DENNY MUSHROOMS: Marvel at South Africa’s Mushroom Mega-Growers

“Denny is the mushroom expert, and we are passionate about what we do,” neatly summates the mushroom monolith. This much is undeniable: its three farms produce half of the total mushroom consumption in South Africa, lovingly tended under perfect conditions to bring all the goodness of this vital vegetable to every South African.

Four decades of mergers, acquisitions and growth have produced this lasting, extremely well-known brand, popular among families and individuals alike in South Africa. “Every second mushroom eaten in South Africa is supplied by us,” Managing Executive Gerbrandt Rust proudly reveals. “Striving to produce the very best-quality has always been, and remains, very much our primary concern. Denny is such a household, familiar name, that it is almost a subconscious act for consumers to pick up one of our blue punnets ahead of any of the others. We stand out.”

Part of the Libstar group, one of the biggest house brand manufactures in South Africa, Denny lives by the Libstar values of customer centricity, accountability, partnerships and entrepreneurial spirit. “We value the input and efforts from our holding company Libstar which plays a big role in the success and future sustainability of Denny. We at Libstar and Denny strive to enrich people’s daily lives,” Rust states.

Fittingly, Denny wares enjoy spots in the country’s prime outlets. “Top-end retail is the main sector Denny serves,” Rust adds, “which consists mainly of Woolworths, Pick n Pay, Spar and Checkers. We then supply a lot of fruit and veg sellers, as well as many restaurants looking for the very best in quality and freshness to then offer to patrons.”

Bringing to the table the largest and most extensive range of fresh white and brown mushrooms is Denny’s modus operandi, greatly aided, Rust explains, by its ability to fulfil the entire process from beginning to end. “We do things a little bit differently to the big players in the UK and the EU, whereby we handle the whole chain, take care of the whole chain, right through to the shop shelf. It is very much a vertical, integrated business, and has been throughout Denny’s existence.”

SUSTAINABLE SUSTENANCE

“We have recently branched out to a secondary focus on value-added products such as meat alternatives and farm-based products,” Rust reveals. This initiative has fitted wholly with Denny’s leader in sustainability status in South Africa, an accolade which drives it to continually work to improve its processes and make them even kinder to the environment.

“The mushroom cycle is a very sustainable one,” Rust presents. “It allows us to remove all the waste produced on farms in wheat and maize production and take this to then form part of the substrate we make in order to feed and grow our mushrooms. Afterwards, this is then ploughed back into the lands, creating a very sustainable and integrated cycle of which we are very proud.”

The intensity and intricacy of the mushroom-farming environment, a 24-7, 365-day endeavour for Rust and company, makes it difficult to take on projects or products away from mushrooms, he says. “Over the past two or three years, however, this has really driven our focus on utilising every single piece of fibre that we produce on our farms.

“It has also led to the introduction of these new product offshoots, but also right down to the resourcefulness of supplying buckets of mushroom and brine to bio-manufacturers in South Africa, for example. There is a lot still for us to explore with what we currently have, before we will begin to look at diversifying on our farms.”

This is a collaborative effort from a company which has long lauded the power of its partnerships in bringing the mushroom to the fore in the country. “We also prefer to consider the top retailers who we supply as our partners, rather than just our clients, to build a sustainable future together with us for the mushroom category in South Africa.”

When he speaks of sustainability, Gerbrandt Rust refers to more than environmental or agricultural practices – it is the health of the entire industry that Denny is working to safeguard. “We really invest in the industry and in South Africa through our people. We are always the first company to take graduates from university, and train them, and while many do end up going to our competition, I see this as a real source of pride. Denny was where they found their love of the game and of the industry.

“In the South African landscape there are so many people who started out at Denny and went on to find success going their own thing and on their own farms. On a regular basis we also run apprenticeships, or internships, and sponsor select candidates who are still studying to complete their degree or diploma, who then come to work for us and continue to grow with Denny.”    

FUNGI-FOCUSED

Rust can offer a rare insight into the nuances of the Denny operation, having himself been at the heart of the farming element before assuming his current post just over a year ago. “I started off running the biggest mushroom farm in Africa, in Gauteng, and then was appointed to this post.

“It brings such a different dynamic to the position if someone has actually worked on the farm; it allows you to understand the frustration of the people, what they need and the tools they require – you can put yourself in their shoes. It is a tough industry, and certainly isn’t for everyone,” he admits, “but as long as you have the backing of your team and they share the same vision and passion, then anything is possible.”

Moving forward it is not just Denny that Rust wants to grow and develop, he explains; it is a far more holistic aim. “In South Africa we remain something of a niche market. Even though a lot of people are buying mushrooms there is a still a big untapped section for us to embark on conquering, by going into rural areas, educating people and teaching them how to cook with this very nutritious, filling product.

“It is not just about putting our brand and our name out there; for us, it is much more about increasing overall mushroom consumption in South Africa. We would like to see it go from 150g per annum, per person, to double this or more, meaning higher demand and, inevitably, more opportunity in the sector leading to further expansion and job creation.”

Nutritious, delicious, capable of lowering risks of cardiovascular diseases and cancer – it is little wonder that Denny does not foresee any great need to revolutionise its operations or offerings as it seeks another four decades of dominance. “There is a very specific recipe that works in the mushroom industry, and as far as possible we try not to meddle with that,” Rust states.

“In the market, though, you want to be unique, to stand out and to have the leverage over the competition, which is difficult because at our roots we have the two strains: white and brown, nothing more, and that keeps us thinking creatively and constantly refining what we do. It forces us to always be ahead of the curve of consumer behaviour and of where the market is moving, and a lot of background work and discussion keeps us there.

“This means that we are able to think on our feet, reassess and adapt very quickly, which gives us the upper hand in the market, listening to our partners’ needs.

“We are leading the market in South Africa in terms of yields, prices and how we look after our staff,” concludes Rust. “Our main drive now is to stick to the basic principles of mushrooms growing and our major investments will be in our own production, to replace everything and invest everything that we make back into our business and our production. We want to upgrade our facilities to a global standard to push us into our next 40 years of farming.”