Quality Assurance

Here’s a bit more about the standards we keep to.

1. Food safety first.
   The 2014 Food Act asked all food businesses to implement a ‘risk-based’ approach to food manufacture. Luckily, we already had it covered!
   
   Our HACCP based food safety system, launched in 2000, sees us scrutinize every step of the mushroom growing process, from farm to shop. With the right controls in place we’re able to minimise risk and make sure our mushrooms are safe to eat. This means continual monitoring to check they comply with microbiological standards, maximum residue and heavy metal limits. And we don’t just do the bare minimum. Our program is several steps above where it needs to be, and is audited internally every 6 months as well as by independent, accredited organisations every 12-18 months.
   
   Further food safety measures include making our own compost using only natural ingredients - so we know exactly what’s going into it, and then pasteurize it to ensure it’s completely safe. And, because our compost facility is separate to our farm, we remove any risk of cross contamination.
2. The perfect conditions for freshness.
   Growing top quality mushrooms is a real craft, backed by a good dose of science. Our expert compost makers and growers are constantly monitoring and managing a tight set of conditions - from the air temperature to humidity and carbon dioxide levels. Their goal is to grow the optimum number of strong, healthy mushrooms that stay fresher for longer.
   
   We pick our mushrooms fresh daily (every day other than Christmas!), so our mushrooms hit supermarket shelves the very next day in some cases. We also use high tech vacuum coolers that chill the mushrooms in just 20 minutes, straight after harvesting, to maintain their freshness.
3. Handle with care.
   Mushrooms are super delicate, which is why we only ever pick by hand. Our harvesters wear gloves and are trained to treat mushrooms like eggs - using a gentle hand to make sure they arrive to our customers in top condition.
4. Tracing any issues.
   If quality issues should ever arise, we can trace where the mushrooms came from to help us isolate and investigate the cause. We control the end-to-end production process in-house, from making the compost substrate through to growing, harvesting and packaging, so we know what goes into every mushroom we sell, every step of the way.   
5. Certified by the right people.
   Our QA team are all members of the NZ Institute of Food Science and Technology - the country’s leading professional accreditation for those in the food industry who apply science, technology and engineering to the processing, manufacture and distribution of food. So we know our stuff!
   
   Our Custom Food Control Plan is registered with the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) and regularly independently checked for compliance. We’re also a Certified Grower, and our business meets Global Good Agricultural Practice (Global GAP) requirements.