Due to the lack of sufficient Austrian producers, more than half of the mushrooms consumed locally have been imported. Now, SPAR is introducing a regional, organic alternative to its range. The new brown and white Blumauer organic mushrooms are grown in Bad Blumau and are cultivated by the fruit and vegetable specialist Frutura. They are now available in the fruit and vegetable sections of SPAR, EUROSPAR, and INTERSPAR in Styria, guaranteeing maximum freshness and the best taste through sustainable cultivation and short transport distances.
Strong Partnership – SPAR and Frutura. From left to right: Katrin Hohensinner-Häupl (Managing Director of Frutura), Christoph Holzer (Managing Director of SPAR Styria and South Burgenland) and Manfred Hohensinner (Managing Director and Founder of Frutura). © SPAR/Velchev
The family-run fruit and vegetable producer Frutura has been a long-standing cooperation partner of SPAR. Following the Blumauer tomatoes and Blumauer bell peppers, Frutura now supplies SPAR with the latest regional specialty: Blumauer organic mushrooms. In the state-of-the-art Thermal Vegetable World in Bad Blumau, brown and white organic mushrooms are now grown all year round.
Environmentally friendly, sustainable, and innovative
The cultivation relies on the natural warmth of thermal water, with no fossil energy used in the growing rooms. In summer, cooling is provided by its own photovoltaic system. Only rainwater is used for irrigation, which benefits the mushrooms just as in nature. Moreover, the compost soil and mushroom residues are 100% utilized for creating valuable humus in regional agriculture, in line with circular economy principles.
Holzer: "This is how regionalism and sustainability are done!"
In the vegetable departments of SPAR, EUROSPAR, and INTERSPAR, the Blumauer organic mushrooms are available in three varieties: white, brown, and as a mix. "We are very pleased with this market launch: mushrooms are popular among all age groups and our Blumauer organic mushrooms are sustainably cultivated and grown in Styria," says Mag. Christoph Holzer, Managing Director of SPAR Styria. He adds: "This is how regionalism works – we are proud of this regional partnership."
Sustainable primary production with innovative technology
The resource-efficient primary production in Bad Blumau is unique in Austria. It combines traditional agriculture with the latest technology. The organic mushrooms feed on a purely natural compost mix that comes from 100% organic production, and the use of resource-saving climate technology enables year-round cultivation. Despite the use of computer technology, cultivation is manual work 365 days a year – the Frutura team must visit the mushrooms several times a day to monitor their growth with their own hands, eyes, and sense of smell.
Frutura's Managing Director Katrin Hohensinner-Häupl is proud: "With the new Blumauer organic mushrooms, SPAR customers can combine the best taste with a clear conscience when cooking. Our mushrooms grow in a resource-efficient manner in harmony with nature and regionally, which strengthens our country's self-sufficiency."
The organic mushrooms, with their compact structure, offer a particularly intense, nutty flavor.
For more information:
https://frutura.com/
www.spar.at