Adelaide’s former Holden factory to become Australia’s largest exotic mushroom farm
Australia’s largest exotic mushroom farm and processing facility is being established on the former Holden car manufacturing site in Adelaide, creating up to 350 jobs, according to the SA government.
The $110 million facility will produce more than 20,000 tons of exotic mushrooms and related products each year.
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The Epicurean Food Group facility will manage all operations in one location, from growing mushrooms in a laboratory to turning second-grade and surplus mushrooms into burgers in a commercial kitchen.
Trade and Investment Minister Nick Champion said the repurposing of one of the state’s most respected manufacturing sites was proof that the sector remained strong and adaptable.
The factory will produce more than 20,000 tons of exotic mushrooms and related products every year. Credit: Supply More than 350 jobs are expected to be created when the factory is fully completed. Credit: Provided
“Few would have thought that it would be possible to transform Holden’s old factory floor into a place where exotic mushrooms can be grown and grown, but South Australians are not only innovating, we are leading the pack,” he said .
“Nothing like this facility exists interstate and we want to support local companies to expand and reach new customers on a national and global scale.”
The plant will provide a consistent supply of locally grown premium mushrooms to supermarkets and restaurants that rely heavily on imported stock. About 85 percent of Australia’s exotic mushrooms come from overseas.
Specially designed grow rooms will be built to house thousands of oyster, shiitake, enoki, king oyster and lion’s mane exotic varieties in columns up to 13m high as the development takes shape across multiple buildings across a 35,000 square meter footprint.
Mushroom burger patties are among the types of products the factory will help produce. Credit: Provided
Small-scale production is underway with six grow chambers nearing completion.
The facility is expected to be completed by the end of 2024 and will then include mycoprotein, which is used in alternative meats, and mycelium, which is used in leather goods.
None are produced on a commercial scale in Australia.
The old Holden factory in Adelaide was a major employer of South Australians, particularly residents in Adelaide’s north. Credit: AAP
The Epicurean Food Group, which has a mushroom farm on SA’s Fleurieu Peninsula, supplies more than 40 independent retailers across Adelaide with plans to expand into major supermarket chains in SA and interstate over the coming months and into international markets over the longer term term.
“With the help of our supermarket partners, Australians will have easier access to some of the 20 unusual and exotic mushroom varieties we grow, as well as our wholesome mushroom burgers, balls, crumbles and sausages,” director Ken King said.
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