More mushrooms on menus.

Relationships with the foodservice industry are intended to not only sell large amounts of mushrooms, but also to give consumers a first-hand experience of tasting mushrooms in new dishes every way, everyday. With a long-term goal of getting more mushrooms on more menus across the country, the Council's foodservice program has been reviving old relationships and generating new ones with chefs and marketing decision-makers through select industry conferences and by partnering with influential organizations, like the Culinary Institute of America.

This year, more than 600 names were added to the newsletter list, which includes top industry professionals. The newsletter allows the Council to make direct contact to these decision makers, reminding them to add mushrooms to the menu.

For major chains, which may have thousands of stores across the country, adding new menu items and ingredients is a long, slow process. The "shoppers" for restaurants need reminders to keep mushrooms on their list and the reasons to do so, just as consumers need reminders. This year, the Council worked with Tony Roma's, Bennigan's, Donato's, Burger King, Romano's Macaroni Grill, Panera and Pizza Inn to name a few. That group alone represents over 13,269 units and over $16.4 billion in annual sales.

In honor of "National Mushroom Month" in September, promotions kicked off with Quiznos, Rock Bottom Restaurants, Boston's Gourmet Pizza and Old Chicago. Aside from selling more mushrooms at these particular venues, there is an added benefit, like retail advertising, of simply reminding folks, wherever they eat or shop to remember mushrooms. Results are still being collected, but to date these promotions have a potential reach of more than five million consumers through online advertising, e-marketing, in-store materials and newspaper inserts.

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Restaurants are under constant pressure to find new ideas, concepts and flavors. As such, they are increasingly looking to their suppliers to help them provide innovative recipes for their customers. The Mushroom Council is constantly in search of trends for the next hot, new idea to establish themselves as trendsetters and provide more mushroom marketing, usage and menu ideas. Through public relations outreach, the Council has achieved nearly three million foodservice impressions, which is more than double the goal set for 2007.