Self-proclaimed ‘fun-gi’, Kyle Quinn, is scaling up his new mushroom enterprise in Warrnambool, Victoria, with support from AgriFood Evolution, a program helping food and agriculture businesses fast-track their innovative ideas and bring them to market.
Quinn took part in a workshop about growing mushrooms at home.
“It just went from there. We were just growing mushrooms for home use and I thought ‘I reckon I can give this a crack and see how we go’.
“We’re working on an urban-based mushroom growing business providing fresh, seasonal, local mushrooms. I’ve set up a makeshift cool room in my garage.”
Agrifood Evolution is a 12 week program supported by the Federal Government’s Food Innovation Australia Limited and delivered by industry experts Beanstalk in partnership with the Warrnambool City, Moyne, Corangamite, Southern Grampians and Glenelg Shire Councils.
Beanstalk Project Facilitator, Phoebe Norman said while COVID-19 has produced serious challenges for many businesses, it had also created new opportunities.
“In this cohort there have been some really great stories that have come off the back of being forced to stop and have that opportunity to look at their business and how they can progress forward.
“Without programs like this, it can take years to test, fail, excel, fail again and so on. But we’re trying to get them to look at the steps they need to take and give them the ability to move forward and scale up as fast as they can.”
Warrnambool Mayor, Vicki Jellie said, “Programs like AgriFood Evolution, as well as Connecting with Asia which has a tourism focus, they are as much about creating networks between businesses as they are about introducing them to new ideas and methodologies.
“The information about understanding your customer and marketing your product is invaluable, but so is having the chance to learn about other businesses looking to take innovative approaches in order to grow.”
And that’s a sentiment echoed by Warrnambool’s newest mushroom farmer.
“Some of the growth curves have been pretty steep but I think having support like this and knowing that some of the challenges I’m experiencing aren’t unique to me has really helped.”
