Crown Mushrooms farm fresh mushrooms are grown all year round, so you can always depend on superior quality supplies.

Mushrooms are sold in four stages of growth - Champignons, Buttons , Cups, and Flat (or field style) mushrooms. They are available in a variety of packaging options from 200g retail punnets to 4kg bulk cartons

Button Mushroom - White	Mushroom Cups - White	Champignons - White
Portabello Mushrooms	Portabello Cups	Portabello Champignons
Portabello Field Style (Medium)	Portabello Field Style (Large)	Premium Buttons
Extra Tasty Cups	Premium Champignons	Extra Tasty Portabello (button)
Extra Tasty Portabello (cup)		Extra Tasty Portabello (field)

Champignons: A young closed mushroom with a subtle flavour ideal for marinades and salads. No bigger than a fifty cent piece.
	Button Mushrooms: A larger closed mushroom with a slightly more pronounced flavour perfect for most uses. Ranging in size from 40mm to over 100mm
Cups: Partly to fully open and with the cap still curved, this mushroom is just made for stuffing. Their flavour and texture have developed to a slightly stronger, more mature level than the button mushroom.	.
	Field Mushrooms: a mushroom that has been allowed to develop fully. With a flat open appearance and a beautiful display of its gills this mushroom is without equal. A rich, full flavour and firm texture make the field mushroom ideal in many dishes. Ranging in size from around 70mm to the size of a dinner plate, they can also be a healthy meal on their own.

White Mushrooms
White mushrooms have been the cornerstone of Crown's market. They vary in colour from creamy white to light brown, in sizes from button to field. They have a mild taste, which is slightly woody, but their flavour intensifies when cooked. Freshly picked white mushrooms have closed veils (caps that fit closely to the stem) and a delicate flavour. The mature whites have open veils, darker caps, and develop a richer, fuller taste.

Portabello Mushrooms
Portabello (Swiss Brown, Cremini) mushrooms are a close relative of wild field mushrooms. They have a rich, full flavour, a firm texture when cooked, and a long shelf life. These benefits give them an edge over the more commonly used white mushroom.

Portabellos can be used on all occasions from breakfasts to pasta dishes, stews and stir fries. The speckled honey brown colour of their caps against their white flesh makes them the perfect choice for salads.

These mushrooms are a good source of protein and are a good non-meat source of B vitamins. They have a meaty, firm texture and retain their shape during cooking, making them an ideal meat substitute in vegetarian dishes.

Compost
Mushrooms require large quantities of compost in which to grow. Horse or poultry manure and straw make up the raw materials, which are transformed into an optimum substrate for mushroom growing.

Mushroom compost improves the chemical, physical, and nutrient value of the soil. A typical analysis based on a 3-year research programme has produced the following data:

pH 6.9
Electrical Conductivity (DS/M) 11.0
Dry Matter 50.5%
Organic Carbon 28.0%
Nitrogen (Dry Weight) 1.8%
Phosphorus (Dry Weight) 0.8%
Potassium (Dry Weight) 1.6%
Manganese 137.0ppm
Copper 17.0ppm
Zinc 68.0ppm
Boron 10.0ppm
Carbon:Nitrogen Ratio 31.0

It is a natural, organic answer to the more costly chemical-based fertilisers, and tests have shown that it can speed emergence times by up to 3 days.

The benefits of this viable alternative are becoming increasingly apparent, and Crown Mushrooms is proud of the part we play in the industry.