate to meet your needs? Who should you approach to source it? How do you set up a dependable supply chain to meet needs?
Why Dublin? There are hundreds of coffee ground producing entities in the City Centre alone including cafes, restaurants and hotels. These outlets are paying to dispose of their used coffee grounds instead of up- cycling them for re-use. In cities around the world, mushroom from ground businesses are highly successful. The most prominent and successful being Back to the Roots in California (http://www.backtotheroots.com/), Gro-Cycle in the UK (http://grocycle.com/) and GRO-Holland in The Netherlands (http://www.gro-holland.com/). To date, Ireland does not have a mushroom from grounds producer and anyone looking to buy mushroom grow kits must source an imported product from a handful of Irish garden centres or order them online.
Dublin is small city that is easily traversed by bicycle, making substrate collection and product delivery easy and efficient. There is a strong and ever expanding movement to grow food at home or in allotments and to eat locally. Mushrooms City would capitalize on these ideas in demonstrating the ease with which one can grow mushrooms at home. Additionally, the re-use of what would formally have been classified as a food waste would support the sustainability efforts that are not just building in Dublin but worldwide. The Urban Farm has already espoused the ideals of sustainability, eating locally, growing your own, up- cycling and reducing waste. From this platform, the Mushroom City project is poised to expand the important Urban Farm message and principles. Why Innovation Academy? The Innovation Academy team was tasked with research and development of a mushrooms from grounds programme in an Irish context. As part of a programme of innovation and Entrepreneurship, the team is ideally suited to apply creative and innovative thinking to the project and suggest well thought out and researched solutions.
Product
Recommendation
After
coming
to
understand
the
process
of
growing
mushrooms
from
coffee
grounds
and
the
issues
surrounding
supply
chain
and
retail
sales
for
this
business,
the
IA
team
deemed
the
grow-at-home
kits
to
be
the
more
viable
product
over
bulk
growing
for
wholesale
or
direct
to
restaurant
and
market
sales.
To
that
end,
the
focus
of
the
team
became
product
development,
marketing,
use
and
funding
for
these
grow
kits.
The
most
important
challenge
to
the
business,
as
with
most
businesses
will
be
funding.
Because of the innovative and environmentally friendly nature of Mushroom City, there are a number of specific grants for which the project could be eligible
Urban Farm has been successful in the past with crowd source funding
Key
Recommendations
The
quickest
and
most
efficient
funding
solution
for
start-up
capital
will
be
through
crowd
source
funding
campaigns
with
Fundit
or
similar
Using
the
information
in
this
R&D
report
to
complete
a
business
plan,
the
Mushroom
City
management
team
could
easily
apply
for
the
following
(See:
Appendix
3):
Environmental
Protection
Agency
Dublin
City
Enterprise
Board
Industry
Research
and
Development
Group
Cost
Estimates
All
costs
in
the
report
are
estimates
only
and
based
on
internet
research,
vendor
quotes
or
best
guesses.
In
all
areas,
care
has
been
taken
to
be
as
accurate
as
possible
with
estimates
and
every
attempt
was
made
to
predict
all
cost
factors.
The
IA
team
based
the
suggested
retail
price
of
12.50
for
the
grow
kits
on
the
prices
of
similar
products
in
the
US
and
UK
and
on
market
research
survey
responses.
Operational
costs
include
monthly
rent
and
utilities
for
the
production
facility,
staffing,
operational
materials
and
marketing
costs.
Funding
Options
When
exploring
the
funding
opportunities
of
a
venture
of
this
type
it
is
important
to
spread
the
focus
as
wide
as
possible.
There
are
a
number
of
grants
currently
available
for
start-up
businesses
in
Ireland.
Because
Mushrooms
City
has
elements
of
environmental
sustainability,
eco-innovation
and
up-cycling
the
venture
is
eligible
for
a
number
of
grants
and
awards
solely
for
these
types
of
projects.
In
addition,
there
are
City
Enterprise
Board
resources
and
myriad
incubator
funds
available
to
Dublin
small
to
medium
enterprises
(SMEs).
For
a
list
of
available
relevant
grants
and
their
details,
see
Appendix
3.
This
Iist
is
not
exhaustive,
but
rather
a
guide
to
the
types
of
funding
available.
Crowd
funding
can
be
used
by
start-ups
to
raise
money
for
projects.
It
involves
asking
a
crowd
of
people
online
to
donate
money
to
your
project.
Using
Fundit
as
a
crowd
source
funding
platform,
a
goal
amount
10
is set with a deadline, and rewards are offered to donors. 100% of your goal must be raised before the deadline, or all the donations are returned to the donors. Deadlines are typically less than 60 days. The Dublin Urban Farm project was successfully aided by a crowd source funding campaign that reached 108% of the funding target. With the success of the Urban Farm effort, a second Fundit campaign would be the best source of start-up funding for Mushroom City. Based on the estimated start-up costs of just under 3,000, the goal of raising start-up funding through a Fundit campaign is achievable. The promotional video produced by the IA team, led by film director Gerry Kelly could be used to great effect on a Fundit campaign. Other funding avenues include bank loans (unlikely in the current economic climate), public/private partnership (again, unlikely given the nature of the business) and fundraising events.
Key
Recommendations
The
primary
product
for
Mushroom
City
should
be
the
grow
kit
for
individual
sale
at
retail
nodes
and
online
A
full-time
operations
and
sales
manager
is
required
for
Mushroom
City
To
begin
with,
substrate
should
be
collected
and
grow
kits
delivered
with
existing
Urban
Farm
transport
vehicle
Operations
Operationally,
the
Mushroom
City
Project
will
require
several
steps
before
launching
including:
11
Seed capital acquirement Acquiring a sterile base of operations Workspace build-out and kit-out Partnership development HACCP approval Bord Bia approval EPA approval Business registration
Mushroom City is a fairly simple operation and the aim of all involved is to keep it as green as possible. All equipment and packaging will be eco-friendly and up-cycled where possible. The process of growing oyster mushroom on spent coffee grounds is: 1. Ordering spawn 2. Pasteurize growing media 3. Mixing substrate and spawn 4. Filling mushroom bags 5. Incubation 6. Growing and harvesting The workspace for mixing coffee grounds and mushrooms spawn must be sterile and have areas for office functions, inoculated substrate storage, packaging and general storage. Ideally, workers should be kitted out in sterile tyvek suits, gloves, masks and shoe covers. The growing media (used coffee grounds) is already pasteurized after the coffee maker process and must remain sterile through transport and mixing. To that end, sterile containers and biodegradable bin liners must be provided at all outlets where coffee grounds are being collected. Based on the existing Urban Farm example, the collection bins would be generated from up-cycled, clean containers. Biodegradable bin liners would be replaced on a daily bases when the grounds are collected. The grounds bags must be sealed before transport. Additionally, retailers must make the collection part of their daily routine and Mushroom City must maintain the collection agreement/relationship with substrate supplier (retailer). Training for both workers in the substrate collection sites and Mushroom City will be the key to acquiring and maintaining clean substrate.
12
Spawn for Oyster mushrooms, sourced from Mycelia Mushroom Spawn Laboratory in Belgium (http://www.mycelia.be/en/mycelium-for-professionals/final-spawn), will be cold shipped to Mushroom City in aerated microsacs and ready to mix with substrate. Spawn can keep for up to 4 months in a regularly ventilated refrigeration unit (Mycelia, 12/6/3012). Spawn are inoculated into the substrate at a ratio 5:1. Once mixed, the individual grow bags are filled with just under 1 kg of substrate/spawn mixture and incubated for a period of three weeks before they are ready to be boxed and delivered to retail nodes or sold online. After incubation, the kits are opened at the perforated area of the box and the grow bags sliced to allow the shock necessary to spur the mushroom growth. The first flush, or harvest, will be within 14 days. After the first flush, the bag can be turned and sliced in a different area to produce a second flush. A third and fourth flush are sometimes possible. Kits can be kept for up to 4 weeks before opening. For detailed instruction on home growing from kit, see Appendix 5. After the final flush, the substrate can be used as a soil conditioner or as a medium for growing plants from seeds. Mushroom City grow kits will include a seed pack and instructions for planting. Thus, creating a third use for the coffee beans. Additional questions unanswered in the report: 1. How are the used grounds cleanly pressed to eliminate sufficient moisture before inoculation? 2. Is a catalyst, such as torn cardboard or saw dust necessary in the substrate mixture and if so, where to source a sterile and sustainable supply?
13
1 Seed packet containing approximately 20 seeds (herbs, salad leaves, shamrocks or other vegetables)
Estimated costs for each component of the grow kits can be found in Appendix 2.
Key
Partnerships
Coffee
grounds
producers
Innovation
Academy
team
members
canvassed
local
businesses
that
sell
coffee
and
introduced
the
Mushroom
City
concept.
Benefits
to
the
retailer
include
a
waste
disposal
facility
which
would
reduce
costs
for
those
paying
for
waste
by
weight
and,
on
the
corporate
social
responsibility
side,
substrate
suppliers
can
advertise
their
ethical
up-cycling
of
coffee
waste.
Based
on
initial
interviews
with
businesses
in
high
footfall
areas
that
sell
fresh
coffee
beverages
in
Dublin
1
and
2,
there
is
indeed
enough
coffee
waste
produced
to
facilitate
a
start
up
companys
needs.
In
addition,
there
is
also
keen
interest
in
the
programme
from
shop
managers.
See
Appendix
4
for
a
complete
account
of
interview
findings.
Dublin
is
home
to
very
large
caf
chains
and
a
number
of
smaller
chains
and
independent
coffee
producing
retailers.
The
question
of
whether
a
single
large
source
for
substrate
or
multiple
small
sources
would
suit
best
the
business
model
is
important
to
consider
as
there
are
pros
and
cons
with
each.
The
advantage
of
using
one
large
source
with
multiple
branches
is
that
you
are
dealing
with
one
organisation
and
not
multiple
management
structures.
A
top
down
directive
to
branches
saves
time
and
resources.
It
is
imperative
that
a
reliable
and
regular
collection
schedule
is
maintained
as
there
is
very
little
leeway
for
a
breakdown
in
the
waste
management
relationship.
If
a
negative
pattern
appears
it
may
violate
agreements
and
lead
to
a
loss
of
partnership.
This
will
always
be
the
risk
if
relying
solely
on
one
large
supplier.
Smaller
shops
will
mean
more
personal
relationships
on
a
shop
to
shop
basis
which
may
be
time
consuming.
The
smaller
coffee
shop
locations
are
chosen
based
on
geographical
proximity
to
the
operation
and
not
based
on
the
head
office
location.
As
the
outlets
are
smaller
in
nature
they
may
not
collectively
produce
sufficient
quantities
of
substrate
to
facilitate
production
needs.
With
increased
numbers
of
smaller
outlets
come
more
demanding
collection
schedules
which
will
lead
to
more
staff
hours
for
the
collection
process.
However
the
risk
of
loss
of
supply
is
reduced
and
retail
node
options
are
increased.
14
Given the amount of substrate needed daily Monday Friday at the beginning of the project (20 - 25 kg to break even), we recommend collection from a number of smaller suppliers to begin with to increase brand awareness and retail opportunities. When demand increases, it will be important to solidify an arrangement with a larger producer in addition to existing suppliers to meet the operational needs of the business. Within the partnership agreement combination branding could be discussed. The coffee shops corporate brand could be affixed to the packaging of the grow kit as a sign of support and association and as a provenance of the substrate. This branding would be secondary to Mushroom City Projects branding and used to show affiliation. It would be in the interest of the corporate partner as part of their CSR policy to link their brand with an environmentally friendly product that reduces their waste and thus their mark on the environment. The partnership could also be an opportunity to use the coffee outlets as a point of sale for the grow kits. They could be displayed in store for their customers to see how green and sustainable their coffee habits are. Any purchases of these kits in store would be done with a PLU number so a weekly/daily read out of sales statistics could be generated and replacement units could be ordered. Schools and community groups Other key partnerships will be important for the educational arm of Mushroom City. Primary and secondary school visits and grow kit projects will be a core component in spreading the Urban Farm and Mushroom City ethos grow your own, up-cycle, reduce waste and eat locally. To begin, these outreach efforts will be focused on local Dublin City schools and Green Schools Ireland (http://www.greenschoolsireland.org/). The natural link between the Dublin Urban Farm and Mushroom City should be maintained to share existing market base and jointly grow brand awareness for both ventures. Partnerships with college sustainability groups like Trinity Centre for the Environment (http://www.tcd.ie/environment/) and the UCD Earth Institute (http://www.ucd.ie/earth) would facilitate possible internships and continued innovation around the project.
Transport
Cargo
tricycle
15
Cargo tricycles do not require fuel, tax, insurance or parking permits. They are free to run once purchased, save for the odd bit of maintenance. They have the added advantage of being a mobile advertisement for the company as there are panels available for branding. They would be used by staff to collect substrate and deliver stock to fulfill orders in the city. Delivery van Once there is an operational demand, a second hand vehicle could be purchased with funding. Volkswagen Transporter vans, as an example have an excellent resale value and could be converted to use biodiesel. Aside from the obvious advantages of having a motorised vehicle to transport substrate and stock, a van increases the catchment area of contact well beyond what a cargo trike could achieve. As with a cargo trike it would be a mobile advertisement for the company as there are panels available for branding. The van is unaffected by most Irish weather conditions but will incur overhead expenses, namely fuel, tax, insurance, parking permits and maintenance and its use would be limited to licensed drivers. The Dublin Urban Farm currently utilizes one cargo trike that will be the vehicle used in the startup stages of the Mushroom City operation to collect used coffee grounds and deliver grow kits to retail nodes. For every grow kit, approximately 800 grams of used grounds is required. When demand for kit sales begins to exceed the capacity of the single trike, an additional cargo tricycle or transporter van will be required. It is important for all aspects of the Mushroom City operation to be green and transport vehicles must be carbon neutral or as close to carbon neutral as possible. All transport vehicles and staff will bear the Mushroom City branding.
Staffing
One
full-time
manager
for
operations,
sales
and
marketing
and
two
part-time
staff
members
for
collection,
delivery
and
kit
production
will
be
required
to
produce
50
grow
kits
per
day
based
on
a
5
day
week.
Coffee
Collection:
--------------->Delivery/Storage
------------------>Packaging shops
(3
-
5)
=
60
kg
1
person
2
trips
fruit
and
veg
market
Mix
time
=
30
mins
50
L
mixing
bin
fruit
and
veg
market
25
boxes
=
30
mins
50
boxes
=
1
hour
1
person
16
1 Trip = 2 hours. Grow kit orders for following day - delivered during substrate collection Collector - 4 hours Mixer/packager - 2 hours 50 branded kits Our recommendation for staffing would be to avail of either a FAS employment or CE scheme through the Department of Social Protection. Details for both programmes will be found in the Use It section of this report.
Key
Recommendations
Because
of
the
existing
Dublin
Urban
Farm
online
community
following,
it
would
be
best
to
maintain
a
brand
association
between
Mushroom
City
and
the
Dublin
Urban
Farm
The
Mushroom
City
logo
and
associated
branding
visuals
should
impart
eco-friendly,
urban,
gourmet
and
home
growing
while
remaining
simple
and
clean
An
online
social
media
campaign
will
be
the
most
powerful
marketing
tool
for
Mushroom
City
Market
Research
The
Innovation
Academy
team
carried
out
market
research
on
two
levels:
1. Competitor
analysis
2. Survey
17
An online competitor analysis of Back to the Roots, Gro-Cycle and GRO Holland confirmed that there is indeed a market for gourmet mushroom grow kits in the American and European markets.
Website
It
was
important
to
have
an
organic
feel
to
the
website
in
line
with
the
overall
branding,
with
eco
friendly
design
elements.
The
key
functions
of
the
website
were
to
generate
sales,
promote
the
business
and
inform
people
about
the
possibilities
of
up-cycling
coffee
waste.
In
order
to
generate
more
traffic
to
the
website
through
search
engine
optimisation,
we
would
encourage
attention
to
the
following
issues
when
building
the
site:
Effective
title
tags
Keyword
rich
text
Additional
articles
Social
sharing
buttons
We incorporated all our design elements around the necessary functionality required of a site of this nature and included pages for: Shop page for people to select product and proceed to checkout
18
Information page with lots of information about the product and the process Video how the box works, and the story behind it Recipe corner page with lots of yummy recipes for gourmet oyster mushrooms and other gown at home herbs and vegetables
Features page for testimonials and pictures people have sent in of their successful harvests
Social
Media
Facebook,
Twitter In
todays
world
you
cant
escape
the
necessity
of
social
media.
Sharing
images,
special
offers,
information
and
keeping
in
contact
with
clients
and
customers
is
key
to
the
spread
of
peoples
awareness
of
the
product.
For
Facebook
and
Twitter
design
suggestions,
see
Appendix
7. Tumblr
A
Tumblr
site
will
use
a
combination
of
Mushroom
City
and
re-blogged
images
to
visually
inspire
people
to
grow
their
own
food,
reuse
valuable
food
waste
and
up-cycle
whenever
possible.
It
will
also
encourage
people
to
try
out
the
growing
kit
by
showing
them
how
fun
it
can
be.
Pinterest Sharing
inspiration,
images
and
ideas
with
a
combination
of
re-pinned
images
and
own
images
pinned
from
the
Mushroom
City
and
Urban
farm
websites
and
the
Tumblr
page.
This
will
drive
more
traffic
to
the
site,
creating
backlinks
and
improving
Google
statistics.
19
Flyers could be placed in coffee shops where the grounds were collected. Coffee retailers would benefit from showing their customers where their coffee waste goes to once they have finished making their coffees. Use of the existing Urban Farm brand would also be very useful for joint marketing purposes. Mushroom City would be marketed to Urban Farms followers as their new sustainable project. This would keep the Urban Farm ethos current and would create additional exposure and give added credibility to the Mushroom City brand. An annual event centred around all things mushroom could be put in motion to create more PR for the brand and the product. Dublin could have Irelands first Mushroom Festival. The grow kit could be marketed as the perfect gift for those foodie friends who have everything.
Media
The
official
Mushroom
City
launch
should
be
accompanied
by
a
press
releases
to
all
news
desks,
giving
the
opportunity
for
exposure
on
both
print
and
television
media.
Articles
written
by
Urban
Farm
and
Mushroom
City
staff
on
the
success
of
the
Mushroom
City
Project
should
be
submitted
to
newspaper
editors
and
journalists
for
their
supplements.
Sample
grow
kits
with
instructions
could
be
sent
to
every
relevant
journalist
with
an
invitation
to
a
rooftop
launch
party
catered
by
a
celebrity
chef
or
gardening
personality.
The
menu
will
be
predominantly
gourmet
mushroom
based
with
extras
from
the
Urban
Farm
roof
garden.
Use
It:
Retail,
Education
and
Ancillary
Applications
for
Mushroom
City
Key
Findings
There
are
possible
retail
nodes
for
gourmet
mushroom
kits
outside
of
those
participating
in
the
substrate
collection
programme
The
educational
opportunities
around
grow-your-own
mushroom
kits
are
varied
and
plentiful
The
staffing
needs
of
Mushroom
City
provide
and
ideal
platform
for
those
looking
to
get
back
to
work
or
up-skill
in
an
urban
horticultural
setting
Bulk
growing
for
wholesale
or
direct-to
market
sales
would
be
an
additional
revenue
stream
once
grow-kit
operations
are
successfully
established
Key
Recommendations
20
Start small and steadily increase business operations Shops, cafes, garden centres, health food stores, whole foods type grocery stores and DIY stores should be targeted when developing retail partnerships
Schools will not only provide a place for education programmes, but also for further sales opportunities
Online sales will be important to the Mushroom City business model FAS and CE schemes will lower operational costs and increase corporate social responsibility of Mushroom City
Business
Roll-Out
To
ensure
steady
growth
and
best
business
practice,
Mushrooms
City
should
begin
as
the
Dublin
Urban
Farm
did
as
a
small,
community
supported
enterprise
and
build
on
each
phase
once
its
been
established.
Ideally,
the
operational
phases
would
look
like:
Operations
Phase
1
Establish
base
of
operations
Test
grow
kit
mixture
and
production
Produce
the
minimum
number
of
grow
kits
to
cover
operational
expenses
Operations Phase 2 Production of an increased number of grow kits to meet increased demand
Operations Phase 3 Increased grow kit production Small-scale bulk growth for retail sale Expanded Educational Programmes - focus on sustainability nationwide Regular television programme in conjunction with the Dublin Urban Farm Transition to larger base of operations
21
Operations - Full operations Full capacity growth kits Full capacity bulk growth Education Centre in former or existing base of operations
Retail
The
suggested
retail
price
for
grow
kits
in
retail
nodes
is
12.50.
It
will
cost
just
over
2
to
produce
each
kit.
Ideally,
there
will
be
no
mark-up
or
percentage
taken
by
retail
sellers
associated
with
the
coffee
ground
collection
scheme
unless
Mushroom
City
is
charging
them
for
waste
collection.
In
other
retail
nodes,
a
percentage
of
sales
will
need
to
be
negotiated
on
a
case
by
case
basis.
Grow
kits
will
be
sold
at:
Shops
and
cafes
participating
in
the
coffee
ground
programme
Shops
and
cafes
not
participating
in
the
coffee
ground
programme
Dublin
Urban
Farm
Organic
food
stores
Garden
centres
DIY
stores
with
garden
components
Health
stores
Online
through
the
Mushroom
City
website
Different
packaging
design
using
a
similar
branding
theme
should
be
used
for
online
and
shop
sales
to
give
each
arm
of
the
business
the
opportunity
to
develop
separately.
Sales
targets
should
be
set
for
markets
outside
of
Ireland
where
grow
kits
are
currently
unavailable.
Education
One
of
the
drivers
of
Mushroom
City
is
to
further
spread
the
message
behind
the
Dublin
Urban
Farm
grow
locally,
sustainability,
re-use
and
reduce
waste
-
which
will
in
turn
drive
the
educational
programmes
associated
with
Mushroom
City.
Opportunities
for
education
exist
within
the
context
of
primary
and
secondary
schools
and
in
the
larger
Dublin
community.
In
schools,
students
can
watch
their
mushrooms
grow
and
learn
not
only
about
the
science
but
the
ethos
of
growing
their
own
food.
The
proliferation
goal
for
Mushroom
City
should
be
one
kit
and
22
information packet per Irish classroom over a three year period. In addition, a representative from Mushroom City could be regularly visiting classrooms to demonstrate other grow-at-home ideas and uses for up-cycled materials. From a business sense, the one kit per classroom model should drive sales among the teachers, parents and friends of the students. On a community level, the Dublin Urban Farm provides the ideal setting for workshops, demonstrations and topical discussions on the Mushroom City message. Regular and diverse programming will create awareness, educate community groups and drive sales.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/unemployment_and_redundancy/employment_sup port_schemes/national_internship_scheme.html The new National Internship Scheme is aimed at those who have been either getting an unemployment payment or signing for credits for at least 3 months. Participants will be offered a placement of between 6 and 9 months with host organisations, either in the public sector, the private sector or the community and voluntary sector. Participants will keep their social welfare payment and will get an extra 50 per week. They will also keep any secondary benefits that they have when taking up an internship. The Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, in 2011 is quoted to have said. The Scheme will ensure that people can enhance their current skills and develop new ones. It will provide a real alternative to people who find themselves without work. It will also give young people the opportunity to gain valuable experience as they move between study and the beginning of their working lives. Internships are a recognised method, in a number of countries, for giving young people their first step into the labour market. For example in Brussels and the US, there have very successful internship schemes which give young people a real start in their careers. Minister Burton called on all employers and organisations across the private, public and community and voluntary sectors to actively participate in the National Internship Scheme and offer quality worthwhile internship opportunities. Volunteering Volunteers could be sourced through:
Social Media Farming/Botanical Colleges Open Days at the Dublin Urban Garden Network of friends and community Volunteer Ireland Centres in Dublin
Volunteer Ireland: http://www.volunteer.ie/ Volunteer Ireland is the national volunteer development agency and a support body for all local Volunteer Centres in Ireland. Volunteers can be sourced through their vast database and opportunities can be advertised on their website.
24
Ancillary
Applications
To
add
to
the
retail
side
of
the
operation,
Mushroom
City
could
eventually
commence
bulk
growing
of
oyster
and
other
gourmet
mushrooms
in
coffee
ground
substrate.
Mushrooms
will
be
sold
directly
to
restaurants
and
markets
like
Fallon
&
Byrne
in
Dublin.
Bulk
growing
will
require
a
large
space
and
more
staff
hours
as
well
as
tighter
climate
controls
at
the
grow
site.
The
most
important
facet
of
this
programme
will
be
consistency.
Without
a
constant
and
steady
supply
of
the
gourmet
mushrooms,
the
bulk
grow
operation
will
risk
losing
customers.
Mushroom
Week
is
a
concept
that
could
not
only
drive
sales,
but
awareness
and
education
around
the
Mushroom
City
message
of
sustainability,
sourcing
food
locally,
growing
at
home
and
re-using/up- cycling.
A
week-long
programme
of
mushrooms
cultivation,
cooking
and
information
could
be
devised
and
grow
over
the
years
to
a
similar
popularity
as
Strawberry
Week
in
Ireland.
Mushroom
Week
could
evolve
from
a
one-day
annual
Mushroom
Festival.
Conclusion
Mushroom
City
is
not
only
a
viable
business
concept,
but
a
powerful
tool
for
furthering
the
grow-at- home
movement
that
is
building
in
Ireland
and
around
the
world.
With
careful
preparation
and
attention
to
detail,
much
of
which
has
been
researched
in
this
report,
Mushroom
City
will
be
a
successful
commercial
enterprise
with
strong
community
value
and
educational
reach.
By
starting
small
with
grow-kits
and
building
to
an
international
retail
and
online
kit
seller
as
well
as
a
bulk
gourmet
mushroom
provider,
this
Irish
business
could
be
as
big
of
a
player
if
not
bigger
than
its
market
counterparts
in
the
United
States,
England
and
the
Netherlands.
25
Bibliography
Freshforkids.com,
http://www.freshforkids.com.au/veg_pages/mushroom/mushroom.html Fungi
Futures,
http://www.fungi-futures.co.uk/how-do-we-turn-waste-coffee-into-gourmet- mushrooms/
Mycelia
Mushroom
Spawn
Laboratory,
http://www.mycelia.be/en/mycelium-for-professionals/spawn- storage-instructions
WasteLessLiveMore.com,
http://www.wastelesslivemore.com/blog/growing-mushrooms-from-
coffee-waste/
26
Appendices
Appendix
1:
Start-up
Expenses
*
Shelving:
up-cycled
materials
or
second
hand
shelving
will
be
used.
Mixing
vessels
(up-cycled)
Other
mixing
equipment
(scoops,
hoses,
weighing
scales,
atomizers,
etc.)
Laptop
Printer
Glue
gun
Website
build
Total
Cold
Room
Second
Hand
Transport
options
Cargo
Trike
Option
2
Cargo
Trike
Option
2
VW
Transporter
Van
-
-
500.00
500.00
75.00
90.00
1,500.00
2,665.00
1,500.00
1,200.00
6,700.00
10,000.00
All costs are estimates only based in some cased on internet research, others on quotes and others * on general conversations with service providers
27
Cost 2,500.00 220.00 3.98 49.99 50.00 79.90 22.22 9.20 67.76 5.00 56.00 54.00 - 22.78 1,196.10 1,705.55 100.00 - 6,140.76 596 0.99 0.07 0.51 0.10 0.03 0.02 0.56 2.28
28
Transport costs (if using transporter van) Tax per year Insurance per year Fuel per year based on 40mpg per month Maintenance mot 70 service 200 Transport costs (if using bicycles) Maintenance and repair of 2 cargo trikes All costs are estimates only based in some cased on internet research, others on * quotes and others on general conversations with service providers
1 1 1 1 1
Sources for Figures: Operations clean products http://www.mycelia.be/en/sales-products/e/category/lab-supplies/cleanroom-outfits Broadand and phone line http://digiweb.ie/home/bundles/fibre Seed envelopes: https://www.worldofenvelopes.com/acatalog/brown-62x94-coloured-envelopes.html#aB0262
Refuse
sacs
for
grounds
http://www.down2earthmaterials.ie/our-products/
Seeds
http://www.molesseeds.co.uk/flower_and_vegetable_seed_store_uk/zzveg_data.pdf
http://www.vegetableseeds.ie/ParsleyseedsPlainLeaved.htm
Mycellium
https://mailattachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/?ui=2&ik=ad09f961dc&view=att&th=13f3e4b2178155 ed&attid=0.1&disp=inline&realattid=c758d60ba8ac00f1_0.1&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P9hrCP9KKJ2J XxrvlzgxADU&sadet=1372081509228&sads=f5HtoYQk_ruWjWHPGsLAKbXgHQg
29
http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/research/termsandconditions/TechDesc_GreenEnterprise_2 013.pdf
Submission
Deadline:
Tuesday
9th
July
2013
Up
to
75%
co-funding
of
eligible
costs,
not
to
exceed
60,000
Published
in
2012
the
document
A
Resource
Opportunity
-
Waste
Management
Policy
in
Ireland
stresses
the
environmental
and
economic
benefits
of
better
waste
management.
One
of
the
preferable
approaches
is
the
reuse
of
products
for
which
an
owner
has
no
further
use,
but
which
could
be
prepared
for
reuse
by
a
new
owner.
This
includes
for
example
discarded
items,
such
as
coffee
grounds.
Environment
+
LIFE
Program
Grant
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/lifeplus.htm
Submission
Deadline:
25
JUNE
2013
Up
to
50%
EU
co-funding
for
projects
in
varying
categories
including:
Urban
environment:
to
contribute
to
improving
the
environmental
performance
of
Europe's
urban
areas
Natural
resources
and
waste:
to
develop
and
implement
policies
designed
to
ensure
sustainable
management
of
natural
resources
and
wastes,
and
to
improve
the
environmental
performances
of
products,
sustainable
production
and
consumption
patterns,
waste
prevention,
recovery
and
recycling.
To
contribute
to
the
effective
implementation
of
the
thematic
strategy
on
the
prevention
and
recycling
of
waste1
Eco
Innovation
Grant
1 2
From LIFE + call for submissions Note: Enterprise Ireland customers are not eligible for City Enterprise Board funding.
30
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eco-innovation/apply-funds/call-proposal/index_en.htm
Submission
Deadline:
5
Sept
Up
to
50%
co-finding
for
eligible
expenses
Applications
for
eco-innovative
projects
in
different
sectors
which
aim
at
the
prevention
or
reduction
of
environmental
impacts
or
which
contribute
to
the
optimal
use
of
resources.
Enterprise
Board
Feasibility
Study/
Innovation
Grant
http://www.dceb.ie/financial-assistance/types-of-grants
Multiple
application
deadlines
Up
to
50%
co-funding
for
eligible
costs,
not
to
exceed
7,500
(ex.
VAT)
Enterprise Board Priming Grant Multiple application deadlines Up to 50% co-funding for eligible costs, average award 15,000 (ex. VAT) To be used for salary and capital investment for businesses less than 18 months in existence
http://www.irdg.ie/energy-environmental-funding-programmes/
Various
categories
of
initiatives.
2
Examples
of
what
is
available
1. Eco-Label Funding
http://www.irdg.ie/eco-label-initiative/
Rolling
application
deadline
Under
the
Eco-label
Initiative,
companies
can
apply
to
Enterprise
Ireland2
for
support
towards
the
cost
of
testing
and
hiring
a
consultant
to
assist
in
the
validation
and
application
for
an
Eco-label
for
a
particular
product.
(IRDG
website)
2.
EPAs
Cleaner
Greener
Production
Programme
(CGPP)
Note: Enterprise Ireland customers are not eligible for City Enterprise Board funding.
31
http://www.irdg.ie/cleaner-greener-production-programmer-cgpp/
Rolling
application
deadline
Up
to
75%
funding
for
eligible
expenses
not
to
exceed
25,000
This
is
a
grant
scheme
designed
by
the
Environmental
Protection
Agency
to
encourage
Irish
organisations
to
implement
cleaner
greener
practices.
The
application
of
this
programme
is
centred
around
environmental
strategies
in
processes,
products
and
services
that
increase
overall
efficiency
and
reduce
risks
to
humans
and
the
environment,
for
example:
Production
processes:
conserving
raw
materials
and
energy,
eliminating
toxic
raw
materials
and
reducing
the
quantity
and
toxicity
of
all
emissions
and
wastes
Products:
reducing
negative
impacts
along
the
life
cycle
of
a
product,
from
raw
materials
extraction
to
its
ultimate
disposal
Services:
encouraging
and
supporting
the
development
of
higher
environmental
performance
in
the
service
sector,
by
incorporating
environmental
concerns
into
designing
and
delivering
services
Eco-Design:
developing
new
products
with
reduced
environmental
impact
on
a
life
cycle
basis
(from
raw
material
sourcing,
through
production
and
use,
to
end
of
life
burdens).
Eco-Design
is
also
intended
to
embrace
such
concepts
as
improved
recyclability,
ease
of
repair
and
re-use,
and
improved
durability.
(IRDG
website)
32
There are 24 Insomnia coffee shops currently in Dublin City Centre with Spar being the main partnership (12 Spar outlets in Dublin with Insomnia stands). There are 69 Insomnia locations nationally.
12 x 34kg=408kg per week average from Insomnia coffee shops 12 x 20kg= 240kg per week average from Spar outlets with Insomnia stands Total of 648kg per week average
Contact Details: Insomnia Head Office, 4 St. Stephens Green, Dublin 2, Ireland. Email: info@insomnia.ie Phone: 01-6719662 Starbucks
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There are 5 Starbucks coffee shops currently in Dublin City Centre. There are 17 locations nationally. 5 x 60kg= 300kg per week average
Contact Details: Starbucks College Green, 1 College Green, Dublin 2 01-6750638 Costa Coffee
There are 3 Costa Coffee shops currently in Dublin City Centre. There are 17 locations nationally. 3 x 50kg=150kg per week average
Contact Details: Costa Coffee, 3 College Green, Dublin 2 01- 897 2192 McDonald's
There are 5 McDonald's restaurants currently in Dublin City Centre. There are 62 locations nationally. 5 x 20kg= 100kg per week average
Contact Details: McDonald's Restaurants of Ireland, 7 Richview Office Park, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14. 01-2080020 info@ie.mcd.com
34
Growing kit content and instruction: Kit is made up 1 poly sac containing live mycelium of oyster mushroom (Pleurotis spp.) in 1kg of coffee ground substrate; additional vegetable/herb seeds for cultivation. Instructions: 1. Place kit in a partially shaded and well ventilated place. 2. Open flap along perforated line and make a + incision of 3X5in on the poly sac. 3. Soak sac in water overnight and place back in the carton. 4. Mist twice a day, and watch your mushroom bloom. 5. First harvest ready between 10 and 14 days. Growth kit produces at least two harvests of about 1 1/2 lb. Use remnant coffee ground to cultivate provided vegetable/herb seeds. Visit www.mushroomcity.ie for detailed explanation and recipes. Facts about mushrooms: Mushrooms are fungi; fungi are neither plants nor animals. They grow all year round. They are a good source of dietary fibre. They are rich in potassium, zinc and selenium; and most of the B group vitamins. 100g of mushroom contain no fat and between 35-100 kJ of energy. http://www.freshforkids.com.au/veg_pages/mushroom/mushroom.html Facts about coffee and coffee ground: Coffee is the worlds most important beverage and second-largest traded commodity next to oil Columbia and Brazil produce 40% of the worlds coffee.
35
The word cappuccino comes from the resemblance of the drink to the clothing of the Capuchin monks. Coffee ground can be used as plant food as they add nutrient to the soil. Only 1% of ground coffee is consumed, the rest is regarded as waste and thrown away.
Quiz and competitions: (Coming up) Idea behind the quiz is series of interesting and fun fact questions that will lead people back to the website. This is such that people will go to the website to answer the question thereby competing for prizes. Other ideas: Ask people to upload picture of their mushrooms, owner of best grown mushroom per quarter wins a prize.
36
2: What do you think of the packaging? 85% had a positive response when they were shown a sample photograph of the product. They approved of: The eco friendly packaging. They liked the fact it used recycled materials. The range of colours used in the colour pallet. The selected typeface and felt it assisted the overall feel of the product. The overall look and felt that it was a quality product They had very positive feedback about the branding as it left a lasting impression with them. 9% had no response either way 6% had negative feedback: Size: as they felt it was too big for some kitchens Colour: they felt that the product wouldnt pop off the shelf at them Clarity of message: They were unsure what the product was of first glance.
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38
Appendix 7: Branding
39
40
41
Mushroom
City
website
homepage
concept
1
42
Mushroom
City
website
homepage
concept
2
43
Mushroom
City
about
page
concept
44
Dublin
Urban
Farm
website
rebrand
concept
45
Mushroom
City
Facebook
concept
46
Mushroom
City
Twitter
concept
47
Mushroom
City
Pinterest
concept
48
Product photo
http://img.vip.alib
Model Number:
Product Details:
Unit Price:
49
Other Information Quotation Valid Till: 2013-07-17 Lead Time: generally about 7-8 weeks pls feel free to contact me: export5@queenspack.com Rebecca Queens Packaging Co.,Ltd Add.: No. 51, 188# MaoTing Road, Shanghai 201611, China Message to Buyer: Customer Service: 0086 159 2180 6677 (24hours) Tel 0086 21 34290571*128 Fax 0086 21 34290572 Email:export5@queenspack.com Web:www.queenspack.com Transport Options
50
Recipes Different ideas for interesting recipes around the use of oyster mushrooms as an ingredient.
Mushroom Recipes:
51
Recipe option:1 (kids) Mushroom Omelette (Total prep and cooking time: 8-10 min) 2 tablespoons butter, divided 4 ounces sliced mushrooms 1/4 teaspoon (each) salt, pepper and shredded cheese 4 eggs, beaten
1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper and saut 3 to 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are golden; remove from pan and set aside. 2. Melt remaining butter in pan, add eggs and stir gently for 1 minute; leave egg to set up for 1 to 2 minutes. Top eggs with half the mushroom mixture, sprinkle with swiss cheese, and fold in half. Top with remaining mushroom mixture and serve immediately. Http://www.mrfood.com/Eggs/Overstuffed-Mushroom-Omelet Recipe option 2: (kids/Adults) Oyster mushroom chips (Total prep and cooking time 25-30min) pound of fresh oyster mushrooms Drizzle of Olive Oil Sea Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste 1. Pre-heat oven to 425F 2. Peel off each piece of mushroom from the stalk and separate them into individual petals. Place them in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. 3. Arrange gill-side up in 2 baking sheets side by side to allow the mushrooms to cook well and for the edges to crisp up.
52
4. Roast in oven for 15-20 minutes. They will shrink up considerably. 6. Take them out of the oven and allow them to cool off a bit for about 2 minutes and scrape them off the baking sheet using a spatula. It is possible to reheat them at 400F for about 5-8 minutes more if it will not be consumed immediately. Http://karma-free-cooking.com/2010/11/12/oyster%C2%A0mushrooms%C2%A0chips/ Recipe option 3: (Adults) Oyster mushroom, leek and spinach risotto (Total time to prep and cook 20 min) 3 tablespoons fish sauce 1 tablespoon each of rice vinegar, minced fresh lemon and minced fresh ginger 1/2 teaspoon sugar (to add taste) 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil 3 cups oyster mushrooms, roughly chopped if large 1 scallion, thinly sliced, for garnish 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish Stir together the fish sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl and set aside. Put the sesame oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the lemongrass and ginger and stir-fry for about 30 seconds (it will smell heavenly). Add the mushrooms and stir-fry until slightly softened, 3 or 4 minutes. You want them still moist and not browned. 3. Add the sauce and stir-fry until absorbed, 30 seconds or so. Garnish with the scallion and sesame seeds and serve. 1. 2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mushroomleekandspina_85579
53