"Every year, it's the same with truffles. In summer, there's an abundance, and demand is much lower. Now, there are shortages, and demand is sky-high," says Harold Schuurmans of Westland Mushrooms in De Lier. According to the traders in mushrooms and fresh exotic products, truffle consumption has risen sharply over the years. "Truffles are becoming known to an increasingly broader audience. However, the price is currently higher than usual due to tight supply."
He notes that truffles are now on the radar of a wider audience. "We still supply many truffles to catering suppliers, but it's no longer just specialty shops that sell them. Truffles are reaching a much broader consumer base. Sales show the same upward trend as mushrooms. In the past, supermarkets only stocked white mushrooms. Later, chestnut mushrooms were added. Now, if you look at the variety of mushroom mixes available, it has grown immensely, and the same trend applies to truffles."
"Although the peak in consumption is around the holidays, we already see demand increasing as soon as the leaves start to fall because that's when people head into the kitchen," Harold explains. He sources all his truffles from Italy. "We also had truffles from other regions in the past, but we noticed our customers prefer Italian truffles. However, this year's floods in Italy created challenges in meeting customer demand. We depend entirely on Mother Nature, as truffles are still foraged in the wild. While more cultivation projects are being launched, the supply remains largely wild, which adds to the product's charm."
Westland Mushrooms receives fresh truffle deliveries several times a week. "If we order before noon, we have them in-house the next day. Currently, the autumn truffle season is nearly over. The winter truffles still need a little time to ripen, but they'll be flavorful soon enough," Harold continues. As a one-stop shop, the company also offers related products like truffle tapenade and truffle oil. "Through the exporters we work with, truffles are shipped on pallets to all corners of the world, particularly the Middle East, where they are highly sought after. Additionally, we've noticed a significant increase in sales of white truffles in recent months. Although their price is still five to six times higher than black truffles, demand has been on the rise."
For more information:
Harold Schuurmans
Westland Mushrooms
Tel: +31 (0)174 24 03 34
Mob: +31 (0)6 18 80 54 31
[email protected]
www.westlandmushrooms.com